“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  Matthew 5:44

The current political situation is very hard for me, as I am sure it is for many of you.  I disagree with many (pretty much all) of the policies of the party currently in power.  I am distressed by our seeming disregard for anyone who isn’t a billionaire.  The war in Iran seems to me to be just like the war that Russia began in the Ukraine.  Except Russia’s goals are clearer.  ICE agents look and act like SS Nazi agents.  We are spending billions to get people to not create clean energy.  It makes no sense.

I struggle with how to respond to all this.  As a Christian, I believe it is our job to care for the least and lost.  To create a world where all are treated with justice.  To listen to those that don’t have a voice and care for those who are powerless.  But our current government seems to feel the opposite.  When I ask myself, “What would Jesus do?”, I get the answer “not what is being done!”

I am writing this on the Thursday before the No Kings protest on March 28.  I love seeing all the people banding together to protest Trump’s cruelty and indifference.  While I am very glad that people are feeling led to protest, I am not.  Is this all we can do?  Isn’t there something else?  I make regular calls to my senators and my representative and send them emails.  I don’t feel like it does any good – Moreno, Husted, and Balderson are all towing the Trump line – but I feel like this is the appropriate way for me to protest.

There is one more thing I can do.  I can pray for my enemies.  It feels a little strong to call people I have never met my enemies, but they stand against everything I stand for.  Which, in the clearest sense, makes them my enemies.  Praying for them feels like something I can do.

I recently ran across this prayer by Anselm, a monk, pastor and the Archbishop of Canterbury.  He lived from 1033-1109.  Here is his “Prayer for My Enemies.”

Almighty and tender Lord Jesus Christ, just as I have asked you to love my friends, so I ask the same for my enemies.  You alone, Lord, are mighty.  You alone are merciful.  Whatever you make me desire for my enemies, give it to them and give the same back to me.  If I ever ask for them anything which is outside your perfect rule of love, whether through ignorance, weakness or malice, good Lord, do not give it to them and do not give it back to me.

You who are the true light, lighten their darkness.  You who are the whole truth, correct their errors.  You who are the incarnate word, give life to their souls.  Tender Lord Jesus, let me not be a stumbling block to them, nor a rock of offense.  My sin is sufficient to me, without harming others.  

I, a slave to sin, beg your mercy on my fellow slaves.  Let them be reconciled with you, and through you reconciled to me.  Do this, my good Creator and my merciful Judge, according to your mercy that cannot be measured.  Forgive me all my debts as I, before you, forgive all those indebted to me.  Perhaps this may not be so because in your sight I have not yet done this perfectly, but my will is set to do it, and to that end I am doing all I can.  I ahve prayed as a weak man and a sinner; you who are mighty and merciful, hear my prayer.  Amen.

I believe prayer changes things and changes people.  Maybe it will even help me know how to stand up against this regime of my enemies.