Prayer for Love at the MN Senate

Last week I received an invitation to give an opening prayer at the Minnesota Senate. They have clear rules about not having partisan focus, and making it inclusive for people of all faith backgrounds (and for those who don't have one). We obviously can speak from our faith background, but it is important to think of all the senators and staff who take a moment before the day's deliberations together. They had been in session till about 9:30 pm the night before, and it had been a long week. This is what I offered. I hope it is okay:

In Christian scriptures, there are some verses the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians that always challenge me because they speak of the central importance of love - "Though I may speak beautifully in the tongues of mortals or angels, without love I am a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. If I have prophetic powers and all knowledge and faith that can move mountains, without love I am nothing." With that in mind, I invite us all into a moment of prayer. 

God of love, we gather here as we really are right now. We know sometimes our words are kind of gongish and sometimes are as melodious as a cymbal clanging, but that’s not what we want to be, not today. Let our speech come from love - love for the people of Minnesota, love for all those who will come after us, love for this land of many waters. When we have impressive knowledge or faith that could move mountains but we don’t have love, slow… us… down, and teach us again what matters. Let love animate our intentions, and guide our actions. May our actions through these legislative deliberations here be experienced as love out there.

 O God, we know that like the people of Corinth long ago, there’s a lot we don’t agree about. We know that reality so now we pray. Let love guide us so that the wide range of citizens we represent may have what they each need for their thriving - in fair health care, in thorough education, in respectful safety, in dignity and housing and in work that sustains. And when we have done our work for this day, let it be done. After these long days, give us rest with those we love. Amen.