Even on the National Day of Prayer, even in prayer, you can’t bring all folks together in complete harmony. Thursday, there will be two different gathering for prayer at the County of Kauai Moikeha Rotunda. The first group up,
Even on the National Day of Prayer, even in prayer, you can’t bring all folks together in complete harmony.
Thursday, there will be two different gathering for prayer at the County of Kauai Moikeha Rotunda.
The first group up, at 9 a.m., will be a ceremony organized by the Interfaith Roundtable.
Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. will open the ceremony with a proclamation for the day. Representatives from Hawaiian, Buddhist, Christian, Quaker, Bahai, Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Eckankar, Brahma Kumari, Happy Science, Science of Mind and “many others from the diverse faiths on our island will share song and prayers. Everyone is welcome!” says a press release.
A second prayer gathering at the County of Kauai Moikeha Rotunda is scheduled at 11:30 a.m. This one is sponsored by the Christian churches on Kauai and Kauai Island Ministries.
That’s right. Two separate functions for prayer. Same place. Same day. Same National Day of Prayer. Different times so there’s no confusion for those offering the prayers, we guess, since they can’t agree on who they’re praying to.
Sounds great. We support everyone’s right to gather in prayer. Lord knows, this country could use prayer.
But why the separate events? Different beliefs. Is it because it may be hard to pray with someone when you have entirely different views about God, why we’re here on Earth and where we’re headed once our time here is over? Seems contradictory to what the intention of praying is when you can’t join hands with people of all faiths to say a prayer.
And some aren’t too happy about what’s happening on the National Day of Prayer.
In a letter to all 50 governors, and signed by Interfaith Alliance President Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy and The Interfaith Alliance of Hawaii President Bishop Stephen Randolph Sykes asked that “if you participate in the National Day of Prayer you ensure that your celebration is welcoming to clergy and believers of all religions, as well as those who profess no religion.”
“This celebration, mandated by an act of Congress, has too often been dominated by religious extremists who define religion by exclusion. In a nation already deeply divided, working together, we should make this year’s National Day of Prayer, held on May 1, a reflection of both our nation’s diversity of religious beliefs and its commitment to religious freedom. This day presents a great opportunity for us to demonstrate that religion can be a healing and reconciling force in our nation,” the letter said.
Perhaps a little history will help.
A national day of prayer was called for by the first Continental Congress in 1775 and was first established by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. In 1952, Congress unanimously voted to establish a National Day of Prayer. The day was made official when President Harry S. Truman signed it into law. In 1988, Congress and President Ronald Reagan amended the law to designate the first Thursday in May as National Day of Prayer. Most National Day of Prayer efforts are geared at praying for the nation, government leaders, the president, congressmen, and local officials.
According to Wikipeida: “The National Day of Prayer is celebrated by Americans of many religions, including Christians of many denominations, including Protestants and Catholics, as well as Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews, reflecting the demographics of the United States.”
Different denominations will pray on Kauai, too, on Thursday. Just not together. In one way, that makes sense. At some point, if you’re committed to your faith, you’re not going to stand side by side with someone who believes the opposite of what you do, who preaches the opposite of what you do, who practices the opposite of what you do. Spiritually, you’re on different paths and you’re not really going to be best friends with someone you believe is leading folks down the wrong path. At some point, you have to stand for what you believe in, and at times, that puts you on opposite sides with friends and family.
It does seem, though, standing together in prayer before God, if just for an hour, could be a good thing, even if it’s with folks you don’t agree with when it comes to how to spend your days here or your eternal salvation. If anything, you might learn something about each other you didn’t know before. It could even be a chance to share your faith and win them over.
No matter what you believe, we can agree to pray for peace, love and unity on National Day of Prayer.
