In Chicago alone this year,/ thirty-eight children have died by gun violence,/ five under the age of ten,/ even a one-year-old baby./ Let us pray for our nation/ where something has gone profoundly wrong./ We pray to the Lord.
While coronavirus deaths are breaking previous records everyday in our nation,/ we ask for all Americans,/ in humility and selflessness,/ to practice the simplest and most basic practices that could begin to turn this pandemic around./ We pray to the Lord.
It is fire and hurricane season./ We pray for those who are in harm's way,/ for firefighters,/ rescuers and helpers./ We pray to the Lord.
May the Christians be freed of all moral preening,/ Catholics,/ Orthodox,/ Anglican,/ Mainline Protestant,/ Evangelical,/ and desire only to grow in the heart-likeness of Jesus./ We pray to the Lord.
Schools are opening/ and not a few are then closing soon after because of coronavirus outbreaks./ For students and their parents,/ for teachers and administrators./ We ask for safety,/ health and wellbeing./ We pray to the Lord.
In an election season/ may we decide to be a country united,/ again trusting each other./ For those who seek public office to be decent and inwardly clean,/ who more than power,/ desire only to serve people/ in their vulnerability,/ struggle and need./ We pray to the Lord.
We ask God to grow-us-up,/ as we are a nation wounded by sexism,/ racism,/ misogyny,/ bias and phobias,/ which are more hatreds than fears./ Strengthen what is just,/ courageous and right-minded in us./ We pray to the Lord.
