A Sunday Prayer

As a Christian nation I think it's important we remember, by leaning heavily on our faith and praying en masse to our God--the right god, just what we can accomplish with His help (and a little more resolve to stay president Bush's course than we've shown lately).

It is with that in mind, I offer up a most glorious and elegant prayer written by a great American spokesman over a century ago. It seems more appropriate than ever.

O Lord our God,

help us
to tear their soldiers
to bloody shreds
with our shells;

help us
to cover their smiling fields
with the pale forms
of their patriot dead;

help us
to drown the thunder
of the guns
with the shrieks
of their wounded,
writhing in pain;

help us
to lay waste
their humble homes
with a hurricane of fire;

help us
to wring the hearts
of their unoffending widows
with unavailing grief;

help us
to turn them out roofless
with little children
to wander unfriended
the wastes of their desolated land
in rags and hunger and thirst,

sports of the sun flames of summer
and the icy winds of winter,
broken in spirit,
worn with travail,
imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave
and denied it

for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord,
blast their hopes,
blight their lives,
protract their bitter pilgrimage,
make heavy their steps,
water their way with their tears,
stain the white snow
with the blood of their wounded feet!

We ask it, in the spirit of love,
of Him Who is the Source of Love,
and Who is the ever-faithful refuge
and friend of all that are sore beset
and seek His aid
with humble and contrite hearts.
Amen.

"The War Prayer" by Mark Twain