06/30/2014 - Daily Prayer

Eloheynu velohey avoteynu veimoteynu, Our God and God of Our Ancestors: We ask Your blessings for our state – for its government, for its leaders and advisors, and for all who exercise just and rightful authority. Grant these citizen-leaders assembled here this morning who are ready to engage in the sacred work of our state, the wisdom to act in service to all the people of California, that they may administer all affairs of our State fairly, that peace and security, happiness and prosperity, justice and freedom may forever abide in our midst. Bless them with good health, compassion, wisdom and good fellowship in this new legislative session. Source of Creation, bless all the inhabitants of our country and this beautiful state with Your spirit. May citizens of all races and creeds, people of all ages and who have come to California from all over the world, forge a common bond in true harmony, to banish hatred and bigotry, and to safeguard the ideals and free institutions that are the pride and glory of our land. Imbue into our hearts the discernment that we are all created in Your image; people of all ethnic backgrounds, faith traditions, gender identities and sexual orientations, young and old. Place into the hearts of our State elected leadership the ability to understand, to see, to hear, to learn and to teach, to keep, to do and to uphold all that is sacred about the holy work of serving the people of California. Help us to remember that in this State which has been richly blessed by the bounty of Creation that You call on all of us to be Your partners in the repair and perfection of the world and the conservation of our natural resources, and to be Your hands in extending help to those in need as the Psalmist writes: Let the beauty of Creation be upon us and the work of our hands, upon us, O prosper it, the work of our hands! Bless these people assembled here, our Senators, their staffs and advisors, with the wisdom and understanding to write and pass legislation which will benefit all Californians. Let them fulfill the ancient call: tzedek tzedek tirdof lema’an tihyeh veyarashtah et ha’aretz asher adonay elohehah noteyn lah: “Justice, justice shall you pursue that you may thrive and occupy the land that your God has given you.” May God bless this State and the people therein. And let us say,--AMEN. (adapted from A Prayer for our Country, Siddur Sim Shalom, pg. 415)