Can We Pray Together?

Listen, say all you want, but for the daddy: no talk of a US president who through our brave men and women soldiers into an illegal, unnecessary war. No mention of a cowardly combo of congress persons and senators who went along with him (and without even a serious discussion in the senate, as Sen. Bird so aptly points out); and no talk of power-obsessed politicians who promise to get us out of that war immediately, knowing that we'll be there for a while.

No, on this day, on the eve of Memorial Day, a day of remembrance of those men and women who paid the ultimate price, and those who continue to sacrifice, the daddy won't talk but will silently pray:

• For the sad Iraqi people, who had family members killed, their homes and communities destroyed;
• For our brave but misled soldiers to stay alive, to come home as soon as possible and try to deal with a psychologically devastating travail;
• For our elected leaders who voted for war and continued to vote for the funding of that war; and for any US citizen who say they will vote for them again.

Can We Pray Together?

A Memorial Day Prayer

by Rev. Dick Kozelka (ret), First Congregational Church of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Eternal God,
Creator of years, of centuries,
Lord of whatever is beyond time,
Maker of all species and master of all history --
How shall we speak to you
from our smallness and inconsequence?
Except that you have called us to worship you
in spirit and in truth;
You have dignified us with loves and loyalties;
You have lifted us up with your lovingkindnesses.
Therefore we are bold to come before you without groveling
[though we sometimes feel that low]
and without fear
[though we are often anxious].
We sing with spirit and pray with courage
because you have dignified us;
You have redeemed us from the aimlessness
of things' going meaninglessly well.
God, lift the hearts of those
for whom this holiday is not just diversion,
but painful memory and continued deprivation.
Bless those whose dear ones have died
needlessly, wastefully [as it seems]
in accident or misadventure.
We remember with compassion those who have died
serving their countries
in the futility of combat.
There is none of us but must come to bereavement and separation,
when all the answers we are offered
fail the question death asks of each of us.
We believe that you will provide for us
as others have been provided with the fulfillment of
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."