“Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7).
Tomorrow our country enters a day of elections. It is not an ordinary day. It is a tangible expression of our shared life as a community, of our collective responsibility, and of the calling we have, as Christians, to seek the common good of the place where God has set us.
The Christian faith does not withdraw us from civic life. On the contrary, it sends us into it with discernment, humility and responsibility. Voting is not merely a political act; it is also a moral one. It is a concrete way of loving our neighbour, of thinking of those who have no voice, of considering the future of our children, and of contributing, as far as we are able, to a society that is more just, more responsible and more humane.
We do not vote because we believe that the Kingdom of God can be identified with any political project, nor because we place blind trust in human institutions. We vote because we believe that God continues to act in history, and that he calls us to be responsible collaborators in an imperfect world. We vote knowing that our ultimate hope does not rest in rulers or authorities, but in the Lord; and yet also knowing that indifference has never been a Christian virtue.
Therefore, let us take part in this process with prayer, informed conscience and a spirit of service. Let us do so for the glory of God and for the good of the country that welcomes us, always seeking what promotes life, dignity and peace.
Almighty and sovereign God,
who rules the hearts of all people
and directs the course of the nations,
we give you thanks for the gift of life in community
and for the privilege of taking part in the common good of our country.
On this day of elections,
we ask you to guide us with wisdom and discernment.
Open our hearts to your will,
and grant that in all we do
we may seek your glory and the good of others.
Give us wisdom to choose with justice,
with mindful concern for the most vulnerable
and for the peace of our nation.
Help us to see in every decision
an opportunity to be instruments of your Kingdom,
of your love and of your righteousness.
Lord, we know that your Kingdom is not of this world;
yet in the midst of this imperfect world
you call us to be salt and light,
to act with responsibility and hope
in the shaping of a more just society.
May each vote be an expression of our trust in you
and of our commitment to love our neighbour.
We ask, O Lord, that your will be done in our nation,
and that through our actions
your Name may be glorified
and your peace renewed among us.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
