Our Work is Never Done

* Our Work is Never Done

Our Work is Never Done

This prayer was written during the Jewish Days of Awe 2005 (5766) to commemorate and remember the Tsunami in East Asia and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the U.S.A and the continuing U.S. led War in Iraq.

God, I pray to you.
I yell at you.
I cry out to you
For the poor, for the abused, for all in need.
You have been good to me God and good to some of my dear ones.
You have prospered my family and watched over some of us.
Other dear ones, they have not prospered; they are like many in trouble around the world.

God you are the source of all, the all powerful.
I stand in awe and in fear before the wonders and terrors of this, your world.

For natural disasters near and far, the tsunami, hurricanes, earthquakes
I want to blame you, though I cannot.
For war, famine, genocides
I need to blame us, your creations,
And I fear the transgressions of some of the children of Adam and Eve.

Yet when the sun rises
When I help loved ones in need and we smile and laugh or we cry,
When I hear of people helping people,
And when I take note that our government is a reflection
Of me, of my neighbors, of my friends and fellow citizens.
When I take note that our government listens, though imperfectly
And changes course for the good, though slowly
And helps and supports us sometimes which is better than nothing,
I sigh and I smile and yes, I sing patriotic songs.
And most of all, I pray that together we will continue always
To move towards the impossible and the unreachable,
Towards Eden and Goodness and Godliness.

My work is never done and is far from perfect.
Certainly your work dear God is never done and is far from perfect.

Dear Lord, Dear God, Adonai,
Help me.
Help us.
Save us.
We need you now more than ever or as always.
Amen.