Parakalein

Since the early 1950's this country observed and the president proclaimed a "National Day of Prayer".  Today in the National Cathedral and throughout the country in small hamlets and in large cities and in places in between, people will gather to pray for God's guidance on our leaders.

Driving to work the other day I heard of a movement to ask the President to declare a parallel National Day of Reason.  While I know that whoever is behind that movement it is probably due to the nature of the national Day of Prayer having a "Christian agenda" and implying that God favors a nation that prays.
At the same time, prayer, that is calling on a power beyond, outside and yet alongside of me when in distress is a very reasonable thing to do.  It is a way of stepping outside of our problems into light and that is a good thing to do fro perspective shifts and perception changes.

Former President Bill Clinton said in a speech at the 2008 Democratic Convention, "The world is nto so impressed by the Presence of America's power in the world as they are impressed by the Power of America's presence in the world".  Prayer calls on our leaders to know that it is "presence" not "power" that turns the heads and hearts of humanity.  Prayer is a way of practicing the presence of a power greater than ourselves and who sees presence as true power.

This is not a day to call for God to bless America no matter what or to make America, God's favorite nation.  It is to ask for God's favor to come upon all of the citizens and the leaders of our nation so we might be a people, "under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all".  To this end we pray.