Image: People watching the sunset from a bridge. (By Gerd Altmann / Pixabay)
El Rachum v’Chanun, Merciful and Gracious God, Healer of the sick, Source of all Wisdom, we ask You for Your help in this time of trouble. Help us to see Your world as it truly is. Help us to tell the truth, and to recognize lies and half-truths. Give us discernment, and share some small measure of Your Wisdom, so that we may find our way through the present discord.
We ask that You, whom we call Erech apayim v’rov chesed, “slow to anger and abundant in kindness,” grant us the ability to look upon one another with eyes of compassion. Help us look past our anger, past our fears, past our grudges and recrimination to truly see one another in all our humanity.
Give us a thirst for true justice, instead of the poisonous drink of revenge. Open our eyes to genuine need, and open our ears to the cries of the hungry and the sick.
Make us bridge builders, instead of grave diggers. Inspire us to bind up each other’s wounds. Open our ears to each other’s stories, and soothe the defensiveness that rises like bile in our mouths. Help us listen, and truly hear.
O God, who has commanded us, “Be holy, as I your God am holy,” help us find our way to goodness.
Help us, O God, and we will try harder.
Amen.
Amen.
Beautiful. Thank you and Shabbat Shalom.
Shabbat shalom, Barbara. Your good opinion means a lot to me.
Lovely, badly needed healing words. Thank you, Rabbi Ruth.
Thank YOU, Ilene.
Lovely. Send it to the White House. Perhaps he can read it although he’s a poor reader.
Belle Rita, that is a great idea. I shall do that.