God of power and love, whose sovereignty is over all nations and whose love enfolds all people, we pause to celebrate the birth of our nation.  We are grateful for the vision of “one nation under God, indivisible, and with liberty and  justice for all,” a vision worthy of our allegiance and aspiration.

We confess our failure to live the vision by

• promoting a nationalism that elevates nation over God
• limiting “all” to members of our political party, our race, our religion, our group
• worshiping the idols of military might and wealthy display
• exploiting the vulnerable while protecting the privileges of the privileged
• treating as less than human “the orphans, widows, and sojourners (immigrants)”
• extolling violence while eschewing humility, gentleness, kindness, and compassion

Forgive us, God of all nations, and free us to live courageously toward your vision of the world as you intend:

• where all people know and live their identity as your beloved children, made in your image
• where all barriers are removed and the human family lives as one, with dignity and respect
• where all of creation is healed, from the scarred mountains and poisoned air to the microscopic diseased cell
• where justice permeates all relationships and all have access to your table of abundance
• where hatred and violence are no more and all creation lives in harmony and peace.

“This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth’s kingdoms: Thy kingdom come; on earth thy will done. Let Christ be lifted up till all shall serve him, and hearts united learn to live as one. O hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations; myself I give thee; let thy will be done.” Amen.