Prayer on the Signs of the Times

 *** Der Originaltext in deutscher Sprache wurde gestern hier eingestellt.

The prayer about the passage from Matthew 16 was written by Holger again. Hugh was so kind as to translate it for us. Before the Pandemic, we would have held Evensong at Berlin Cathedral. But, well, Times are difficult and so we pray online. And prayer does seem appropriate these days. Looking back and looking forward equally.

Signs of the times
The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away. (Matthew 16, 1-4)

We pray: God, unity of contrasts, we look back at the past and are shocked at the events of the night of the Pogrom in 1938. People put their own lives before that of others and brought a suffering to the world that is unending and that still moves us to tears today. We ask you to move our hearts so as to realize that as human beings we are called to be brothers and sisters in you and to learn more and more to accept the other ways of our neighbor and to see this as something enriching.

God, unity of contrasts, we look back at the past and rejoice at the end of division in Germany and within Europe. The Iron Curtain caused so much pain and so many people were to suffer its consequences within their bodies and souls. We ask you to move our hearts that we let the walls in our hearts fall and so become ready for a world in which the freedom of our neighbor does not end at the door of our small-mindedness. Show us common paths where we may learn from each other and with each other render this world more vibrant.

God, unity of contrasts, we look at the world and see everywhere increasing differences – the poor becoming poorer and the wealthy becoming increasingly rich. Injustice and hatred thrive and poison the lives of so many people. New walls are being built and persecution and exclusion are on the cards. We ask you to move our hearts that we do not stay silent when right is turned into wrong or when an individual’s dignity is trod underfoot and hatred springs up from ignorance and self-centeredness. Help us to live a balanced life in reconciliation so that this world may clothe itself in a new countenance. 

Amen.