PRAYING FOR OTHERS--LEST WE FORGET

When we were kids, parents and teachers were constantly getting us to remember practical things -- a raincoat, a school assignment, a grocery list. Adults make "to do" lists at work and at home. We don't exercise our memories as peoples of other eras did because we have computerized and paper memory aids.

Lest we forget! This phrase sums up the century we are soon to depart. This has been a century of incredible medical, technological, agricultural, and informational progress. The first world haves live with tremendous blessing! The record also reports a century of horrible biocide and genocide, unspeakable suicide and genocide. In fact, it so devastates our imagination and spirit that we would like to forget. We have dulled our appreciation of human suffering through trivializing media reports and amusing ourselves through video games, cable TV, and sports. Americans are such self-absorbed individuals that we really do risk forgetting the larger picture.

The global picture catches glimpses of a world living on the edge of poverty, 35,000 children die every day because of malnutrition, lack of medial care, and unsanitary conditions. Diseases almost eliminated from the planet now reappear because poor people have no access to inoculation.

Lest we forget! We do not come to the eucharistic prayer and to communion as a crowd of individuals seeking personal salvation and the blessing of God's grace granted solely to myself. Worship requires the hard work of shaping, creating, and sustaining a church, a community, a people engaged in public praise and petition. The eucharist, not only as that which we receive, but also that worship which we engage in, makes us church. We-church (not a bunch of me-churches) pray for one another. Why? Lest we forget!

We don't want to forget that sharing at the Lord's table is a sacrament pointing to the many human tables we set for our families, friends, fellow Christians, and co-workers. We can forget the many tables that are not set, tables bare, barren, and bereft of human comfort, kindness, and community. So we pray that we might grow in love, in peace, in justice, and in solidarity with leaders and members of the Christian movement. We pray for the advance of peace and prosperity. We pray for catechumens and baptized, for unity among Christians, and for all who seek God with a sincere heart. Why? Because we cannot forget our solidarity with each other.

While we watch Law and Order, we can forget the call to compassion and mercy. While we tune in the Patriots, we can forget solidarity with children in Africa, India, Asia, and the Americas. While we view The Practice, we can forget to practice justice as a nation. While we laugh at reruns of Cheers and eat munchies, we can forget the mothers and children facing famine.

Intercessory prayer at the Lord's table helps us remember the blessing that bonds us with other local churches and global communities. Intercession strengthens solidarity. Solidarity challenges us to weep in repentance for the indifference of injustice, to delight in the dance of mutual love for one another, and to have courage in our choices. We pray and we act -- lest we forget!