Prayer and Mantra for a Sane World

(By Jon Lebkowsky)

We refute and cast away the demons of division, polarization, hatred, distortion… and their avatars and agents in the realm of mass and social media, cable news, political parties, corporate monopolies, pseudo-religious organizations with or without Christian masks… all those who represent othering, bullying, canceling, and all forms of darkness, hatred, ignorance, and anger.

We celebrate the blessings and wonders that support our life, love, happiness, affirmation, thriving – including those we might have taken for granted: sanitary public water systems; health systems public and private; sophisticated working transportation systems that assure safe travel; systems for reliable and effective delivery of parcels; computer network infrastructures that support a robust information ecosystem; electrical grids that provide uninterrupted universal and affordable electrical services; systems, markets, restaurants, and other sources that practice and promote food safety; science, scholarship and advancement of understanding; working systems of law and enforcement that support safety and security and work to mitigate criminal behavior; monetary and banking systems with realtive safety and stability; news and information systems that focus on objective presentation of facts…

We celebrate all the presence of love wherever it manifests, especially as it exists as a refutation of fear, hatred, and anger; where neighbors help neighbors; where families find love and support in every hour of every day; where heroes still step up at every level; where selflessness and devotion still manifest as light against encroaching darkness.

We celebrate that, despite growing ignorance and volatility in the political world, we still have relative security and safety, we can still find love and support. We pray that darkness will pass into light… that we will ultimately meet existential challenges, like ultimately destructive climate change or threats of global war and annihilation. That we will find our way back to peace and to love.