Saturday, June 7

By Lu Mountenay of Independence, Missouri, USA

When your willingness to live in sacred community as Christ’s new creation exceeds your natural fear of spiritual and relational transformation, you will become who you are called to be. …the peaceful reign of Christ, awaits your wholehearted response to the call to make and steadfastly hold to God’s covenant of peace in Jesus Christ.

—Doctrine and Covenants 164:9b

Our tears roll into the cracks of our broken heart,

and there the salty spirit heals.

Hearts can break in different ways. They may break because of another person or an outside force or event. We do not choose it. This heart needs healing.

Our hearts can break for a world in need. We choose this brokenness. This heart does not need healing—it does not want the wound to close. Our hearts remain broken—open to the needs of the world and, with the grace of God, we never let them close. We will not turn away.

Our community heart chooses to respond to the brokenhearted with compassion and love. This is what hearts are good at. This is the signal we send to one another. We open our hearts to beat as one, to include all, and embrace all. We extend the heartfelt invitation and follow with a warmhearted welcome. To end suffering, we cannot let our hearts grow cold. We abolish poverty by following in the way of hearts that throb with generosity. This is the heart of a disciple. Let us be the heart of Jesus, “serving in his stead.”

Prayer for Peace Covenant God, we take comfort in your healing spirit, when our hearts break. Open our hearts to share your comfort and peace with a world in need.

Spiritual Practice: Abolish Poverty, End Suffering Read and reflect on John 21:15–17 as a meditation. Let your mind be drawn to places where people have no homes. Think of refugees whose homes were destroyed by war or natural disaster. Be aware of the hungry and homeless, who wander the streets or live in shelters. Let the images fill your mind. Offer a prayer for those who suffer. Imagine Christ tending those sheep. Think of ways you might end their suffering as part of your mission. Throughout the day, carry in your mind the voice of Christ saying: “Feed my lambs…tend my sheep…feed my sheep.”

Peace Covenant Today, God, I will add to my believing “deeds that prove it true.” I will put my money where my heart expresses desire to serve.

(Phrases from hymn “Let Your Heart Be Broken” by Brian Jeffery Leech)