His Eminence Methodious, Metropolitan of Boston for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese led the prayer at the end of Wednesday night’s formal session at the Republican Nation Convention in Tampa, Florida.
Below is the text of the prayer:
Let us pray,
“O Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of truth Who is ever present and fills all things, the Treasure of all blessings and source of life, we beseech you to dwell in our hearts” (1) as we hold in prayer our brethren who suffer the ravages of Hurricane Isaac. Embrace them in your love and keep them safe. Enable us to reach out to them in acts of philanthropy and generosity.
As we close this evening’s program, we pray that You bless and inspire the delegates of this Republican Convention to be your devoted servants and dedicated citizens of our great country. They have nominated two of your faithful sons, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, to serve the highest offices of this beloved land, a nation which has always opened its embrace to welcome “the tired, the poor and the huddled masses, all the tempest tossed to breathe free” (2) a nation that has always been a model of peace, justice and the rule of law. Shine in the hearts of the nominees of this convention the radiant light of Your divine will. Imbue them and Chairman Reince Priebus, Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate with insight, wisdom, and boldness, with courage, compassion and competence.
Tonight, we remember the intrepid members of our armed forces who place themselves in harm’s way in defense of our freedom, and like our Founding Fathers, are steadfast in keeping America the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
May every American be more sensitive:
To the neglected and forgotten
To those who have been victims of discrimination and crime
To those who are hungry and homeless
To those with no jobs and little hope
Help us, Lord, to break down the walls of enmity and distrust, and show us the way to a new era of peace, equality and opportunity. Strengthen the hand of America as it reaches out to clasp the hands of our brethren throughout the world to build bridges of understanding. May we rediscover the path that leads one to another, and all to You. Amen.
It never ceases to amaze me how rarely Orthodox clergy ever mention unborn children in their prayers.
What do you think the link “those neglected and forgotten” means?
It could mean anyone.
Maybe even you or me. 🙂
They are also victims of discrimination and crime, the hungry; the very first homeless, and some have no hope at all.
I realise that God knows and remembers even those we forget to pray for.
If Jewish people were being dragged into free standing neighborhood gas chambers all around the country, do you think we would refer to them in our prayers merely as those who are “neglected and forgotten”?
I don’t think so. I think that our souls, like Lot’s, would be so vexed and tormented by the horror of such wanton slaughter in our own cities and towns that we would fervently pray for them in the same, specific way we pray for those particular Orthodox individuals around the world who are being persecuted by godless peoples, by apostates, and by heretics — as we remember those in Egypt and Syria specifically.
I don’t mean to pick a fight. I just mean to resist forgetting the 3,700 unborn children who died today, the 3,700 who are scheduled to die tomorrow, and I aim to bring them to others’ minds, as well, so that we are not guilty of neglecting and forgetting them. That’s why I bring them up.
Father, bless.
It occurs to me, Fr. Peter, that my first comment here may have seemed like a bit of an attack on His Eminence.
That was not at all my intention. I’m honestly very happy that it was an Orthodox clergyman who prayed at the Republican convention, and it really was a simple, beautiful prayer.
I was just… “ruminating” … and remembering other prayers I’ve heard from Orthodox priests, and conversations I’ve had with Orthodox priests when I have brought this topic up, and I did think it might have been an appropriate place to pray for unborn children since the Republican Party platform stands up for them.
Anyway, I apologise that my comment was probably thoughtless and insensitive to you when you were only intending to encourage people with the news that there had been an Orthodox presence at that convention, and that it may have sounded like I was putting His Eminence down or being disrespectful to him. I am sorry for that… and I ask your forgiveness for it.
With love in XC,
Ronda Sophia
No need to apologize. I take your point but it would seem more fitting to pray for the unborn at the Democratic National convention since it is part of their platform to keep it legal.
But it was a good prayer.