We are continuing on our Lent journey of praying for the World, Church, Nation, Social Order, Natural Order, and Family as suggested by prayers at the end of the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer (BCP). I’m also borrowing from the Episcopal Church’s 2021 Lent curriculum: Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent, which is exploring the seven disciplines of the Way of Love.
Session Four of the Lent curriculum is focused on “Bless,”
which is how we can get “a new heart and new spirit” (Ezekiel 36:24-28). Blessing
others with God’s love is, as this prayer says, a way of reconciliation: Almighty
and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of
reconciliation: Grant that all who are reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s
Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, pp. 290-291)
This week we take on praying for the Nation. In this
time of continuing division, inequity, and even injustice, it is more important
than ever to pause and pray for a new heart and new spirit for ourselves, for
our leaders, for our neighbors, for those we disagree with, for those we fear,
for those we don’t understand… We are all part of “One Nation, Under God” even
if we don’t always agree with what that looks like.
Lent is a perfect time to consider what some of our
individual idols might be, esp. those we consider true of our nation. In praying for our nation, what are idols that we,
as a national community, have set up? What can we each do to topple the idols
in our lives and communities?
The curriculum writers note, “idols seem momentarily
satisfying, they eventually harm our relationship with God and limit our
capacity or willingness to live for others…Only when we turn to God will our
hearts be opened so that we can, in turn, open our hearts in blessing to others…we
will leap to bless others with our stories, our money, our time, and our hearts.”
It is, as I’ve said before, so easy to label those we don’t
understand or agree with as “other” or even “evil.” Only when we take time to
build (rebuild) community and conversation can we see our neighbor as a child
of God and as Beloved by God. The Lent curriculum reminds, “God has given
each of us gifts with which to BLESS others. In fact, for a community to be whole,
every person’s gifts must be called forth, nurtured, and used.”
Each person in this nation has gifts and talents that can
build up the fabric of our society. When anyone is limited in their expression
of their gifts and talents, whether it is gender, color, creed, nationality,
economic level, etc., we are all the poorer. Only when the poorest among us
have the same opportunities for education, food, shelter, and hope as the
privileged ones of us, can we see a true blossoming of our “Liberty and Justice
for All” promise.
As you think and pray for our nation, bring your thoughts
down to your community and even your neighborhood. Where is there a need for
blessing? Who can you bless?
In closing this prayer “For those who suffer for the sake of Conscience (BCP pg. 823): seems appropriate: O God our Father, whose Son forgave his enemies while he was suffering shame and death: Strengthen those who suffer for the sake of conscience; when they are accused, save them from speaking in hate; when they are rejected, save them from bitterness; when they are imprisoned, save them from despair; and to us your servants, give grace to respect their witness and to discern the truth, that our society may be cleansed and strengthened. This we ask for the sake of Jesus Christ, our merciful and righteous Judge. Amen.
And this one from Daily Prayer for All Seasons):God of hope, from you come every blessing and all peace: Show us that, in the midst of our struggles, you are with us. Give us the abundance of your grace that we may do the work you give us to do and that we may be for the world a sign of your presence; through Christ, the Way and the Truth. Amen. [The Office of the General Convention of The Episcopal Church, Daily Prayer for All Seasons (New York: Church Publishing, 2014), 71.]
Next week we’ll pray about the ‘natural order’ and how Rest may be a benefit to us and to the earth.
