Composed by the Reverend Dr. John
Edward Harris © 2021
See Genesis 1:1-5 and Mark
1:4-11
God of creation,
you began your creating by separating,
separating light from darkness,
and separating the water under the expanse from the water above it,
and calling it good.
But we, your children,
especially your children in the United States of America,
are now also separated, too separated, and that separation is not good.
We pledge to be “One Nation under God,”
but we act like many nations.
We call ourselves “The United States of America,”
but we label ourselves as blue, and red, and purple states.
We aspire to be “out of many, one,”
but we are fractured, and we are hurting, and some of us are scared.
We have separated ourselves
into fortified political camps we call
Republican, Democrat, and Independent.
Racism and a history of slavery and segregation
divides us between black and white.
Xenophobia splits us into an America of European heritage verses
Americans of Asian, Hispanic, and even Native American descent.
The growing inequality between rich and poor
divides us into the 1% of obscenely rich and the 99% of the rest of us.
God of the Incarnation,
you came among us as light and to show us the light,
as truth to show us the way, the truth, and the life,
and through your Apostle Paul
you called us to break down barriers,
and to live as one body with many parts.
Centuries after John the
Baptizer proclaimed a baptism of repentance,
may we hear and answer his call,
remembering our own Baptism as just the beginning of a life of repentance.
May your Spirit once again
sweep over the earth,
not to separate,
but to unite,
not to create,
but to re-create,
to lead us to our true selves,
created in the image of God.
During political uncertainty
and deep soul searching,
we pray for both President Trump and President-Elect Biden.
We pray for a peaceful inauguration and transition of power on January 20th.
We pray for Democratic, Republican, and Independent Members of Congress,
and all federal, state, and local elected office holders,
that they will uphold their oaths to defend the constitution.
We give thanks for,
and pray for,
the Judicial branch of our Government,
and the Judges who defended not only the Constitution but the truth.
In the middle of a pandemic that
is stretching our healthcare system to the breaking point,
and testing the stamina of health care workers,
we pray not only that vaccines can quickly be produced for all who want them,
but also swiftly distributed to all who want them,
so that we can put Covid-19 behind us and regain some semblance of normalcy sooner than later.
We pray this,
and numerous unspoken but heartfelt prayers,
in the name of Jesus Christ or risen Lord.
And let all the people say … Amen.
you began your creating by separating,
separating light from darkness,
and separating the water under the expanse from the water above it,
and calling it good.
especially your children in the United States of America,
are now also separated, too separated, and that separation is not good.
We pledge to be “One Nation under God,”
but we act like many nations.
We call ourselves “The United States of America,”
but we label ourselves as blue, and red, and purple states.
We aspire to be “out of many, one,”
but we are fractured, and we are hurting, and some of us are scared.
Republican, Democrat, and Independent.
Racism and a history of slavery and segregation
divides us between black and white.
Xenophobia splits us into an America of European heritage verses
Americans of Asian, Hispanic, and even Native American descent.
The growing inequality between rich and poor
divides us into the 1% of obscenely rich and the 99% of the rest of us.
you came among us as light and to show us the light,
as truth to show us the way, the truth, and the life,
and through your Apostle Paul
you called us to break down barriers,
and to live as one body with many parts.
may we hear and answer his call,
remembering our own Baptism as just the beginning of a life of repentance.
not to separate,
but to unite,
not to create,
but to re-create,
to lead us to our true selves,
created in the image of God.
we pray for both President Trump and President-Elect Biden.
We pray for a peaceful inauguration and transition of power on January 20th.
We pray for Democratic, Republican, and Independent Members of Congress,
and all federal, state, and local elected office holders,
that they will uphold their oaths to defend the constitution.
We give thanks for,
and pray for,
the Judicial branch of our Government,
and the Judges who defended not only the Constitution but the truth.
and testing the stamina of health care workers,
we pray not only that vaccines can quickly be produced for all who want them,
but also swiftly distributed to all who want them,
so that we can put Covid-19 behind us and regain some semblance of normalcy sooner than later.
and numerous unspoken but heartfelt prayers,
in the name of Jesus Christ or risen Lord.
And let all the people say … Amen.
