The Many Faces of Election Prayers

In Mark 10, we read of Jesus healing the blind Bartimaeus. When Jesus called him over to himself despite the crowd trying to silence Bartimaeus, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"

Highlights

By Prolife Leader Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life
10/28/2024 (5 months ago)

Published in U.S.

Keywords: United States Election, Presidential election, Catholics, Prayer, Election Prayer

Of course, Jesus already knew.

But this is a lesson in prayer. God wants us to ask specifically for what we want, even though he knows it in advance. This gives us a deeper, more human and conscious way of participating in the fulfillment of God's will and of expressing our dependence upon him and our confidence in his power.

So it is as we approach the conclusion of this election season.

Our prayers need to be specific, not just generic. And there are many specific dimensions of election-related prayers, as my election prayer guide makes clear.

First of all, we pray for the wisdom to participate in elections in the first place. We pray for an appreciation for the freedom that allows us to choose our leaders. We pray for an understanding of the interplay between Divine Providence and human activity -- an interplay popularly expressed as praying as if everything depends on God and working as if everything depends on us.

We pray against apathy, especially the type that uses spiritual excuses to sit on the sidelines. In evaluating moral responsibility, we realize that we have to answer not just for the consequence of what we choose to do, but of what we choose not to do. Failure to act has consequences too, and the failure of good people to vote leads to the less acceptable candidate winning.

And speaking of the candidates, we need to pray for them personally and specifically, with gratitude for the good that they have accomplished and with intercession for their protection and safety. Praying, too, for the families of candidates is important, because political campaigns take quite a toll on the family.

Then, our prayers should focus on the specific kinds of races that elections comprise. This year, the presidential race takes most of the attention. But our prayers specifically have to embrace the races for US Senate, US House, Governors and state legislators.

Moreover, there are numerous other statewide and local races. For instance, Secretaries of State wield tremendous influence over how elections are conducted, since the Constitution gives the states the authority as to how to conduct them. Local supervisors of elections and other positions related to that are crucial as well. We have to pray for election integrity, and that election officials will abide by state law regarding ballots and deadlines.

Some races are for judges, and we need to pray for judges who impartially apply the law and the Constitution instead of trying to re-write them.

The education of our children is impacted by what kind of school superintendents and school board members we elect, and the effectiveness of law enforcement is impacted by what kinds of attorneys general and district attorneys, sheriffs, and constables we elect. 

And some people say elections don't matter.

Yet this only scratches the surface of what "praying for elections" should mean.

We also have to pray for God's people to grow in the virtues that politics demand. While we are to have our eyes fully open to the corruption all around us, cynicism is nevertheless not a virtue, and despair is an outright sin. To think our actions don't matter is the thinking of the Evil One. Scripture urges us not to grow weary in doing good, and to take up our responsibilities (and our cross) each day, and to make a good investment of the talents the Lord has given us between now and the time of his return.

And finally, do we not hear more of our fellow citizens than ever saying that this election is an outright battle between good and evil? It is. Those who hate America, hate human life, and hate faith, freedom and family have taken off their masks. They don't pretend anymore to be moderate or respectful of our views. Instead, they mock them and want to snuff out our freedom to profess them.

That's why in this election, more than ever, believers need to vote and need to pray -- very specifically -- for the elections. Join me each day at ElectionPrayer.com in praying that the elections of 2024 will bring our nation closer to fidelity to the laws and Word of God.

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Enjoy a Prayer Guide to the 2024 Election, with a different prayer each day.