Call to Prayer - April 27, 2020

Author: The Rev. Elizabeth McCord

Published Date: 4/27/2020

In difficult and uncertain times, many of us find courage by leaning into our faith. Each week, I’ll invite any of you who wish to join me in spiritual reflection. I’ll provide a written prayer, but I hope each of you will use the words, rituals or practices most meaningful and authentic for you. Please contact me if you’d like to share specific prayer requests or just check in at chaplain@carrollu.edu. You and your loved ones are in my prayers every day.

This Week's Prayer

While I find the practice of writing communal prayers meaningful, my personal prayers are often much simpler. Sometimes all I have for God is a word or two prayed over and over again. Author Anne Lamott writes there are just three essential prayers: help, thanks and wow. Usually, those three words sum up what our hearts need to say. This week, the prayer most on my heart is just help.

Help, God.
Help!

Help me.
Help the ones I love.
Help the ones I can’t manage to love.
Help those who suffer and those who heal.
Help those in need and those who serve.
Help the wise and those who think they are wise,
        and those who long for wisdom.
Help those who have no time to worry about wisdom.
Help the lonely, the lost, the lazy,
        the fearful, the messy, the angry…
Help us—
        each of us, all of us—
        frail, broken beings that we are.
Help us now,
        at this moment
                when we feel so helpless.

Help us, God.
Help your people.
Help….help….help….

                …amen.

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