Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said … this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
- Acts 4:10
On this Martin Luther King Day, 2021, many are asking: Is it possible to heal the anger, fear, sin, lies, and disruption of our democracy?
In the early days after Jesus’ death and resurrection many people thought it was impossible for an ordinary human being to heal a man who was lame from birth through faith in Jesus. But that is what Peter did. He told the man: “‘I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.’” (Acts 3:6) For that, Peter was arrested, jailed, and hauled before the authorities for it.
When questioned about how he did it, Peter, “filled with the Holy Spirit”, was clear: “this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth…’”
I don’t know just exactly how we as a nation are going to be healed. But I do believe that we will in due time. We first have to believe that healing is possible.
Peter didn’t claim to do the healing himself. He gave the credit to Jesus. We are the people of Jesus. We are baptized in Jesus’ name and life. We bear his name and follow his way. We believe that we are indelibly related to him: that he is part of us. We believe that he lives within us. All of us.
“We, us” is plural: It is not just me, or just you and Jesus. I have to believe that healing is possible not only for the “good guys’ but also those whom I may label as the “bad guys”. It is you and me and everyone else and Jesus. He lives in all of us: those we love and those we hate (or dislike); those we agree with and those whose actions we find abhorrent; those we are comfortable with and those we are terrified of. We have to love, work with and pray for those whom we don’t like or trust. We are the People of the Body of Christ. We’re all in this together. Healing can occur only when we work together for it.
On the night that he was betrayed Jesus made a promise that to me seems too good to be true: “… the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 4:12). Jesus promises that, in his name, we can do what he did…. which is what Peter did.
Do we believe that we can be healed? How could we, as Christians, not believe that this is possible?
We the People are the People of Jesus; the People of the Resurrection new life of all things; People of the Holy Spirit.
The prayers, for the “Healing of our Nation”, that follow are adapted from the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. As we believe that healing is possible, perhaps these prayers can also help show us the way.
Musical Reflection - America the Beautiful - National Youth Orchestra
Eternal God, creator and preserver of all life, author of salvation, and giver of all grace: Look with favor upon the world you have made, and for which your Son gave his life, and especially now, upon We The People of these United States whom you make one people in nationhood. Amen.
Give us wisdom and devotion in the ordering of our common life, that each of us may be to the other a strength in need, a counselor in perplexity, a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy. Amen.
Grant that our wills may be so knit together in your will, and our spirits in your Spirit, that we may grow in love and peace with you and one another all the days of our life. Amen.
Give us grace, when we hurt each other, to recognize and acknowledge our fault, and to seek each other's forgiveness and yours. Amen.
Make our life together a sign of Christ's love to this sinful and broken world, that unity may overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy conquer despair. Amen.
Bestow on us, we pray, the gift the grace to bring up our children to know you, to love you, and to serve you. Amen.
Give us such fulfillment of our mutual affection that we may reach out in love and concern for others. Amen.
Grant that all persons of this land who witness these prayers may find our lives strengthened and our loyalties confirmed. Amen.
Grant that the bonds of our common humanity, by which all your children are united one to another, and the living to the dead, may be so transformed by your grace, that your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven; where, O Father, with your Son and the Holy Spirit, you live and reign in perfect unity, now and for ever. Amen.
PRAYERS FOR OUR COMMON HUMANITY AND THE HEALING OF OUR COUNTRY, Adapted from The Prayers for Holy Matrimony in the Book of Common Prayer, p.429
