A Prayer for Peace in a Weary Land
(Wednesday, June 17, 2020)
O Lord, it never stops,
it
just
never
stops,
one crisis after another,
no let up,
commotion and confusion and chaos
our constant companions,
anxiety
accompanying every step,
fear
friending us day after day,
no peace,
no peace down deep inside,
no peace
in the land,
so much
out of control,
or so it seems,
stomachs churning,
hearts racing,
heads pounding,
feelings raw,
thoughts a jumble,
the tumult taking its toll,
wearing away,
wearing down,
wearing out
our very spirits,
faith frazzled,
hope hollow,
joy joyless,
each new crisis,
making yesterday’s crisis,
old news,
quickly forgotten.
Problems at a border?
Children separated from parents?
What border?
What problems?
What children?
Sorry, don’t remember that,
and can’t remember
the crisis after that or the one after that.
By the way,
where are the children?
Anyone know?
Or care?
Say,
the coronavirus
is no longer a worry,
right?
That’s what someone told me.
Doesn’t matter,
got a new crisis to worry about,
newer than the new one,
that is already the old one.
George who?
I forget.
Leaders loving it,
other people too,
because, hey, nothing need be done,
can be done
will ever be done,
because, hey, got another new crisis,
newer than the newest one,
soon to be the next forgotten one.
It
just
never
stops.
And how weary we are, O Lord,
how weary of it all,
and how weary is this land!
And how we yearn,
yearn for an end
to the commotion and confusion and chaos
that is tearing us
and this land
apart!
And how we hunger,
hunger for peace,
peace between all the races,
peace in this land
peace down deep inside!
O Lord, grace us with the peace only you can give!
Grace us with the peace
your presence gives,
peace
even in the midst of conflict and chaos,
the peace
of knowing that we are upheld by your love
in and through
all things,
the peace
nothing
can take from us.
Let such peace attend our way
so that
even as troubles roll over us
we can say,
it is well,
it is well with our souls,
and we are able to be
at peace with others enough
to come together
and remember what must be remembered,
and do
what must be done
if ever
justice
is to be done,
and we are to live together
in a new way.
Still the storm of worries within,
calm our hearts,
cast out our fears,
ease our minds,
and refresh our spirits, renew our faith, revive our hope,
so that
we can put
all our heart and mind and strength
into doing whatever we can,
wherever we are,
in even the smallest of ways,
to help
bring healing
to this land.
And, Lord, no matter what, someone might say,
anyone
with two wits to rub together
knows
that the coronavirus
is not gone,
not by a long shot.
And so,
keep giving us
strength enough to do the responsible thing,
sense enough not to do the stupid thing,
savvy enough to do the smart thing.
And heal,
sustain,
comfort,
those battling the coronavirus,
those caring for them,
those who have lost someone to the virus.
O Lord,
it
just
never
stops.
But do not
let that
stop us,
from being your people,
from obeying your command to love
you and our neighbor,
from serving you and
your purpose,
and showing a weary land
the way
to
peace.
Amen.