See also Litany for Ash Wednesday (2016)
This Ash Wednesday, we find ourselves in the midst of yet another tricky, dangerous global situation. It’s nothing new. There’s always a war somewhere. I began writing litanies in 2013 because I couldn’t find congregational prayers that addressed the war in Syria. I’ve written litanies about wars and tragedies more than just about anything else. Par for the course. I wish I could stop helping people pray about war (not whining, just saying).
But I can’t. It’s here and we need to keep consciously aligning (reconciling) ourselves with God about it. So we keep praying, and I keep writing.
Still, when the Psalmist pleads with God to “Have mercy on me!” we feel that in a different way from the brink of major global conflict, don’t we? Our nearness to dust, to death, is that much more in our awareness.
When St. Paul entreats us to “On behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God!” we can pray that same intention: Russian aggressors, be reconciled to God! Heads of state, be reconciled to God! Military leaders, be reconciled to God! Arms manufacturers, be reconciled to God! And so on.
So this year, we start our Lenten practice with this intention, and we commit to buckling down and praying through the storm of war and bloodshed, and doing as much justice and mercy as we can; and over and over, reconciling ourselves to God within us.
God, on this Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season, we seek to reconcile ourselves to you .
We want the whole earth to be aligned with your goodness,
Such that all violence and war ceases,
All the needy are nourished and cared-for,
All oppression ends,
And every person is filled with joy and gladness ….