PRAYER FOR LEADERSHIP
(On Ele ction Day and
Othe r Time s)
Joan D. Chittiste r, OSB
(On El
Joan D. Chittist
Give us, O God,
le ade rs
whose he arts
are large
e nough
to match the bre adth of our own souls
and give us souls strong e nough
to follow le ade rs
of vision and wisdom.
l
to match th
and giv
to follow l
In se e king a le ade r,
le t us se e k more
than de ve lopme nt
for ourse lve s
—
though de ve lopme nt we
hope for —
more than se curity
for our own land —
though se curity we ne e d —
more than satisfaction for our wants
—
though many things we de sire .
l
for ours
though d
mor
though s
mor
though many things w
Give
us the he arts
to choose
the le ade r who will work with othe r
le ade rs
to bring safe ty
to the whole
world.
th
l
to th
Give
us le ade rs
who le ad this nation to virtue
without se e king
to impose our kind of virtue
on the virtue
of othe rs.
who l
without s
on th
Give
us a gove rnme nt
that provide s for the advance me nt
of this country
without taking re source s from othe rs
to achie ve
it.
that provid
of this country
without taking r
to achi
Give
us insight e nough ourse lve s
to choose as le ade rs those
who can te ll
stre ngth from powe r,
growth from gre e d,
le ade rship
from dominance ,
and re al gre atne ss from the
trappings
of grandiosity.
to choos
str
growth from gr
l
and r
of grandiosity.
We
trust you, Gre at God,
to ope n our he arts
to le arn from those
to whom you spe ak in diffe re nt
tongue s
and to re spe ct
the life
and words
of those to whom you e ntruste d
the good of othe r parts of this globe .
to op
to whom you sp
and to r
of thos
th
We
be g you, Gre at
God,
give us the
vision as a pe ople
to know whe re
global le ade rship
truly lie s,
to pursue it dilige ntly,
to re quire
it to prote ct human rights
fore ve ryone e ve rywhe re .
giv
to know wh
to pursu
to r
for
We
ask the se
things, Gre at God,
with minds ope n to your word
and he arts that trust in your e te rnal
care .
with minds op
and h
Ame n.