Today's Prayer

By HAROLD J. SLATER

Profound Presence, love-energy in the Christmas babe, proclaimed as Prince of Peace.  
        We listen as conspiracy theories proliferate,
                misinformed hatred shouts,
                 and armed mobs assemble.
        We watch while insurrectionists overrun our Capitol
                elected leaders flee to safe havens,
                and ill-prepared police dither.
        We feel the shock of disbelief shake our confidence,
                the fear of anarchy and civil war stun us,
                the mendacious lies of deflection gall
                        accumulated wounds of propaganda.
        It is harder and harder to say,
                to imagine,
                to trust the fulfillment,
            that your Kingdom is coming 
            and your Will is being done on earth
            as it is in your divine intent.
        Yet, to whom shall we turn, 
                you have the whole cosmic order in hand,
                you are the impetus of spiritual masters
                        calling us to wholeness and peace,
                you are the love-energy that has overcome
                        all the crises of human history.
        So we dare to pray,  
                as victims of powerful and ambitious persons,
                as complicit in oppression and death 
                        of those not like us,
                as outraged citizens and lovers of country and
                           parents and children,
                as those perplexed, enraged, full of remorse.
        Please be present in transformative ways we cannot imagine.
        Please inspire in us resources and determination
                to overcome our infatuation with power,
                to caste away our penchant for vengeance 
                        and violence,
                to exchange our cutthroat competition
                        for cooperation
                to listen, heed, and obey our better angels
                as your profound wisdom guided us before.
        Let your saving magic of love well up in us in compassion and stewardship of all             the means of living and earth neighbors entrusted to us.
                Hear us and save us because we are the 
                children of your making and because this
                world is such a masterpiece of your splendor.
Let It Be So.
hslatotrailwulf@aol.com