From James the brother of Jesus and leader of the early church, Chapter 3 of his epistle:
” 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell.
” 7 For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8 but no one can tame the tongue–a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh. 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.
” 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.”
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MAY THY WILL FOR PEACE, UNDERSTANDING, WISDOM, SPIRITUALLY MATURE DISCERNMENT PREVAIL IN THIS HYPER-INTENSE POLITICAL SEASON, AMEN
“Jesus’ whole life was a witness to his Father’s love, and Jesus calls his followers to carry on that witness in his Name.
“We, as followers of Jesus, are sent into this world to be visible signs of God’s unconditional love. Thus we are not first of all judged by what we say but by what we live.
“When people say of us: ‘See how they love one another,’ they catch a glimpse of the Kingdom of God that Jesus announced and are drawn to it as by a magnet.
“In a world so torn apart by rivalry, anger, and hatred, we have the privileged vocation to be living signs of a love that can bridge all divisions and heal all wounds.”
— Henri Nouwen
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Lord God,
Help us remember in this hyper-intensive election season in the United States of America, a nation so richly blessed and with peoples so vastly compassionate and big-hearted, that you call us to be compassionate, peaceful people at all times in all situations.
Keep us mindful that a house divided cannot stand, so that we might coexist in peace and harmony and find common ground enough to work out our disagreements without be disagreeable to the point of hatred, vitriol and killing one another with our words.
Keep us mindful of the very question that we teach our children to ask when we instruct them to ask:
What would Jesus do?
Keep us mindful of the way and the words of Jesus who said a house divided cannot stand.
Help us to find ways every day to be more responsive to one another and understanding of our diverse opinions, and less reactionary in our cultural and political differences.
Bless not only the U.S.A., but bless all the nations and all the peoples of the world, where all the living billions of people who you see as your children rather than people of nations are broken and standing in need of your endless love, your endless grace and tender mercies.
May your will for peace with justice, your will for mercy and understanding, your will for the love that overcame hatred and evil and even death on the cross prevail.
Amen
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