JUNE 12, 2025

The Final Blessing  at the Jubilee People’s Forum Interfaith Service 

The Torah teaches, “Proclaim liberty throughout the land, to all its inhabitants!” Pope Francis invited us, “Listen to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, who suffer the most. The urgent need for interventions can no longer be postponed.”

The Qur’an teaches, “Wealth should not only circulate between the rich amongst you.”

These passages and many others in the world’s vast panoply of religions express the great call that we here tonight affirm together.

Release those in need from crushing debt. Affirm hope. Afford one another the promise of a better tomorrow.

Tonight, we have heard a chorus of voices echo this great idea – Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Hindus, Unitarian Universalists and others. We have gathered as different people, drawn together by our shared commitment to the great promise of release and relief for all.

Together we sang; together we prayed; together we shared; and in a few minutes, together we’ll eat! Along the way, as participants in the diverse community we’ve created here tonight, we’ve gotten a taste of what the world can be.

And as world leaders prepare to gather near this place, we embrace the hope of this moment, and we conclude our time together with words of blessing.

May God bless our world with tranquility and respect, and may the hope of Jubilee become a reality for all human beings, wherever they live.

May God bless our nations with peace, and may justice and compassion pervade every corner of the earth.

May God bless each and every one of our faith traditions with respect and strength, so that the wisdom they all teach and the meaning they provide can make the world better for us all.

And may God bless each and every one of us with the love of others, for it is in that love that the future of redemption can be found.

Thank you for your participation. This concludes our service.