When talking with many of you recently, the word that seems to bubble up in our conversations is “peace.” Each of you, in different ways, is seeking peace – within your hearts… in your homes… at church…within the community… across our nation… and throughout the world. There seems to be a collective sense of unrest, and we all feel it deep in our bones. The desire for peace is natural as beloved Children of God. We follow the King of Peace, so longing for peace in our own time is a prayer in itself.
We tend to forget that we cannot manufacture true peace on our own. When Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, his gentle reminder was that the peace we seek comes from God. It is a peace beyond our finite human understanding, and it is what holds us fast in a world that is so divided.
When I am restless, repeating short phrases from scripture or hymns is a helpful and grounding spiritual practice. Right now, the first line of the Prayer of St. Francis is rattling around in my head because I find myself brokenhearted over the division we are experiencing as a nation leading up to the next election. (To be clear, this is a pastoral statement, not a political one.) Several times daily, my mind returns to these words to settle my soul.
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.”
I agree with Paul; the peace that comes from God is like nothing else we can experience. What can we do when the restlessness of our lives pushes in? Pray. I would take it one step further. We should pray together.
A dear friend of mine, who pastors a church in Delaware, has invited his whole congregation to pray the Prayer of St. Francis each day in the lead-up to November 5. In his commitment to hold the prayerful nonpartisan center, he has gone to the words of St. Francis as a prayer for peace and understanding among all people. In his monastic call to ministry, Francis was a striking model of this “peace that transcends all understanding.”
I am also deeply committed to holding the prayerful nonpartisan center, so I invite you to join me in praying the Prayer of Saint Francis daily. May it be a source of peace in your life, and may your transformed heart be a witness to the broader world. This Sunday, a prayer card version of the prayer will be tucked into your leaflet. I urge you to take it home and let the words wash over you each day. Our prayers have power, and our witness to the reconciling love of Christ can change the world.
In God’s Peace,
The Rev. Emily Given
Transitional Deacon