Outside the Beautiful Gate

God of compassion,

Peter and John met a man
asking for alms
at the Beautiful Gate
of the temple.

We are not like Peter and John,
when they met the man
at the Beautiful Gate,
for we do have
silver and gold
to give.

But before we give,
we pray that you
would examine our hearts.

Do we give to maintain
the myth of our own superiority?

Do we give as a a means of exercising power?

Or do we give in a way that recognizes the
other person as one who bears
the image of Christ himself?

“Look at us,” Peter said.

Look at us, Lord.
Look with us.
Look through us.

Help us to see the ones
sitting outside our own
Beautiful Gates.

Amen