A painting, a poem, and a prayer for this post-Independence Day weekend

A PAINTING

I really like the painting, Paul Revere’s Ride, by Grant Wood. My understanding is the artist wanted the painting to show how a child might imagine hearing the story of Paul Revere for the first time.

There are many delightful things in the painting: interesting perspective — with trees that from a distance look like stalks of broccoli, the subdued colors with the bright moonlight reflecting off a New England Congregational-style church, the road a ribbon of moonlight, sleepy townspeople coming out of their homes, and the horse Paul Revere is riding looks like a child’s old fashioned rocking horse.

A POEM

On this weekend following our Independence Day celebration, I am reminded of these stanzas from the once well-known poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. You may remember the lines, “Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere … .”

It tells the story of American patriot Paul Revere’s heroic ride in the middle of the night to warn the locals in small towns outside of Boston that the mighty British army was coming in force to put down any stirrings of revolt by the colonists.

Longfellow concludes the poem with a hope that when times are dark and dangerous for our nation, unexpected heroes will awaken and come to the rescue of America as did Paul Revere and those early patriots:

Through our history, to the last,

In the hour of darkness, peril, and need,

The people will waken and listen and hear

The hurrying hoofbeats of that steed,

And the midnight message of Paul Revere.

In our own times, as we face a momentous Presidential election in our deeply divided nation, may the poet’s words become a prophecy fulfilled.

A PRAYER FOR OUR NATION

Lord, God Almighty, bless our memory of the brave women and men who have stood up in our nation’s darkest hours against those who would drag us away from our highest ideals — our cherished dreams.

Bless all present-day heroes and heroines who are courageously rising against hatred and injustice in our own dark times.

Inspire and empower each of us to respond in whatever ways we can against the real and rising threat of white supremacy and division-driven personality cult politics.

May we show uncommon bravery in nudging our nation toward unity; in pushing forward in creating the “beloved community” that America can yet be.

May we who cherish our religious beliefs, stand strong for others who cherish their different religious beliefs and so continue to make America a haven from persecution and religious strive.

Thank you for all who live their lives and others who gave their lives that we might be “the land of the free.”

Thank you for all who live their lives and others who gave their lives to make the phrase “home of the brave” an accurate description of our nation.

Thank you for all who live their lives and others who gave their lives that there might be “liberty and justice for all.”

Thank you for all who live their lives and others who gave their lives for a more expansive realization of our cherished vision of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Give us the righteousness and wisdom to be willing to work across all political spectrums to listen, cooperate, collaborate, and transform our land and our world.

The Paul Revere poem held out hope that in times throughout our nation’s history, brave women and men will rise up to warn us of danger; that heroines and heroes will boldly wake us from foolish slumber with inconvenient truth. May it be so in our time, dear Lord.

Help us so live that your countenance will shine upon us as we hold this nation to her ideals and work toward “a more perfect union.”

Give a humility that recognizes our nation is not perfect and does not have all the answers but is still a blessed and wonderful land filled with great and good people.

Guide us to work in harmony with each other and other nations to create a better world.

Amen.