Elementary:

Let us begin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.​

Sometimes our selfishness can separate us from one another. Jesus asks us to forgive others and seek forgiveness from those we have hurt and so help tear down walls of hurt that divide God's children.

Jesus invites us to be one people and one family. And so, we pray …:

Dear God,

In our lives, help us to:

Tear down walls of fear

Tear down walls of hatred

Tear down walls of anger

Tear down walls of lies

Tear down walls of bullying

Tear down any walls that push others away.

Lord, lead us to forgiveness

healing

peace

kindness

love.

And lead us to play in your love.

Building loving relationships not walls, we continue our day in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

High School: 

Let us begin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We seem to be good at separating or dividing ourselves from one another. In 1989 the Berlin Wall, a huge concrete wall separating East and West Berlin in Germany, was demolished. This wall, as many walls are, was a symbol of conflict and division. When the wall came down, people danced and cheered. Sometimes walls of hatred, fear and prejudice separate us from one another.

Jesus asks us to seek forgiveness from those we have hurt and to tear down walls that divide God's children. We are also asked to forgive those who have hurt us.  Jesus calls us to be one people and one family. And so, we pray …:

Dear God,

In our lives, help us to:

Tear down walls of fear

Tear down walls of hatred

Tear down walls of anger

Tear down walls of envy

Tear down walls of prejudice

Tear down walls of lies

Tear down walls of bullying

Tear down any walls that bring brokenness

instead of life.

Lead us to forgiveness

Lead us to healing

Lead us to peace

Lead us to justice

Lead us to Your love.

Lead us in Your dance of love.

We remember those saints who have helped to tear down the walls of hatred:

St. Paul, beloved communicator … [Pray for us]

St. Elisabeth Seton, symbol of Christian charity … [Pray for us]

St. Francis of Assisi, missionary of peace… [Pray for us]

St. Maximilian Kolbe, martyr for peace… [Pray for us]

Dorothy Day, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr.and Nelson Mandela, witnesses to peace … [Pray for us]

We continue our day in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.