A Prayer for 2004

Posted on October 18, 2004 in Campaign 2004 Morals & Ethics

The source of this has asked me not to reveal the author’s name. It comes from the closet, I am told, where Christ told his followers to pray. Unlike the declamations from the pulpits of the spiritless, this prayer turns inward, asking us to renew a personal vow to the Good and to act on it in the world to come with malice towards none and charity towards all. It invites us to celebrate the Better Angels of Our Nature.

Our Parent, our Guide, our Inspiration for Good:
Save us now from ourselves
from our greed, from our hypocrisy,
from our failure to show compassion and trust towards others
from the tyranny we impose and accept without question
from the objects we treasure over those who walk beside us or beyond our eyesight
from our failure to let the Spirit guide our vote instead of the idols of fear and style.
Lead us not into mockery against the beloved of the Beatitudes,
Guard us from selfishness.
Give us the vision to protect our natural resources
— the most important of which is our people —
and keep us free from materialism.
Make us poor in spirit.
Lead us back into Your holy closet
where each of us faces You
and seeks change through You.
Deliver us from the comfortable lies we tell ourselves,
from the false feelings of threat that lead us to brutality.
Give us the strength to bring ourselves to the polls on Election Day
to cast our votes for Strength through Compassion.
Do not merely bless us: Guide us.
For we are addicted to things, to anger, to paranoia.
For we have gone along with what is foul in Your eyes
For we have neglected the teachings of Jesus and Your prophets.
For we have failed to Love as You instructed us to do.
Dare us to live as Christ demonstrated:
worrying not about our taxes or our national or personal honor
but living in personal devotion to You and to the Others with whom we share this earth.
Be our conscience and our strength for these are dark hours.
Aid us in loving the false prophets who promote fear in Your Name
and help us to set them on the path of simple righteousness
founded not on any book, but on the Spirit which Giveth Life.
Through us, the People, manifest Your Spirit
Show us what can be accomplished through Love.
Let new trust and new vision commence on Election Day
Through us, Your servants, on earth.
Amen.

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