A Meditation for Election Eve

An Election Eve Meditation

It would be an understatement to admit that many of us are feeling anxious tonight. We have lived through months of the most contentious presidential election in recent history. We have witnessed bullying, allegations of sexual assault, racist statements, violence at political rallies, and accusations of improper handling of classified information.

Some have even questioned, without clear evidence, the foundations of our electoral system – the peaceful transfer of power following an election – and others have said that they will obstruct anything the new president does, if their candidate fails to win.
Friendships have been frayed as a result of political differences. Our two primary presidential candidates have the lowest approval ratings in history, and vital policy issues have been eclipsed by tabloid news.

We have focused on our election as entertainment while issues of global climate change, foreign policy, and care for the poor have been marginalized. We have formed opinions by sound bytes, inaccurate posts on social media, and fear rather than reason.
The foundations of our political system are shaking and many of us are anxious about our nation’s future.

We are a pluralist society, founded on the principle of religious diversity. Constitutionally, there is no established religion. Still, on an evening like this, we can call upon God. We can pray for our nation’s healing and for guidance to seek the common good beyond our particular viewpoints.

Abraham Lincoln, one of the wisest of our leaders, stated that are prayers should not be that God is our on side, but that we are
on God’s side. This is surely true tonight. We don’t know the right answers to our major political issues – we know some of the wrong ones – and there may be more than one right answer among persons of good will, willing to stay in conversation till we find common ground.

When we seek that greater wisdom, we can awaken to our “better angels,” as Lincoln says, and discover a pathway that includes rather than excludes, and welcomes all persons of good will, regardless of differences, to help shape our nation’s future.

At this moment, the election results are uncertain. Ballots have been cast and the polls open here in on the East Coast in less than 24 hours. Regardless of our candidate, our calling is to seek God’s wisdom, to recognize that our viewpoints are limited and fallible, and to pray – and act – to create a land where justice flows down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, where every child has a home, education, and health care, where our borders are secure but welcoming, and where we seek liberty and justice for all….and where we are truly a beacon of justice for all.