by Gabino Zavala, Justice and Peace Director
In her article “I’m Precious Blood, and I Vote!” in the October 2018 issue of the New Wine Press, Companion Maureen Lahiff shares her experience with the voting process. What I find most important in her story is that she takes the responsibility of voting seriously. She studies the issues, brings her faith and Precious Blood Spirituality into the process. And she votes!
The election season is upon us. I hope all of us will take this responsibility and privilege seriously. Study the candidates and all of the issues. Spend some time in prayer as you ponder your decision. Vote your conscience that has been formed by the Gospel, Catholic Social Teaching and Precious Blood Spirituality. Then Vote.
As we prepare to vote let us pray also for all those men and women who are presently elected to serve us in government. Let us pray for those women and men who will be elected in November.
I offer you the following prayer from Sister Joan Chittister:
Prayer for Our Government and Political Leaders
Give us, O God, leaders whose hearts are large enough to match the breadth of our own souls and give us souls strong enough to follow leaders of vision and wisdom.
In a leader, let us seek more than development for ourselves — though development we hope for — more than security for our own land — though security we need — more than satisfaction for our wants — though many things we desire.
Give us the hearts to look to the leader who will work with other leaders to bring safety to the whole world.
Give us leaders who lead this nation to virtue without seeking to impose our kind of virtue on the virtue of others.
Give us a government that provides for the advancement of this country without taking resources from others to achieve it.
Give us insight enough ourselves to choose as leaders those who can tell strength from power, growth from greed, leadership from dominance, and real greatness from the trappings of grandiosity.
We trust you, Great God, to open our hearts to learn from those to whom you speak in different tongues and to respect the life and words of those to whom you entrusted the good of other parts of this globe.
We beg you, Great God, give us the vision as a people to know where global leadership truly lies, to pursue it diligently, to require it to protect human rights for everyone everywhere.
We ask these things, Great God, with minds open to your word and hearts that trust in your eternal care.
