A Litany for the World

 I pause in the imagined stories of past traumas to offer prayers for those affected by current world events, using the Great Litany from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. Often this prayer is used during Lent, but can be used at any time. 

Prayers are needed for all the disasters of earthquake, fire, and flood across the globe due to climate change; the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan; the world-wide on-going COVID 19 Pandemic; the racial, social, economic, medical inequities facing so many; the misinformation feeding fears and divisions; and the multitude of other trauma we are assailed with from our news feed and all media. 

We can too often forget the power of prayer. The bad news can make us feel that we are in a wasteland. However, we are promised For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. God does hear and honor prayer offered in sincerity and love. I invite you join in a week of prayer.   

Let us Pray

O God, Creator of heaven and earth,
Have mercy on us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful,
Have mercy on us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.

Remember not, Lord Christ, our offenses, nor the offenses of our forefathers; neither reward us according to our sins. Spare us, good Lord, spare your people, whom you have redeemed with your most precious blood, and by your mercy preserve us, for ever. 
Spare us, good Lord.

From all evil and wickedness; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; and from everlasting damnation,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice; and from all want of charity,  [esp. teach us to hear one another's stories and work for healing and reconciliation]
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all inordinate and sinful affections; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
From all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of your Word and commandment,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine, [remembering esp. those who are suffering loss of life and property due to these events across the world]
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all oppression, conspiracy, and rebellion; from violence, battle, and murder; and from dying suddenly and unprepared, [praying esp. for those who are caught in the midst of violence, at home and abroad]
Good Lord, deliver us.

By the mystery of your holy Incarnation; by your holy Nativity and submission to the Law; by your Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation, By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by your Cross and Passion; by your precious Death and Burial; by your glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost,
Good Lord, deliver us.

In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, [and help us to remember those less fortunate at all times]
Good Lord, deliver us.

We sinners pray that you will hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please you to rule and govern your holy Church Universal in the right way,
That it may please you to illumine all bishops, priests, and deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of your Word; and that both by their preaching and living, they may set it forth, and show it accordingly,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to bless and keep all your people,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to send forth laborers into your harvest, and to draw all mankind into your kingdom,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give to all people increase of grace to hear and receive your Word, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give us a heart to love and fear you, and diligently to live after your commandments, 
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you so to rule the hearts of your servants, the President of the United States, the leaders of all nations, and all others in authority, that they may do justice, and love mercy, and walk in the ways of truth,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to make wars to cease in all the world; to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord; and to bestow freedom upon all peoples, [praying esp. for those in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and other places where war is the norm]
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to show your pity upon all prisoners and captives, the homeless and the hungry, and all who are desolate and oppressed, [esp. those inordinately afflicted and affected by inequities of food, medical care, jobs, racism, and other injustices in our nation and around the world]
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give and preserve to our use the bountiful fruits of the earth, so that in due time all may enjoy them,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to inspire us, in our several callings, to do the work which you give us to do with singleness of heart as your servants, and for the common good,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to preserve all who are in danger by reason of their labor or their travel,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to preserve, and provide for, all women in childbirth, young children and orphans, the widowed, and all whose homes are broken or torn by strife,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to visit the lonely; to strengthen all who suffer in mind, body, and spirit; and to comfort with your presence those who are failing and infirm,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to support, help, and comfort all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation, [esp. those in Haiti, those affected by floods, wildfires, and drought and all those in places wracked by devastation brought on by war]
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to have mercy upon all mankind,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligence, and ignorance; and to fill us with the grace of your Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to your holy Word,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts, [and help us to forgive as you have taught]
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to strengthen those who stand; to comfort and help the weak-hearted; to raise up those who fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to grant to all the faithful departed eternal life and peace, [esp. the millions lost to COVID 19]
We pray you will hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to grant that, in the fellowship of all the saints, we may attain to your heavenly kingdom,
We pray you will hear us, good Lord. Son of God, we pray you to hear us.

O Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
Grant us your peace.

Amen and Amen

You may want to conclude with the Lord’s Prayer.

The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Michael Curry, also offers this prayer:

Eternal God, hear our prayer for the peoples of Afghanistan. There is a profound humanitarian crisis. Countless people, mostly women and children, are now fleeing and vulnerable. The lives of many are now endangered. The hopes of many are forgone. Send your Spirit, Lord, to rally the resolve of the nations of the earth to find pathways to save human lives, protect human rights, and to resolve the hardships of those seeking refuge, asylum, and safety. Hear our prayer for the peoples of Afghanistan. This we pray as followers of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen

Lent: Pray for the World

 Welcome to Lent. A lot has been talked about regarding the idea that because most (all?) of us went into some kind of social distancing, lock-down, quarantine scenario about this time last year, that we have been in Lent for a year. There have certainly been times when it felt like a never-ending period of upheaval, and even penitence.

On the other hand, I think we may have also found some new insights (some painful) about our corporate lives as Christians, as Americans, as neighbors across the globe. We’ve discovered how inextricably linked we are to each other and how a little virus in China can impact the entire world. We’ve seen how the actions or inactions of a few can have devastating impacts on populations. We’ve also seen people of all ages, creeds, cultures, and skin-tones step up to work for solutions and be on the front lines and work food pantries and advocate for change. We’ve discovered ways to make technology, like Zoom, our friend and ally in reaching one another, virtually.

And now we are in Lent again. In this Lent blog journey, I am focusing on praying for the World, Church, Nation, Social Order, Natural Order, and Family. There are prayers in the back of the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer (BCP) for each of these topics. This week we are focusing on the World.

My Lent blog this year will also borrow from the Episcopal Church’s 2021 Lent curriculum: Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent. I’ve used the Way of Love disciplines in other blog series since 2019, and in my most recent book, The Lord’s Prayer: Walk in Love. The seven disciplines or tenets offer a blueprint for living faith-filled lives. Last week, for Ash Wednesday, we looked at TURN. The curriculum suggests writing a letter to yourself detailing what changes you hope to make in Lent. You can still do that this week, then put it away safely until Easter.

This week, we are looking at PRAY, a very basic cornerstone for any journey with God. Exodus 14:10-15:1 is the familiar story of the Crossing of the Red Sea (depicted in this The Crossing of the Red Sea by Nicolas Poussin (1633–34)). It “one of the most important baptismal stories in the whole Bible. In the blessing over the water, which we PRAY at every baptism, we remember that the Hebrews were liberated from bondage in Egypt through water….[In] this powerful story…prayer has been woven through every step the Israelites took in their path to liberation. When they were afraid and even doubted, their prayer was heard by God who told them that he would not abandon them. When they were about to be overtaken by the Egyptians, their prayer for deliverance was answered. Moses was given the power to part the sea, and they crossed on dry land. Finally, when they were safe, the prophet Miriam led a prayer of rejoicing and thanksgiving with song and dancing. Each of these prayers is important to the story and to the relationship built between God and God’s people.”

If you want to, you can watch the short video of this week’s lesson on the Life Transformed page. S

The Life Transformed curriculum notes that there are seven types of prayer:

1. “Adoration: We lift up our hearts and minds to God, asking nothing but to enjoy God’s presence.
2. Praise: We praise God, not to obtain anything, but because God’s Being draws praise from us.
3. Thanksgiving: We offer gratitude to God for all the blessings of this life, for our redemption, and for whatever draws us closer to God.
4. Penitence: In penitence, we say we are sorry, confess our sins, and make amends and life change wherever possible.
5. Oblation: We offer ourselves, our lives and labors, in union with Christ, for God’s purposes.
6. Intercession: We bring before God the needs of others.
7. Petition: We present our own needs, that God’s will may be done.”

There are many ways to do each of these types of prayer. Using written prayers, movement, music, silence, or art are just some of the ways to pray. I’m sure you have your own favorite way of praying. Perhaps this week is a time to try out a different method. If you usually read prayers, try writing your own or drawing your prayer. If you have never tried praying with music and movement, why not now? If you think silence isn’t ‘your thing’, Lent is the perfect time to attempt to sit silently with God for a minute or two. (Don’t try a long, long time to start!) If you’ve never done lexio divino or lexio visio research and try that.

Our topic of PRAY is especially suited to the WORLD at this time. Because we are so closely linked with one another due to COVID19, we can and should bring all the world to God in prayer. The easiest way to pray for the world is to use the prayers in the BCP starting on page 814 or online (click on Prayers and Thanksgivings in the menu).

You could pray for the world using a different type of prayer each day and/or using an unfamiliar method. For instance, on Sunday, Pray for the countries of the world with Adoration. Use movement to do so, like envisioning walking around the globe, praying for each country you ‘visit’. For Monday, offer Praise for the world using music or art. Find a piece of music or art from various countries and focus on them while praying.

The Life Transformed curriculum homework suggests taking “a small piece of paper and write down the different types of PRAYER listed in the catechism. Post these somewhere you can see them every day. Some good places might include your steering wheel, your mirror, or your computer screen. At least once a day, commit to offering up one prayer from each type, paying attention to what the Holy Spirit might be teaching your heart.”

In closing, I offer this prayer from the BCP for The Human Family:

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And this one from the curriculum:

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 231)

Palm Sunday: Prayer is Risky

We have worked our way through Lent looking at the Way ofLove disciplines, the Book of Ruth, and the Sunday lessons. We have sought Rest and stepped out in faith. We have seen that we need to Learn to follow God and that usually means we have to Turn back to God over and over. Our actions can Bless those around us in unexpected ways.

All of this is grounded in how we Pray. When we pray we risk opening ourselves up to God. We allow God to know our inmost thoughts. (Of course, God already know, but God waits for us to share.) Prayer might require change on our part. We may be called to forgive, or change our life’s direction. God could heal our deepest wounds and give us our greatest desires. Prayer connects us to God’s love.

In the story of Ruth and Naomi, we know that Naomi is concerned about her daughter-in-law. She says, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you.” Probably she has said more than one Prayer to the Holy One of Israel. In Boaz’s apparent interest in Ruth, she sees an answer to that Prayer. She tells Ruth to “go down to the threshing-floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.”

In this risky move Naomi is hoping for a good result. If Boaz rejects Ruth, then both women would be worse off than ever. Luckily for her plans, it goes well. Boaz discovers Ruth and tells her, “do not be afraid; I will do for you all that you ask…as the Lord lives, I will act as next-of-kin for you.”

The Palm Sunday readings demonstrate at least two other ways to Pray. As Jesus enters Jerusalem, (Luke 19:28-40) the crowds take up a Prayer of praise. They start declaring “all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!" In our Palm Sunday liturgies, many of us will repeat these same words as we recall ride into Jerusalem.

The Isaiah reading (Isaiah 50:4-9a) expounds a different way to Pray. In teaching, there is also Prayer. “The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.”

Our response to God is obedience, even through suffering, when we Pray. Isaiah goes on to state “The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward…It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? As we Pray we offer “our selves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee...” (1928 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, Communion)

When we Pray, we come into God’s presence. We speak our deepest desires. We offer praise or thanksgiving. We cry out in pain or fear. We beg God to help someone or some situation. We open our souls to God. Sometimes we use words from a book or the Bible. Sometimes we sit wordlessly and cry. Sometimes we make up our own words, song, or dance. 

When we Pray, God will act and respond; and we will be changed. When we Pray we risk being totally open to God's will. God hears our Prayer no matter how we Pray. God responds when we Pray.

If you repeat the Gospel words “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord” this Sunday, try to put yourself in the crowd on that first Palm Sunday.

How is your favorite way to pray?

This week, consider taking advantage of some of the Holy Week services offered at your church or in your community. 

We'll look at the final tenet of the Way of Love after Easter. 

The Lord's Prayer: Our Father

Welcome to a new adventure. Throughout the summer, we’ll be exploring a very familiar prayer in some, perhaps, unfamiliar ways. At the end, we’ll have developed some new insights into the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer in our life and worship. The prayer that we call “Lord’s Prayer” is Jesus’ response to his disciples’ request ‘teach us to pray’. It is found in Matthew (6:9-13) and in Luke (11:2-4). We use it in nearly every worship service. Many of us pray it as part of our daily devotions. Even many non-Christians know the words.

Have you ever looked at the prayer phrase by phrase? What do the words really mean to you? Can the prayer provide insights into your life? Do the words open your heart?

These are some of the things we'll be considering over the next few weeks as we delve into this familiar, yet multi-faceted prayer. 

Enter the Presence: The first two words of the Prayer are an address to God: “Our Father”… To the first century Jews, this would have been an almost shocking familiarity. The Jewish people knew that the Holy One of Israel lived in the Temple in Jerusalem, and was found in the Torah. Addressing the Creator of the Universe as “Father” was inconceivable.

For some today, this opening phrase is just as difficult. In recent years, there has been much written that the word ‘Father’ alienates those who have perhaps been abused or who had a poor relationship with their earthly father. It is a valid concern*. Remember the word ‘Father,’ in this context, is just a way to describe relationship. It is not the only attribute of God. Try not to get stuck on the gender of the word.

Stand In Awe: Think of all the other names of God in the Bible. Genesis 21:33 calls God: “Lord, the Everlasting God”. In Exodus 3:14, God says “I AM” is his name. Gideon names God, “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24). There are other terms, phrases and names of God throughout the Bible. Take some time to research them.

What is the Name that you use most often when addressing God? Is it Father, Lord, Savior, Friend, or something else?

Involve your Heart: One way to experience prayer is to turn it into art by creating an image with the words or using calligraphy to embellish it. 

You might want to make a ZenTangle from it. Google ZenTangle and you'll find lots of words and images to inspire you. You could copy the image of ‘Pray’ from this blog as a starting point, and write the words of the prayer in and around the art. 

Perhaps you enjoy the idea of ‘praying in color’. If so, write “Our Father” in the center of a page. Be as fancy as you want with the words. Around them write the names of people or events you want to lay before God in prayer.

Perhaps you’ll want to continue the same activity all summer, or try different formats each week. 

This week focus on just the words “Our Father”.

Next week, we’ll consider “heaven”.

*If the word ‘father’ bothers you, I would invite you to think of God as the perfect Father you may not have had. Lisa TerKuerst of Proverbs 31 Ministries has said that despite having a less than perfect father, she imagines curling up in a chair with her heavenly Father and being held and loved in the way she wishes she had been as a child. One of my own favorite memories of my father was sitting on his lap in a giant green chair (well it seemed giant to me as a child) as he read bedtime stories to me. I can still feel the rough texture of the upholstery and the hint of cigarette smoke on his breath. Even later understandings of his brokenness and hurtful actions cannot erase that memory of the love of that evening ritual. 

Blessed to Pray

As we CHOOSE to BE, and to LISTEN we are called to LEAD. This must be done with PRAYER.

The events in Orlando over the past weekend have shaken most of us to the core. That such hatred and violence can be unleashed in an American city makes us stagger in disbelief. How do we combat intolerance of such magnitude? (It doesn't matter if it is based on prejudice or malice or terrorism-the root is intolerance.) 

Our initial reaction may be to respond in anger, fear, hatred. We cannot, we dare not, go there. In a Facebook post the day after the Orlando massacre, the Rev. Canon Daniel Gutierrez, Bishop Elect of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, said, “We cannot keep silent. We cannot accept this as normal. We must not give life to the darkness of hate, marginalization, violence, political rhetoric and discrimination. We cannot be enraged for the moment, today, or the next week. We cannot sit silently until the next mass murder…Brothers and sisters [are] brutalized daily, and we deliberate whether hate and discrimination exists.”

Fr. Daniel points to a different response, “Through our tears, pain, bewilderment and sadness we must envision something new. It has to begin today, and it must start with us. I believe in the goodness of humanity. We have seen it time and time again. Hopeful people whose lives express a deep and abiding love for all creation. A world where forgiveness is stronger than revenge, where empathy abounds over hate, acceptance mightier than exclusion and that the light of love and life is shining brighter than the darkness of hate and death.”

We must pray, we must act, we must work for love, hope, peace in a world gone mad. Think about how we say ‘I am mad’ when we mean we are angry. To be ‘mad’ is to be insane and unable to think in a clear way. This goes beyond anger and is very dangerous. However, madness is what seems to be happening in many parts of the world. Not just anger, but real insane madness focusing on those deemed ‘different’ or ‘wrong’.

Thomas Merton said, “Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business, and in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy if anything can.”

It is a hard road we are called to when we must confront the ‘madness’ of the world that focuses on hatred and separation and fostering fear. Fr. Daniel points out, “We must find our voice. It must begin in our churches and we must take it to the powerful. We can make a difference. It is the only path we have in a world that has a tendency to slip into the darkness.”

Our action must begin with knowing that we, and EVERY other person, is Beloved of God. We have to CHOOSE to LISTEN to each other. Then we must LEAD the way with PRAYER and action so that there may once again be Hope and Faith and Love in individuals and communities and the world.

Only when we each look at our actions and reactions can we hope for any change. We will need to stop judging based on any criteria other than seeing the other person as a child of God. We will need to offer peace and love even when we feel irritated or wronged. We will need to hold out a hand of reconciliation or comfort or healing rather than a fist of retribution or rage. As the Christmas song says, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” 

Fr. Daniel Gutierrez concludes his post with a prayer for change, “May we all believe in the transformative power of hope, peace, goodness and love. May we bring the healing and love of Jesus Christ to this world. This is the world we envision. May it be so, may it be so. I pray for those affected by today. May the Lord hold us close. Amen.”
Prayer and action start by turning to God, because we cannot change the world alone. Turning to God requires repentance and Forgiveness. Next week we'll explore that difficult path.