To me, few things are more concerning today than the rise of populism. Resentment against the so-called ‘liberal elite’ is being whipped up by demagogues and, frankly, by politicians who ought to know better, and the ugly face of racism, bigotry and prejudice is being allowed to raise its head, masquerading as allowing ‘the people’ to speak. I genuinely fear where it all will end. We need to rediscover the fact that, beyond any differences that divide us – and some of those are certainly real enough, not least religious and political divides – the peoples of this earth are nonetheless bound by a shared humanity. If only leaders, government, politicians and individuals more generally learnt to focus more on that than on cheap point-scoring, and narrow nationalistic and economic interests, we could start to build bridges rather than walls, consensus instead of conflict.
The following prayers, taken from my books Prayers for All Seasons (Books 1 and 2), focus on that humanity that binds us together, and then on the need to break down the barriers that increasingly separate us.
One World Week thanksgiving
Our common humanity
Gracious God,
we thank you for our country –
for its history,
its traditions,
its culture,
and its abundance of good things.
You have given us much to celebrate:
receive our praise.
We thank you for the riches we enjoy as a society –
material comforts in abundance,
freedom of speech and worship,
security through our health service and welfare state,
beautiful countryside and thriving towns and cities;
all this, and so much more.You have given us much to celebrate:
receive our praise.
We thank you that we have so much
to be proud of and grateful for.
But we thank you also today for our world –
its rich assortment of nations,
and the histories and traditions which are part of them,
an awesome diversity of countries and continents,
and languages within them;
a fascinating mixture of people, places, customs, cultures,
with so much to teach us and so much to offer.
You have given us much to celebrate:
receive our praise.
We thank you for everything that contributes
towards the world-wide community –
the insights of different religions and philosophies,
the interchange of ideas between races and cultures,
the promotion of dialogue concerning global issues,
the desire to establish justice and peace among all nations.
You have given us much to celebrate:
receive our praise.
We thank you that we all have something to receive
from the wider world,
and something to offer it;
that our horizons are constantly being stretched,
and our thinking broadened.
You have given us much to celebrate:
receive our praise.
Gracious God,
you have given us one world.
Help us to live as responsible citizens within it,
united together in our common humanity,
and bound together in you.
You have given us much to celebrate:
receive our praise,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Intercession
Breaking down the barriers
Sovereign God,
Lord of all,
we pray once more for our troubled and divided world,
so full of tension,
so full of need.
We pray for our world,
recognising that it is your world also,
and your world first.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for those who strive to bring liberty –
a world free from religious and political persecution,
from racial bigotry and ethnic cleansing,
from dictatorship and oppression.
Strengthen their resolve,
and may the evil that holds people captive be destroyed.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for those who strive to bring justice –
a world free from exploitation and corruption,
prejudice and discrimination,
debt and dependence.
Prosper them in their work,
and may the rights of all be respected.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for those who strive to bring peace –
the breaking-down of barriers between nations,
the challenging of long-held prejudices,
and the promotion of dialogue and reconciliation.
Encourage them in their efforts,
and may the fears and suspicions that divide us be overcome.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We pray for those who strive to bring answerability –
an awareness of our common humanity,
of our responsibility towards the environment,
and the consequences of actions.
Speak through their voice,
and so may your creation be passed on intact
to future generations.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Sovereign God,
come again to our broken world
and grant your healing.
Bring peace where there is war,
and love where there is hatred;
reconciliation where there is division,
and co-operation where there is conflict;
good where there is evil,
and wisdom where there is folly.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Instil in all a willingness
to engage in dialogue rather than dispute,
in discussion rather than destruction,
and so may your world become
the one world you long for it to be.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Amen.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Amen