Prayer For Aklan Province And Its Leaders*

* An invocation Hon. Ramon Gelito read during the State of the Province Address of Governor Carlito S. Marquez held in SP Session Hall, Capitol, Estancia, Kalibo, Aklan on January 31, 2008 during the 4th Regular Session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan.

God of all nations, Lord of History, the Ruler of the Universe:
In the beginning, You designed every part of our world – from the twinkling of the stars to the crimson glory of a new day, the change of seasons, the ever-changing color of the heavens and the many things we see and enjoy but are beyond our control.
We acknowledge our dependence on You. You have been with our forefathers, in war and in peace, in times of strife and crises. We humbly ask You to make this moment of prayer a real experience for all of us who are beset by problems beyond our limited capacity to solve. With Your help, O Lord, we shall be better equipped than we are and wiser than we can ever hope to be. If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without Your knowledge, what we say here and what our public officials will do afterwards, should matter to You. For we know that each of us, whether in or out of government service, will be held accountable on Judgment Day.
Teach all of us, that in case of doubt, we should choose the hard right over the easy wrong; and that when we are tempted to compromise, we should remember that anything can be compromised except truth and justice. You taught us, O Lord, to seek the truth for the truth shall set us free; As Your prophet Micah tells us that justice must roll on like the river and a never-failing stream.
Forgive us, O God, when our roots become so firmly attached to this earth we fall deeply in love with things – from the tyranny of wealth we can hardly enjoy, to the heavy burden of power, which does not give us peace of mind. Give us the wisdom, the humility and the courage to simplify our lives. Help us to live and not merely to exist.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who alone can give us joy and peace beyond human understanding. Amen. /MP