Archive for the ‘Prayer’ Category

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Coronavirus

March 15, 2020

Lord, it is not our natural way to plan, invest, and prepare for the difficult times ahead. Forgive our hardheadedness O Lord.

Forgive us for choosing easy answers, for our failures to engage, for our complacency.

And thank you for those who heard the wake-up call and sounded the alarm, those who chose to face the hard facts and take action.

Thank you for our medical professionals. May we, like them, affirm the dignity of every human life.

Thank you for those who are bridging the partisan divides to provide relief. Thank you for all those who see their neighbors and reach-out to help. May these efforts strengthen our country and our communities in the long-term.

Help us to trust in you as we fight this disease.

Protect us and heal us O Lord.

Amen

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Being Faithful In Politics

March 8, 2020

Lord, help us to find the information we need to make wise choices. Help us to filter the loud voices, the brash voices, the voices that lie.

Give us the courage to engage, to reach-out rather than retreat; to listen and work with others rather than to distort, deflect, or dismiss the thoughts that challenge ours.

Help us Lord, be a reconciling rather than a dividing influence as work to rebuild our communities and our country.

Amen

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Save Us From Seeking A King

March 1, 2020

The people wanted a king (1 Samuel 8).

A king to rule over them,

to fight their battles,

to direct them, and so

to salve their conscience.

They rejected God. They ignored God’s warning. They demanded a king.

And the king led them astray.

Lord save us from our love of easy answers.

Save us from our love of battle.

And save us from our desire to anoint a king.

Strengthen us O Lord in the hard work of citizenship.

Help us to trust in you, and guide us in your ways.

Amen.

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Past Wisdom

February 22, 2020

The following is a prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, as relevant to us today as in his time (1121-1226).

Most High, Glorious God,

enlighten the darkness of our minds;

give us a right faith, a firm hope, and a perfect charity,

so that we may always and in all things act

according to Your Holy Will.

Amen

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Politics and Wisdom

February 16, 2020

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17

As we move through our elections, O Lord, guide us to wisdom, guard us from folly. (Pr. 3:13-18; 8:1-36)

Turn us from the harsh judgments and words that divide; refocus us instead on the ties that bind — both us to one another and to you.

Help us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19-20; 3:13:18). Let us reject the appeals of arrogance and easy answers.

Help us to see the needs and frailties of the real world before us and commit to the actions that might bring us healing, and forgiveness, and peace.

Guide us O Lord.

Amen

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Faith In Politics

February 9, 2020

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. Ps. 133:1

Lord, how do we put our faith in action?

How do we speak up in the face of factions, fear, falsehoods, aggression, coercion, corruption, arrogance, or resentment?

How do we practice self-control, engage the generosity of your Spirit, listen, and forgive?

Show us Lord, the better way.

Amen

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Politics of Faith

February 2, 2020

[On politics] “Most people just want somebody who can articulate their hatreds . . .” (David Brooks, 2011)

It is easy to fear the other –

  • the alien,
  • the stranger,
  • the one who thinks differently,
  • the poor,
  • the sick,
  • the ones in need who look for more.

And yet you call on us

  • to embrace the alien (Ex. 22:21),
  • to welcome the stranger (Mt. 25:35),
  • to reject factions (Gal. 5:20),
  • to serve the poor (Lev. 19:9-10),
  • to care for the sick (Mt. 25:36), and
  • to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mt. 22:34-40; Mk 12:28-34).

Help us O Lord, to heed your call as we live our lives together.

Amen.

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Building Peace

January 25, 2020

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9

Lord, please cure our warring madness, bend our lives to your control.*

Help us to witness to the dignity of others and to your faith and justice and mercy.

Give us the compassion and knowledge to share our blessings and alleviate the sufferings of others.

Help us to avoid the lies that you hate, and pursue the truth and love that lead to peace. (Zechariah 8:16-17)

Give us the courage to see our world as it is and to challenge its systems and shortcomings.

Show us your ways, teach us your paths. (Ps. 25:4-5)

For you are a God of love and not disorder, of peace and not of chaos. (1 Corinthians 14:33)

We need your help O Lord.

Amen

*Chalice Hymnal, Chalice Press, 1998, # 464 God of Grace and God of Glory, v.3, Harry Emerson Fosdick.

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Practicing Peace

January 19, 2020

“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” 1 John 4:19-21

Guide us O Lord into the paths of your peace. (Lk 1:79; Eph. 6:15)

Help us to pursue peace in our thoughts and in all of our interactions with others. (Ps. 34:14)

Help us to resist the dangerous sport of dismissing, denying, deflecting, or deriding those with whose views we disagree.

Help us to be quick to listen and slow to become angry. (James 1:19-20)

Fill us O Lord with the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that unite and heal. (Galatians 5: 22-26)

Help us O Lord, to love and care for one another that we might live in peace.

Amen

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Pursuing Peace

January 12, 2020

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18

“Whoever would love life, . . . he must seek peace and pursue it.” 1 Peter 3:10-11

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you. . . ” Romans 15:7

“Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” James 3:18

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. . . ” Colossians 3:15

Help us O Lord to value your peace and to pursue it, in our hearts and in our world. Guide us O Lord.

Amen

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