“Whether we have won or lost, Lord, keep us faithful…”

What’s the best thing to do the Morning After?  As we do every morning: pray.

Rebecca Hamilton has this great prayer from the USCCB.  And the Concord Pastor offer this: 

(This reflection was written on Tuesday afternoon, 11/6,
before the results of the election were known.)

Lots of people are very happy today, Lord,
and almost as many are very disappointed…
This is the day of winners and losers,
of victors and the vanquished,
a day of cheers and tears…

And like yesterday and tomorrow, Lord,
this is the day that you have made and given us
and on this day, as on every day,
your word calls us to reverence one another
and to bear with one another in kindness…

Help us remember that neither winning nor losing
excuses us from your command that we love one another
with peace in our hearts and kindness in our speech…

Your law of love makes no exceptions permitting us
to hate our opponents, to despise the winner
or to demean the loser…

You call us always to collaboration and unanimity
and never to discord or division…

You call us to be patient and kind with one another,
not jealous or pompous…

Nothing justifies our demonizing one another…

The love you enjoin on us cannot be rude  or seek its own interests; cannot be quick tempered or prone to brood over injury…

You call us to a love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things…

Indeed, you call to love even our enemies,
with a love that never fails…

If I am in the winner’s camp today, Lord,
keep me from being proud and haughty,
snide and snarky…

If I stand with the losing side today, Lord,
keep me from being mean-spirited and bitter,
from any self-indulgent spite…

Both sides believe they campaigned

for what will best serve the needs of your people:
whether we’ve won or lost, Lord,
keep us all faithful to promises made
and determined and dedicated
to do what is just, to love what is good
and to walk humbly with you…

In the quiet of my prayer, Lord,
humble my pride, tame any anger,
strengthen my resolve
and deepen my faith and trust in you…

In the stillness of my prayer, help me hold to what is just and true and help me let go whatever keeps me from your love…

Send your Spirit of peace to reign in our hearts and help us work together, Lord,

to serve the needs of all…