Grace Us

 

One of the wise ones who shared the planet with many of us was Fred Rogers. Mr. Rogers leaves us with much to ponder, including this thought.“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

This is a scary time for those of us who are in tune with the news, so with Mr. Roger’s advice, I have turned to the “helpers.” In this moment, the helper for me is not Mr. Greenjeans, but the great theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr. His thoughts are in italics, and my prayer is below them.

Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime;

therefore, we must be saved by hope.

 

God of hope,

In the tight places

In the dark places

In the dead-end places

Flood into us.

Offer us a vision beyond today.

Open us to the possibilities.

Humble us to be willing to be a cog or a catalyst.

Grace us with Hope.

 

Nothing true or beautiful makes complete sense in any context of history;

therefore, we must be saved by faith.

 

Steadfast God,
In this world of brutal destruction

In these times of profound estrangement

In these days of fear for the future

Flood into us.

Bless us with simple trust.

Gift us with wisdom

Open us to the power of Your creative spirit moving beyond time.

Grace us with Faith.

 

Nothing we do, no matter how virtuous, can be accomplished alone;

therefore, we are saved by love.

 

God of love,

In our tendencies toward perfection

In our desire for recognition

In our persistent sense of responsibility

Flood into us.

Remind us of community

Connect us with the larger whole

Enable us to receive love.

Grace us with Love.

May it be so