LOUISVILLE (PNS) — Many across the nation and around the world are praying for the healing of President Donald J. Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump.
The president, who’s 74, revealed via Twitter Friday morning that he and the first lady, who is 50, had contracted COVID-19. He’s since been hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. She remains at the White House.
A prayer for healing is as nearby as the Book of Common Worship, which was published two years ago. The prayer may be adapted as follows for this situation:
By your power, great God,
our Lord Jesus healed the sick
and gave new hope to the hopeless.
Though we cannot command or possess your power,
we pray for those who want to be healed
especially for the president of the United States, the first lady
and all those affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Mend their wounds, soothe fevered brows,
and make broken people whole again.
Help us to welcome every healing as a sign that,
though death is against us,
you are for us,
and have promised renewed and risen life
in Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
The Rev. Dr. Barry Ensign-George, coordinator for the Office of Theology and Worship, said a pair of teachings from Jesus recorded in Matthew’s gospel are helpful at this time.
“This may be a hard prayer to pray. It may be one of those cases where words like Matthew 7:12 (“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”) or Matthew 5:43-48 have traction in our lives — situations in which these words of Jesus are truly hard words,” Ensign-George said.
“Whether such a prayer comes readily or not,” he said, “such a prayer enacts grace.”
by Paul Seebeck and Mike Ferguson, Presbyterian News Service
