On Election Day–A Voice

(Prayer offered on the Public Address system for the entire La Salle Academy educational community on Tuesday, morning, 6 November 2018)

Good Morning, La Salle Academy and future Lasallians shadowing here today.

Let us remember that we are in the presence of a loving God.

What is today for Americans?  Well for many school age students, it is a day off of school. (sorry La Salle!)

For adults 18 and over, it’s a day to vote.  But you won’t hear me delving into the heated world of politics here this morning.  (Honestly, my rule of thumb is to not engage in any political conversation unless it’s in real good company!)

So instead, I would like to take this opportunity to look at “a vote” on a smaller scale:

Small disclaimer first; I am not one with words —- the students in my classes can attest to that, I’m sure.

Usually, lacking a better vocabulary word to use, I might stretch a definition a little too far or take an analogy in a crazy direction, to try and get my point across.  So English teachers, please forgive me!

I found a definition for the noun, vote.   Vote:  the formal expression of a choice between two or more issuespeople, etc…… and then I thought…….okay Erica, take it where you will…..

So, what is a “vote”?  To me, it is a voice.

A voice that can be heard, felt and witnessed in all that we do.   Each and every day of our lives when there is a choice to be made our voice is present.

Our voice can be used to break others down.   It can be the cause of pain and the creation of enemies.    Our voice can be loud and intolerant so that we do not truly hear others.

But our voices can build each other up.   They can cause happiness and create friendships.  Our voices can be quiet and patient so that we can truly hear others.

Let us pray.

Lord, you have given each one of us a voice—a beautiful voice created in Your image.

In this complex and chaotic world we live in, grant us the wisdom to use our voices for good:  to speak the truth, to speak with kindness, to have courage to use our voice to stand up to injustice, to help the less fortunate and lift the oppressed.  We pray that you grant us the knowledge to know when to keep our voices low, so that those around us may speak their truth, and we can hear them.

With our voices together, walking united in your Spirit we pray:

St John Baptist de La Salle ……pray for us

Live Jesus in our hearts ……forever.

Erica Napolitano—Math Teacher