Today, a prayer from the late Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley, who served our movement well and left us much too soon:

Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley

Pastoral Prayer delivered at Fourth Universalist Society in New York City on March 9, 2003

“O God about whom we know so little, but ask so much,”
Goddess of Justice, giver and sustainer all Life:

Your daughters and sons call upon you once again
as we did in centuries past.
We have known war, and once again, there are rumors of wars.
And so we come this morning
to lay this burden on the altar of prayer.

We know that violence cannot sustain us …
And so we seek a new way:
a way that leads to peace …
a way that leads to the promise of
freedom, justice, and security
for all the peoples of the Earth.

Oh Thou who gives us perfect freedom to find the ways of truth:

We know that democracy is a fragile thing that needs to be guarded;
And some of us see our nation taking a backward step—isolating and insulating itself from the world.

It’s easy to think that our voices are not being heard;
that we have been silenced.
And under such circumstances,
one can easily resort to disillusionment and anger.

But let our thoughts not turn to cynicism and despair.
Let our fears not become helplessness or hopelessness.

Help our leaders to transcend their delusion
about the righteousness of their cause.
Help them to respect the Sacredness of Life more than conquest.

In the coming days and weeks,
as we wander through pathways unknown,
“Grant us wisdom. Grant us courage.
Lest we miss your peaceful goal.”

Ashé. As’Salaam Alakim. Blessed be. Shalom, and Amen.

Source: the Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley, as published on UUA.org as part of the Unitarian Universalist Perspective Liturgical Elements archives.