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A Prayer Before An Election

Lord God, tomorrow we vote!

May we seek to better understand the issues and concerns that confront our city, our state, and our country, and how the Gospel compels us to respond as faithful citizens in our community.

Forgive those who sit home, do nothing, and complain anyway.

Give us eyes that are free from blindness so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters, one and equal in dignity, especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty, ignorance and apathy.

We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and those abandoned, the immigrant, the imprisoned, and the forgotten.

We pray for men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion, sexuality, or gender.

We ask for minds and hearts that are open to hearing the voice of leaders who will bring us closer to your Kingdom.

We pray for discernment so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word, live your love, bring peace to our world, and keep us in the ways of your truth as they follow in the steps of Jesus and his Apostles and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace.

We pray for peace, O Lord, that when votes are counted, calm takes hold, anger is quelled, any protests are free of violence, and all are reminded of the gift of this American experiment.

Let us pray for acceptance of the results, no matter who we favored. Free us from name-calling, hand-wringing, and head-shaking. Remind us, Lord, that we are better when we are one.

With well-formed consciences, let us allow thy will to be done.

We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

(courtesy USCCB, with a few of my own edits)

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Needs

I was really afraid I would have to write about politics this morning. Everyone is still talking about the election. As Fr. John said at Mass on Sunday, it happens every year: If you backed the winner, you are elated. If you backed the loser, you can’t understand how everyone else could be so thick headed. Still, the Republic stands.

But this year seemed different. The campaign was uglier than usual, filled with fear-mongering, comments we would never repeat to our children, and promises that, if carried out, seemed just as un-American as they are un-Christian. A generation used to getting its way has taken to the streets. Up is down. Apples are oranges. Politics has become the ultimate reality show and the person who could out punch, out last, out tweet, and out manipulate their opponent has won.

But I don’t want to write about politics. So I look to this morning’s Gospel reading for hope.

There it is, Luke’s version of the blind man on the side of the road. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asks.

The man replied, “Please, I want to see.”

This reading always makes me chuckle. The man was blind. The people on the side of the streets knew it (they had to tell him what all the fuss along the road was about). My guess is the townspeople knew it. He certainly knew he was blind. And Jesus likely knew too, if not as he entered the town, surely Jesus was smart enough as others led the man to him to realize the man was blind.

Still, he asked the question, “What do you want me to do for you?”

I always imagined Peter, who struggled to understand so many things, slapping himself on the forehead at the question and then leaning in to whisper to Jesus, “Dude, he’s blind. You really had to ask?”

But yes, Jesus has to ask. Because the question demands an answer – just as much now as then.

What do you need? What do you want? What can the Master Teacher do for you today? How can I heal you? How can I serve you? What do you want me to do for you?

The story is not about a man born blind. The story is about a Messiah who wants to know our needs.

So name your needs. Tell Jesus what’s bothering you. Pray your story, your frustrations, your fears, and your hopes.

Then let Jesus give you the ability to see and enjoy the unmerited grace that comes from simply naming your needs.

 

 

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When All Else Fails…Pray

Lord God, as the election approaches,
we seek to better understand the issues and concerns that confront our city/state/country, and how the Gospel compels us to respond as faithful citizens in our community.

We ask for eyes that are free from blindness
so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters,
one and equal in dignity, especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty.

We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and those abandoned, men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion or gender.

We ask for minds and hearts that are open to hearing the voice of leaders who will bring us closer to your Kingdom.

We pray for discernment so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word, live your love, and keep in the ways of your truth
as they follow in the steps of Jesus and his Apostles
and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace.

We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

 

Now…go vote.

 

 

Source: http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/prayer-before-an-election.cfm

 

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Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Thirty seven percent of all statistics are made up.

Believe me?

You shouldn’t. I made that up.

I read an article this weekend about the rise of fake news sites. It seems that in this age of social media, more and more people are simply making up the news and spreading it around. Case in point, one of the characters in the election year tragedy playing out in our country tweeted something this weekend as news. Two hundred and fifty thousand people retweeted it (forwarded the message) or hit the “like” button to show their support.

The problem? The original tweet had no basis in fact. The candidate had simply made it up.

To be fair, both sides use social media to highlight their competitor’s faults and oversell their own version of truth. That’s politics.

But in this hyperpartisan age of campaigning, we would all be wise to do our research before believing what we read or before passing something on.

I suppose turning off the television and ignoring the whole thing is another option.

Then again, maybe history can teach us.

Two thousand years ago, a weary band of men and women met a man who changed their world. His message was love over hate, forgiveness over revenge, mercy over murder, light over darkness, justice over expediency.

No social media. No Twitter. No Facebook. No Instagram. Just the power of a positive message.

Maybe therein lies the lesson. Seek the Truth where it may be found. Spread the news that renews. Live in a way that shows others we recognize God’s presence so that in our touch, our words, our actions, God may touch, and speak, and act.

Then, perhaps, others may sense God’s presence when we pass by and, seeing us, know with little effort, they catch a glimpse of God.

No online presence is necessary.

Come Holy Spirit, renew the face of the Earth…

 

 

Artwork source: http://hoshanarabbah.org

 

 

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St. Paul and the Election Season

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians

Brothers and sisters:

That means everyone. All of us. No one is excluded.

Be kind to one another, compassionate,

No name calling.

forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Help us, Lord, to understand and forgive – or simply to forgive – to comfort the sorrowful and heal the scars of division.

 Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love,

That doesn’t say, “act like children,” it says imitate God like children do, free of animosity and hatred.

as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.

We may have to suffer for a bit, but offer the suffering up for the needs of others who have less than you, suffer more than you, are more forgotten than you.

Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones,

This may require us to turn off the television.

no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place,

In public or in private. In verbal or electronic form.

but instead, thanksgiving.

You are an ambassador of others. Your needs are secondary. You are running for an office that serves, not saves.

Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person,

Oh, Lord give us strength.

that is, an idolater,

Help me form my conscious sincerely.

has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.

Give me courage discern the essential from the merely desirable, the good from the less good, the less good from the bad.

Let no one deceive you with empty arguments,

But doesn’t that cover most of the arguments I hear.

for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.

God will sort it out in the end.

So do not be associated with them.

Help me reflect the Light, oh Lord.

For you were once darkness,

Sometimes it feels that I still am.

but now you are light in the Lord.

Thank you, Jesus.

Live as children of light.

And invite others to do the same.