January 27, 2021
Blessed Forgetfulness: A Prayer
O Lord, thank you
for moments of
blessed
forgetfulness,
moments
in which we forget
for a moment
all that we and others are facing or
feeling or
fearing
(even forget politics!);
moments
that lift us out of ourselves,
out of our worry or grief or anxiety,
our boredom or emptiness or despair,
our struggling with disease or illness;
moments
of laughter,
or excitement,
or joy;
watching a gripping game or moving movie or crazy comedy,
jumping off the couch
with arms raised high
signaling a touchdown
(or slouching down,
shoulders slumped –
hey, there’s always next year);
or sitting on the couch
with eyes tearing up
(for pity’s sake, it’s only a movie);
or rocking back on the couch
guffawing at some
goofy scene
(it really is the best medicine);
listening to music that carries you off
to somewhere else;
seeing something of beauty so beautiful
that it takes your
breath away;
reading
some email about a wonderful act of kindness,
some goodness so good
it makes you feel good;
hearing
the voice
of a child, a grandchild, a friend on the phone,
the voice alone
enough to make your heart
soar a bit,
hearing it tell you
some story so funny
that you can’t help but
laugh out loud;
blessed moments
because
just for a moment
unafraid,
hopeful,
at peace.
O Lord, grace us all with such moments of
blessed
forgetfulness
because
they are moments of
salvation,
saving us from one day’s saving to the next;
moments in which
we almost feel normal again,
remember what normal was like,
believe that normal will be the norm
someday soon;
moments in which
what we face seems a little more faceable,
a little less scary,
a little more manageable;
moments in which
a kind of healing comes,
healing enough to be at peace
with not being healed,
healing enough to grieve still
and yet be healed;
moments in which
we are reminded that
there are lots of
good people,
kind people,
compassionate people,
and we can be too;
moments in which
we realize that there is so much
in life,
in one another,
in this world,
that is truly beautiful
and that
we need
such beauty
to survive the ugliness;
moments in which,
certain voices remind us
of how much we are loved,
loved with a love strong enough
to see us through and beyond all things,
and remind us too
of a loved face
that brings a smile to our face
and puts peace down deep inside,
remind us
of how much we need
to be loved
and to love.
And especially, O Lord, grace with such moments
those who are battling the coronavirus,
those who are caring for them,
those who are grieving the loss of someone
to the virus,
those who have lost their businesses
or jobs and are struggling
to keep a roof over their head
and put food on the table,
those who feel isolated and are
deeply depressed.
Move us
to in some way
be such moments ourselves to them,
to lift and support and comfort and assist and give
hope.
And we continue to pray, O Lord, for our nation, that
fears would be
calmed enough,
angers would be
cooled enough,
resentments would be
controlled enough,
so that
politicians,
people,
we all of us,
could come together to
solve the problems we face;
assure the distribution of the vaccine;
bring relief to all who desperately
need relief.
O Lord, may blessed moments of forgetfulness
grace our days
so that
each and every day
we remember
that in such moments
you are present
and we
never forget
to give you
thanks and praise!
Amen.