Collect for Times of Conflict
Dear Church of Our Redeemer,
Last Sunday, in response to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump and the attendant death and multiple injuries of persons at the Trump rally, we added to the Prayers of the People the following prayer:
“Holding those who were killed and injured at yesterday’s political rally, holding our deeply divided nation, and holding our shared desire for hope all before God, we offer a Collect for Times of Conflict: O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.“
While we added this prayer in response to a specific incident, the collect itself (in italics) speaks to the broader moment in our country’s life in which that incident occurred – a moment of deep division, heated language, and difficulty in discerning a clear path toward reconciliation. The collect is from the Book of Common Prayer, and has been used over many years in similar situations, local and national.
We know, from conversations with many of you, that we are not alone in our concern about the coming months, about the vitriol and violence in our common political life.
As Christians, one of our responses to all our concerns, to all moments of division and discord, is to pray for guidance and courage, and to ask God to grant us the gifts we need to live in such moments. We will continue to pray this collect together in the Prayers of the People in the coming season, trusting it will help us open ourselves to God’s presence and guidance as we seek to move as a society through this particular moment to a greater respect for the dignity of every human being, from which we can work more productively toward the common good. As Christians, we follow Christ, and we know God will empower us to do this no matter what the coming months will bring.
Please join us in prayer,
Megan+ and Emily+