Posts Tagged ‘USA’
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.
Tags:community, compassion, country, faith, fear, hate, mercy, poltics, Prayer, USA
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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.
Tags:love, peace, politics, Prayer, truth, USA, witness
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December 15, 2019
O Lord, help us to see those around us,
their struggles,
their hopes,
their joys,
their depth,
their humanity.
And as we see, fill us with love of your creation in all its beauty and complexity.
Help us O Lord to see what we might be:
One country, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Guide us there O Lord.
Amen
Tags:christianity, community, country, faith, humanity, love, peace, politics, Prayer, religion, seeing, USA
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November 24, 2019
United we stand, divided we fall.
Remind us O Lord.
Help us to see things as they are, and not simply as we might want them to be. Do not let us be misled by hate or fear or greed or pride or simple denial.
Give us a spirit of wisdom that we might listen well.
Guide us O Lord, in your ways of justice and mercy.
Help us find peace O Lord.
Amen
Tags:listening, peace, politics, Prayer, USA, wisdom
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November 10, 2019
As we restart this blog at the outset of the 2020 election year, we offer this from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer.
“O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Help us to remember O Lord, that we are one country. Amen
Tags:conflict, country, faith, forbearance, politics, Prayer, truth, USA
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July 4, 2017
“America, America! God mend thine every flaw. Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law.” From the Hymn “America The Beautiful”, verse 3.
O Lord, mend our every flaw, especially those fed by hate, fear, and greed.
Give us the courage and the discipline to learn even from those with whom we disagree, to acknowledge and study the complexities of the issues before us, and to be civil and kind in our speech.
Help us pursue and implement laws that are grounded in justice and support our common life, acknowledging our responsibility and care for one another.
Let us use our liberties wisely, and be thankful for what we have.
Give us the strength to persevere so that we might truly become, “one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Amen.
Tags:christianity, justice, perseverance, politics, Prayer, religion, responsibility, self control, USA
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March 2, 2017
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8
O Lord, guide our leaders — and us as citizens — that we may pursue goodness, knowledge, self-control, godliness, and kindness in our political lives and in our communities. Help us reach out to our neighbors, breaking down the walls of “us” and “them”. Calm our anger and fears. Steer us from factions and petty disputes. Teach us to love. Help us live by your Spirit and find peace and prosperity together. (Galatians 5:19-26).
Amen
Tags:anger, community, country, faith, peace, politics, Prayer, progress, reconciliation, USA
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January 24, 2016
“A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.” Proverbs 17:27
“. . . Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry . . .” James 1:19
Our words matter. Words harm or heal; invite hate or love, fear or hope. Our words define us and our relationships. They direct us to evil or good. Save us O Lord from the words that hurt and discourage, that inflame and fester. Help us O Lord to use the words that heal.
“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:4-5
Amen
Tags:country, healing, hope, politics, Prayer, USA, words, words matter
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January 12, 2016
“… to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the paths of peace.” Matt. 1:79
“The light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood.” John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness. But the darkness feels safe, the shadows fascinate, and the drama of conflict holds our attention captive. Free us O Lord and lead us to peace.
Amen.
Tags:country, darkeness, light, peace, politics, Prayer, USA
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December 31, 2015
As we contemplate both the political season that is upon us, and the Christmas season that is coming to a close, let us hear the prophet’s cry:
If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger, and malicious talk,
If you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light shall rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
Is. 58:9b-10
Save us O Lord from hatred and discord, from factions and greed. Help us to connect with each other, reflecting the love, peace, and hope that lies within your birth. Gal. 5:16-26.
Guide us O Lord throughout the new year.
Amen
Tags:birth, country, oppression prayer, prophet, USA
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Prayers For Our Country 