Brothers and Sisters,
During our last rector’s forum, I talked a bit about our calling to pray for our country. I was reminded of that calling again over Independence Day. As I said during the rector’s forum, Anglicans have long sensed a special vocation to pray for the nations in which we live. The Book of Common Prayer provides a number of excellent prayers for that purpose, and I would encourage you to make use of them.
I return to this specific prayer often:
Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure conduct. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom, in thy Name, we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Pray for our nation: that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of God’s favor and glad to do his will.
In Christ,
Fr. Caleb