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Here we are at the end of our first year of "Praying the News." As we look back at the 28 prayers, we would characterize 2011 as a turbulent year for weather and disasters, the rebellions around the world against the power and greed of dictators, the suffering of animals, the tragedy of widespread poverty, and the continued violence against women and gay people. We continue to hold all those affected by these events in our prayers as we near the start of a New Year, and we offer a new prayer for all the peoples of the world.
And so we pray the news . . .
A Prayer for Humankind
by Chief Medicine Story, Wampanoag Nation
Reader I: Hear 0 Humankind, the prayer of my heart.
Are we not one?
Have we not one desire,
to heal our Mother Earth,
to bind her wounds?
Reader II: Are we not all sisters and brothers?
Are we not all grandchildren of the same mystery?
Do we not all want to love and be loved?
Do we not want to work and play, and sing,
and dance together?
Leader: May we live forever
All: May we live forever
Leader: In Jesus' name [or other sacred name]
All: In Jesus' name
Leader: As with one desire
All: As sister and brother
Leader: Together as one
All: May we live forever.
Reader I: But we live in fear
Fear that is hate
Fear that is mistrust,
and envy and greed . . .
Fear that is anger
and cruelty, loneliness
and bitterness.
Reader II: We live in fear that is love, twisted
and turned back on itself.
Love denied and love rejected.
Leader: In Jesus' name [or other sacred name]
we pray: let us love forever.
All: May we love forever in Jesus' name
[or other sacred name].
Reader I: Hear my heart's prayer, 0 Humankind!
Life is the only treasure.
We are the custodians of it.
It is our sacred trust.
Life is wondrous, awesome, and holy.
Life is burning glory
And its price is simply this: Courage.
We must be brave enough to love.
— from Tales of the Heart by Tom Hampson and Loretta Whalen