Prayer for the World November 5, 2025
- Victory Noll Sisters
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
Culture of Exclusion
Introduction
In the present situation of our world, we are becoming more acutely aware of our oneness, our connectedness. What happens in one part of the world in terms of war, use of Earth’s resources, etc. affects us all. However, too often folks are excluded instead of included when decisions or laws affecting them are made. Today we will pray for those who are unfairly excluded from the economic, political or cultural life of society, thr rights and benefits of society. In the words of the U.S. bishops: The ultimate injustice is for a person or group to be treated actively or abandoned passively as if they were non-members of the human race. To treat people this way is effectively to say they simply do not count as human beings. This is in sharp contract to God’s love that unites us in one human family.
Song: At This Table by Idina Menzel
At this table, everyone is welcome At this table, there will be no judgement
…, everyone is seen …, mercy has a seat
…, everybody matters …, we’re all sons and daughters
No one falls between There’s no place I’d rather be.
…, you can say whatever
…, you can speak your mind So come as you are
…, at this table, everything’s forgiven Remember that the door is always open
There’s enough for everyone. Yes, come as you are
The perfect gift that you could
So come as you are bring is your heart
Remember that the door is always open So come, come as you are
Yes, come as you are
The perfect gift that you could At this table, everyone is welcome
Bring is your heart …, everybody cares
So come, come as you are …, everybody matters
So come, pull up a chair.
Reading
Cardinal Robert McEelroy, Archbishop of Washing D.C., has spoken of the culture of exclusion that has grown so dramatically in our nation in recent years and even more so in the past year or so. He sees evidence of this in the rise of racial injustice and anti-Semitism—immigrants and refugees being portrayed as a cause for fear and suspicions and Muslims widely characterized as persons not to be trusted. He described the growth of the culture of exclusion not only specific policy questions in national politics, but it also seeps into the important questions of life and dignity that our society faces.
Let us pray today for all those who are being denied or excluded from the basic rights and benefits of society:
Immigrants being detained and/or deported without the right to due process in a court of law
Those being denied the right to food in the face of the government shutdown
Those persons on death row, being denied the basic right to life
Those who are being fired…
Those unable to afford health insurance and/or adequate health care for themselves and their families
The homeless who cannot afford the cost of shelter for themselves and their families
Silent Prayer
“God gave the earth to the whole human race for the sustenance of all its members, without excluding or favouring anyone.” St. John Paul II
Early on we learn to label others as “outsiders,” while seeking to make ourselves “insiders.” In a book on peace making Fr. John Dear lists those we exclude: women and children, those whose skin color is different from our own, lesbians and gays, the disabled, the elderly or people of different faith traditions, immigrants, prisoners, death row inmates, the unborn or the homeless. As we choose to exclude others and support a culture of exclusion we tear town the web of our common humanity.
Fr. John goes on to ask, “What would an all inclusive culture look like, where God’s reign is more present here on earth? An inclusive society would value every human being, and create economic and political structures for everyone to realize the fullness of life, dignity and equality in freedom.”
Silent Prayer
Song: At This Table