In the spirit of summertime sabbath, the Preacher's Post offers each week something that at least one preacher I know needs: a weekly quote or poem about the practice of compassion in our world today:

With an eye on the Gulf and on Gaza, from Desmond Tutu, in praying over the bread and wine:

"In the Eucharist we offer the Bread, that Bread which carries all the bewilderment, the anguish, the pain, the injustice, the poverty, the hate, the anger, the fear, the death, the bombs--and we offer it all together with the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice of the Lambe without blemish for peace, for transfiguration, for compassion, for Shalom, at the heart of the word."

And, as my friend Colleen continues the prayer: "For this, loving God, we give our deepest thanks. In a world of many divisions, keep beckoning us out of safe havens into your fellowship of challenge, reconciliation and service."