A Prayer for our Nation’s Election

O God, we acknowledge You today as Lord,
Not only of individuals, but of nations and governments.

We thank You for the privilege
Of being able to organize ourselves politically
And of knowing that political loyalty
Does not have to mean disloyalty to You.

We thank You for Your law,
Which our Founding Fathers acknowledged
And recognized as higher than any human law.
We thank You for the opportunity that this election year
puts before us,
To exercise our solemn duty not only to vote,
But to influence countless others to vote,
And to vote correctly.

Lord, we pray that Your people may be awakened.
Let them realize that while politics is not their
salvation,
Their response to You requires that they be politically
active.

Awaken Your people to know that they are not called to be
a sect fleeing the world
But rather a community of faith renewing the world.

Awaken them that the same hands lifted up to You in prayer
Are the hands that pull the lever in the voting booth;
That the same eyes that read Your Word
Are the eyes that read the names on the ballot,
And that they do not cease to be Christians
When they enter the voting booth.

Awaken Your people to a commitment to justice,
To the sanctity of marriage and the family,
To the dignity of each individual human life,
And to the truth that human rights begin when Human Lives
Begin,
And not one moment later.

Lord, we rejoice today
That we are citizens of Your kingdom.

May that make us all the more committed
To being faithful citizens on earth.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

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The timeline of A Prayer for our Nation’s Election

A Prayer for our Nation’s Election is a relatively recent Catholic prayer that was first published in 2016 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is a prayer that seeks God’s guidance and wisdom in the election process and asks for the protection of all those who participate in it.

The prayer was developed in response to the growing concerns about the polarization and divisiveness of the political climate in the United States. It is a call to Catholics to pray for the healing of the nation and the promotion of values that are consistent with Catholic social teaching.

A Prayer for our Nation’s Election reflects the Catholic Church’s deep commitment to the common good and the dignity of every person. It is a reminder that the political process is not just about winning elections but about creating a society that is just and compassionate.

Today, A Prayer for our Nation’s Election continues to be recited by Catholics in the United States and around the world. It is a reminder that prayer is a powerful tool for promoting peace and unity and that Catholics have a responsibility to engage in the political process with faith, hope, and charity.