L’Arche

In 1964, in France, Jean Vanier, founded L’Arche: a community of people with and without intellectual disabilities living, working, praying, and playing together in community. It is now a worldwide organization.

I would like to share a prayer with you, written by Therese, the sister of Jean Vanier, when she was 80 years old. It is like a testament that she has left us:

May oppressed people
and those who oppress them,
free each other.

May those who are handicapped
and those who think they are not,
help each other.

May those who need someone to listen,
touch the hearts of those
who are too busy.

May the homeless bring joy
to those who open
their doors reluctantly.

May the lonely heal
those who think
they are self-sufficient.

May the poor melt
the hearts of the rich.

May seekers of truth
give life to those
who are satisfied that they have found it.

May the dying who do not wish to die
be comforted by those
who find it hard to live.

May the unloved be allowed
to unlock the hearts
of those who cannot love.

May prisoners find
true freedom
and liberate others from fear.

May those who sleep on the streets
share their gentleness with those
who cannot understand them.

May the hungry tear
the veil from the eyes of those
who do not hunger after justice.

May those who live without hope, cleanse
the hearts of their brothers and sisters
who are afraid to live.

May the weak confound the strong
and save them.

May violence be overcome
by compassion.

May violence be absorbed
by men and women of peace.

May violence succumb to those
who are totally vulnerable,
that we may be healed.

Amen.

“Love is to reveal to someone: ‘you are beautiful and you have value.’ That is the secret of love. It’s not primarily to do things for people, because then we find our glory in doing things. The secret of love is to reveal to someone that ‘you are precious,’ that ‘you are beautiful.’”

—Jean Vanier