Experience Peace and Hope 2020 - The Assisi Institute

Experience Peace and Hope 2020

Action to Cultivate Hope in a Troubled World

October 4 – 10, 2020

Meditate. Pray. Fast. Serve.

The perilous times in which we live frighten us and tempt us to despair.Yet, the world’s great spiritual traditions and masters teach us that we are neither helpless nor without recourse. St. Francis tells us, “We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.” Accordingly, the Assisi Institute warmly invites you to join us in a week of prayer, meditation, fasting, and service which will bring peace and protection to individuals, our community, our nation, and the entire world. We will do this as a community by dedicating the week of October 4 through 10 to the transformative practices of prayer, meditation, fasting, and service. Prayer is crucial because it immerses us in the stream of God’s loving energy, elevating the chemistry of our individual and collective consciousness. Meditation nurtures a level of deep interior silence, empowering us to become channels of God’s peace for ourselves and our suffering brothers and sisters. As in the life of Saint Francis, acts of selfless service allows God’s love to become a living reality in the lives of others. Finally, fasting creates an emptiness that invites God’s healing power into our hearts and lives.

Starting with our Sunday Service on October 4 live from our temple or on Facebook Live, the feast of St. Francis, we will collectively structure the days of our week around meditation, prayer, fasting, and service. Brother Bernardo will join us to share stories of peace from the life of St. Francis.

We are happy to welcome a limited number of people to the temple. Pre-register by emailing Purnima here.

At 3:00 pm on Sunday, October 4, enjoy a basic yoga class video with Christianne Asper-Contant of Assisi Yoga. Find it on Facebook.

Morning Meditation with Isha Das will be offered on Facebook Live October 5 – 9 from 8:00 – 8:30 am. As part of this service, we will each set an intention and a plan for prayer and an act of service that day.

A Noon Prayer Service will occur each weekday at the Assisi Institute temple or on Facebook Live. If you choose to join us in person, pre-registration will be required, and we will follow guidelines for mask wearing and social distancing. If you would like to attend in person, email Purnima here. Isha Das and other local faith community leaders will lead this service.

A 3:00 pm rosary will be offered each afternoon on Facebook Live. If you have another devotional prayer for peace that you prefer, such as scripture reading, chanting, or some quietly mindful activity done in silence, please enjoy it at 3:00 pm or another time during the day.

Evenings will present more opportunities with enriching spiritual podcast programming.

Friday October 9: Join us for James Twyman’s latest film, Becoming Francis, at 7 pm on Zoom. We are so pleased to offer this new documentary film to our community and friends as part of Experience Peace and Hope 2020. When James was with us in 2019, he was planning this incredible journey which took place in January and February of this year. Starting in Portland, Oregon, James and filmmaker Bill Free traveled across the United States — completely without money or resources, just as Francis of Assisi would have done. Along the way, James performed his musical “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” in churches and spiritual centers and ministered to the homeless, giving away 100% of the donations he received. In this film, we can share his journey, from the preparation to the culmination with the homeless of New York City. The film features many beautiful, moving, and personal moments along with interviews with Richard Rohr, Miribar Starr, and everyday people who love St. Francis just as we do.

James will join us live on Zoom to introduce the film, which lasts about an hour and 20 minutes. Afterward, he will answer our questions, and we will have the opportunity to donate to his mission. Join us for this fascinating film! Click here to register.

In addition to all of these community opportunities, we will each choose how to fast and how to serve.

Fasting: Great saints and sages from the ancient yogis of India to Pope Francis have invited people to practice fasting as a means of creating inner peace, peace between people, and peace among nations. Fasting is not just suffering without food; it is a symbolic emptying of oneself so that something better may fill the empty space. Fasting connects us to God, alleviates suffering, and builds compassion and love. Some may choose to fast from solid food, but this is only recommended under medical supervision, especially during this time when we are carefully guarding our health. Many other ways to fast include fasting from treats, social media, television, speaking, news, etc.

Service: Daily acts of service include reaching out to a friend with a phone call, writing a long-overdue card or letter, making a meal for someone with love, donating food or household items, making an offer of reconciliation with a loved one, or pulling weeds. Imagine the collective good we can do; imagine how God will respond even more generously with a shower of grace.

We will be inviting local faith communities to join us, and we invite all to extend this invitation as well. Join us for any or all of these practices! Together, we will bless ourselves and our world. On Saturday October 10, we invite you to participate in Satsang with Isha Das: Sharing Our Peace After Experience Peace and Hope 2020. This will be a Zoom gathering. Pre-registration is required. Click here for the link to register.

Schedule

Sunday October 4th

10:30am Sunday Service live from the temple and Facebook live

3:00pm Basic yoga class video with Christianne Asper-Contant of Assisi Yoga. Find it on Facebook.

Monday October 5th

8:00am Morning Meditation with Isha Das on Facebook live

Noon Prayer Service with Isha Das with Jerry Laufer of the Buddhist tradition live from the temple and Facebook live