Reflection Liturgy finds its origin in the Greek words for “people” and “work.” It is the labor of a community, alongside the prayers, meditations, and rituals that shape us as we gather. Empire, with its hunger for domination, division, and isolation trembles at this. It fears our togetherness, our longing for belonging. And so we must resist the forces of individualism and discord that threaten to unravel us. This resistance does not deny the necessity of solitude. It is in the quiet exploration of our inner landscapes that healing begins, not just for ourselves but for the collective whole.
—Kat Armas, Liturgies for Resisting Empire (Baker Books, 2025)
Questions for Reflection:
n Kat Armas describes liturgy as the “labor of a community.” What
kind of community is your worship forming? In what ways does your congregation’s life together reflect—or fail to reflect—the values proclaimed in prayer and sacrament?
n Scripture repeatedly calls God’s people to welcome the stranger. Who feels like a “stranger” to you or your community today? What fears, assumptions, or barriers make genuine solidarity difficult?
n Public vigils, processions, and Stations of the Cross bring prayer into the streets. What is gained and what is risked when faith becomes visible in public? How do you discern when public witness is called for?
n Armas writes that forces of domination and division fear “our
togetherness, our longing for belonging.” Where do you see division, isolation, or indifference shaping your own life? What practices help you move beyond them?
n Public acts of prayer often express solidarity with people whose lives
are very different from our own. How can we ensure that solidarity grows into relationship, accountability, and shared struggle rather than remaining a symbolic gesture?
n What is one place, issue, or community that God may be calling you to pay closer attention to right now? What would it look like to respond not only as an individual disciple but as part of a community?
14
S U M M E R 2 0 2 6 • N O. 1 5 0
LOOKING BACK
Spring Benefit 2026: Spark Hope We sparked hope by gathering in community to share stories of faith in action, from youth organizing for immigrant and housing justice to collective public witness rooted in the gospel. We celebrated leaders such as Yssa Javier and Barbara Connor, whose lives embody courage, compassion, and a commitment to human dignity, and lifted up a vision of intergenerational organizing grounded in relationship and hope. Together, we surpassed our goal by over 20 percent, raising over $160,000 and strengthening our shared work for justice and peace.
We Are One Body: Eucharistic Procession for Migrant Dignity As part of the national Season of Faithful Witness, we joined thousands of Catholics across the United States. More than 450 people of faith prayed, processed, and bore witness to the dignity of migrants and people in detention, carrying the Eucharist from St. Leo’s Parish to the Northwest Detention Center. In word, song, and sacred silence, the community proclaimed that Christ is present among those who suffer and renewed our call to compassion, courage, and solidarity. Rooted in the Season of Faithful Witness, this day offered a visible sign of hope, reminding all that when one part of the body of Christ suffers, we are called to walk together in love.