Posts Tagged ‘leadership prayer’

 

Against Domestic Insurrection

Posted on: January 7th, 2021 by Alden

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This is a prayer in response to the rioting and attacks on the U.S. Capitol, an attack on the great history of the peaceful transition power in the United States of America.

Against Domestic Insurrection
Oh, my people,
What have we become as a nation?
And what will we become,
In the wake of violence and insurrection,
In the face of armed assault against our democracy?
Rioting. Criminality. Attempted coup.
Domestic terror fomented
By the lies, fear, and anger of a President.
Death and destruction in the Capitol.
This doesn’t happen in the United States.
But it did.
And it can again.

Woe to the land that teeters on the brink of fascism.
Woe to the people who stay silent.
Woe to the politician who cannot stand against this outrage.
Woe to us all as the tide of history turns against our Republic.

Shame on those who have hardened their hearts,
Shut their eyes,
Closed their minds,
And empowered those who
Attempt to banish justice
And free elections from our midst,
Those who bring swords and guns
Against our sovereign land.

Source and Shelter,
Grant safety and security
To the people and democracy of the United States of America.
Protect us from violence, rebellion, intimidation,
And attempts to seize our government.
Save us from domestic terror.
Save us from leaders who cannot say no to attacks
On our legacy and our future.

God of nations and history,
Let truth and justice resound
To the four corners of the earth.
Let the light of freedom
Shine brightly in the halls of power,
As a beacon of hope
For every land and every people.

© 2021 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Please check out my CCAR Press Grateful/Joyous/Precious trilogy. The individual books are: This Joyous Soul , This Grateful Heart, and This Precious Life. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter. For a taste of my teaching, see my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer.”

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For Wisdom during U.S. Presidential Elections

Posted on: October 6th, 2020 by Alden

800px-US_Flag_BacklitTime to vote. Cast your vote wisely. The future depends on it. Then, pray that others will also think, vote, and act with the best interests of the United States and all citizens at heart. Here’s a related Psalm of Protest against voter suppression.

For Wisdom during U.S. Presidential Elections
G-d of Justice,
Protector and Redeemer,
Grant guidance to our nation
As we select leaders,
Members of the Senate,
Members of the House of Representatives,
And a President,
The people who promise
To uphold the Constitution,
To uphold our values,
To serve and to govern,
To bring prosperity to our land,
To protect our homes and secure our future.

Grant wisdom and courage to voters
To select a visionary President
And steadfast leaders,
People who will serve our citizens,
And all who reside within our borders,
With honor and integrity
To forge a flourishing and peaceful future.
Bless our future President with
Wisdom and strength,
Fortitude and insight,
Balanced by a deep humanity
And a love of peace,
Leading us to a time
When liberty and equality will
Reign supreme throughout the land.

G-d of Truth,
Source and Shelter,
Grant safety and security to all nations,
So that truth and harmony will resound
From the four corners of the earth.
Let the light of our U.S. democracy
Shine brightly,
A beacon of hope
For every land and every people.

© 2016 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: This prayer is based on “For Wisdom during Democratic Elections” and first appeared here on July 16, 2016.

Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

For Wisdom during U.S. Presidential Elections

Posted on: July 28th, 2016 by Alden

800px-US_Flag_BacklitSoon, we’ll cast our votes. When I posted a prayer “For Wisdom during U.S. Primary Elections,” some took offense at my dismay that Donald Trump might be nominated. Politics and prayer don’t mix, they said, missing the fact that my politics were claimed only in the introduction, not in the prayer itself. This is a prayer for wisdom, silent on politics. To me, however, there’s only one meaning: wisdom, experience and a life of public service (Hillary Clinton) must prevail over racism, misogyny, authoritarianism, xenophobia and bravado (Donald Trump).

For Wisdom during U.S. Presidential Elections
G-d of Justice,
Protector and Redeemer,
Grant guidance to our nation
As we select leaders,
Senators, Congresspersons and a President,
The men and women who promise
To uphold the Constitution,
To uphold our values,
To serve and to govern,
To bring prosperity to our land,
To protect our homes and secure our future.

Grant wisdom and courage to voters
To select a visionary President
And steadfast leaders,
People who will serve our citizens,
And all who reside within our borders,
With honor and integrity
To forge a flourishing and peaceful future.
Bless our future President with
Wisdom and strength,
Fortitude and insight,
Balanced by a deep humanity
And a love of peace,
Leading us to a time
When liberty and equality will
Reign supreme throughout the land.

G-d of Truth,
Source and Shelter,
Grant safety and security to all nations,
So that truth and harmony will resound
From the four corners of the earth.
Let the light of our U.S. democracy
Shine brightly,
A beacon of hope
For every land and every people.

© 2016 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: This prayer is based on “For Wisdom during Democratic Elections.”

Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

For Wisdom During U.S. Primary Elections

Posted on: March 6th, 2016 by Alden

800px-US_Flag_BacklitThe Presidential primaries in the United States are in full swing. It’s looking more and more likely that Donald Trump will win the Republican nomination. This is a real and frightening possibility. It’s time for wisdom and experience to prevail over authoritarianism, racism, misogyny, xenophobia and bravado.

For Wisdom During U.S. Primary Elections
G-d of Justice,
Protector and Redeemer,
Grant guidance to our nation
As we select presidential nominees
The men and women who promise,
To serve and to govern,
To bring prosperity to our land,
To protect our homes and secure our future.

Grant wisdom and courage to voters
To select a visionary,
One who will serve our citizens,
And all who reside within our borders,
With honor and integrity
To forge a flourishing and peaceful future.

Bless our future President with
Wisdom and strength,
Fortitude and insight,
Balanced by a deep humanity
And a love of peace,
Leading us to a time
When liberty and equality will
Reign supreme throughout the land.

G-d of Truth,
Source and Shelter,
Grant safety and security to all nations,
So that truth and harmony will resound
From the four corners of the earth.
Let the light of our U.S. democracy
Shine brightly,
A beacon of hope
For every land and every people.

© 2016 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: This prayer is based on “For Wisdom During Democratic Elections.”

Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

Sleeping Prophets

Posted on: October 18th, 2015 by Alden

Isaiah ProphetOnce, the prophets of Israel admonished kings – the civil leadership – against their failures and transgressions. Where are those prophets now, as the leadership of the modern State of Israel flounder and fail to make a real and lasting peace? Where are the calls for bravery and justice, the calls for honesty and righteous treatment of all? We must become the new prophets of Israel. It appears that no one else is coming to save us from our modern kings.

Sleeping Prophets
Wake,
You sleeping prophets.
Awaken your voices and your legs.
Come out among us.
Admonish callous hearts.
Admonish violence, hatred and sin.
Where is your passion?
Where is your thunder?
Where are your grievances?
Cry out against wickedness and deceit.
Cry out for wisdom and truth.
Why do you hide among the arrogant?
Why do you hide among and stiff-necked?
Why do you rest as bloodshed and slaughter
Threaten to consume us?

Wake you sleeping prophets, wake.
Unleash your vision and your voice.
Summon us to righteousness.
Summon us to heal ourselves and the world.
Once, brave men and women
Rose up to challenge the errors of our ways
And the foolishness of our kings.

Rise up, rise up.
You are the prophets of peace.
Demand strength and compassion.
Compel our leaders to a new path
And a new light,
In G-d’s Holy Name.

© 2015 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: This is a link to my prayer “For Political Leadership” and another to more prayers for Israel and peace.

Tweetable! Click here to tweet this: “Wake you sleeping prophets…” A call for peace and justice by @ToBendLight. https://tobendlight.com/?p=13695

Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

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Korach: For Political Leadership

Posted on: June 17th, 2015 by Alden

politics-word-cloudIn this week’s Torah portion Moses and Aaron face a rebellion. It fails and the perpetrators are punished. This is a prayer for wise and dedicated political leaders, asking that they have the imagination and strength to address the problems of our time. The prayer includes an option in [brackets] to identify particular issues and problems of interest to the person reciting the prayer.

ADDENDUM, June 11, 2018: This prayer seems more relevant to world leadership now than it did when I wrote it three years ago.

For Political Leadership
G-d of history,
We yearn for [new] leadership,
For men and women of inspiration and insight,
Visionaries to build nations and communities
In Your image,
Stewards dedicated to justice,
Unafraid to face the challenges of our day,
[In particular, the challenge(s) of
_________________________,]
So that our cities and countries resonate with
Compassion and health,
Justice and mercy,
Kindness and peace.

Bless our leaders
With dedication and foresight,
Fortitude and imagination
To solve the complex issues that threaten our future.
May they lead us to a time when neighbors embrace
And the communities thrive,
A time when liberty and equality
Reign supreme.

Source and Shelter,
Grant safety and security to all nations and communities,
So that truth and harmony will resound
From the four corners of the earth.
Let the light of wisdom
Shine brightly in the halls of power,
A beacon of hope
For every land and every people.

© 2015 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: In writing this piece, I avoided the use of the word statesmen,which brought a wave of criticism when I used it in the prayer For Wisdom During Democratic Elections.

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

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For Wisdom During Democratic Elections

Posted on: October 26th, 2012 by tobendlight

The citizens of the United States are about to elect a president. Two months later the citizens of Israel will also go to the polls. And so, I’ll be voting in two national elections. Let us select well. This prayer can be used for any of the world’s democratic nations. Specific selections to customize the prayer for specific nations are shown in [brackets].

For Wisdom During Democratic Elections
G-d of Justice,
Protector and Redeemer,
Grant guidance to our nation
As we select leaders
To serve and to govern,
The men and women who promise
To bring prosperity to our land,
The men and women who promise
To protect our homes and secure our borders.

Grant wisdom and courage to voters
To entrust our government to visionaries and statesmen,
To those who will serve our citizens,
And all who reside within our borders,
With honor and integrity
To forge a flourishing and peaceful future.

Bless our [President / Prime Minister / (title of chief executive)] and
The [Congress / Parliament / Knesset / Legislature / (name of legislative body)]
With vision and strength,
Fortitude and insight.
May they lead us to a time
When liberty and equality will
Reign supreme throughout the land.

G-d of Truth,
Source and Shelter,
Grant safety and security to all nations,
So that truth and harmony will resound
From the four corners of the earth.
Let the light of [this / our / U.S. / Israeli / (country name)] democracy
Shine brightly,
A beacon of hope
For every land and every people.

© 2012 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript:  Reflecting my two citizenships, click for Veterans Day prayers, Thanksgiving Day prayers and “A Liturgy for 9-11,” as well as prayers for Israel. Thanks to RJ Blog for posting this prayer for your readers.

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