light the city
Papal Visit Countdown- 2 weeks to go!
I heard about it many years ago from a friend who sent me a picture of a candle lit Church in Germany. I could not believe the “coolness factor” or the beauty. Catholic Churches, opened at night, lit only by candles, playing beautiful music and inviting people in off of the streets to pray, and if they felt so moved, to participate in Adoration and Confession. Wow! So simple, so beguiling, so inspiring. I longed to have this in D.C. But how?
Fast forward to many years later… here we are, and guess what...so is it! YES! This Saturday night you can participate in something we have been praying about for years and has finally made it Stateside! LIGHT THE CITY GEORGETOWN is our dream come true!
By God’s grace, thirteen churches in Georgetown of all denominations will be opening their doors, setting out luminaries, playing music, (including THREE GOSPEL CHOIRS!) and inviting people in off of the streets to pray for UNITY and PEACE! It is a show of the beauty of our faith in Georgetown and YOU ARE INVITED TO BE A PART OF THIS GREAT, AND HISTORIC EVENT!
-5:30 Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 3513 N Street, NW (optional)
-6:30 on the front steps of Holy Trinity receive a candle, a map and a list of open houses of worship
-6:30-8:00 Tour the neighborhood at your own pace, visit the open churches, hear beautiful music, go to Adoration at all three Catholic Churches (including Georgetown Visitation Monastery) and say a prayer for unity and peace at each stop marked by luminaries
-8:00 Join us for a reception in the garden at Epiphany Catholic Church, 2712 Dumbarton St. NW *
-ALL FREE! (*A voluntary good will offering basket will be available at the Epiphany reception benefiting the Georgetown Ministry Center)
Funnily enough, I have been a member of many of the denominations that are participating on Saturday night. [As you may know, I have written a personal testimony about my conversion to Catholicism, Metamorphosis of a Soul, and you can read Chapter 11 HERE “The Nest.” ] Upon personal reflection, I would say there are FAR LESS THEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES than there are CULTURAL AND VOCABULARY DIFFERENCES among Christian denominations! And while I, of course, believe that I have a found a true home in the the Catholic faith, I do believe that if we do not take the time to learn from one another and love one another, we will never be able to show the world a true picture of the Body of Christ. Who would believe He is LOVE itself, if all they see from the outside is division? And while we may not all be called to believe the same things, I do believe that we are all called to love the way that Christ did.
Saturday night is just one tiny step heavenwards. I pray you will join us as we “take a peek” at one another, noting the similarities, and appreciating the differences, all in celebration and in anticipation of the arrival of Pope Francis-- and even more exciting, in hopeful expectation of the coming of Our Lord. May they both find us busy in the business of love and understanding upon their highly anticipated arrivals!
This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13:35
Dear Lord,
Wow! You are so good to us! How can we want anything less than Your absolute goodness for others? I pray that You will so fill us with Your love that it will spill over onto everyone that we meet. Give us a deep love and concern for our neighbors, even if our beliefs are not the same. May Your heart of compassion, mercy and grace guide us as we walk this pilgrim’s road. Give us Your eyes to see, Your ears to hear, Your hands to touch and Your lips to speak. May everyone who sees us, see You and in this unity of Spirit, You be greatly glorified.
I ask this in the Name of the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit. Amen.
