He who must not be named.
Those familiar with the Harry Potter books will recall the character Voldemort, the Dark Lord, who Harry Potter alone has the power to vanquish. None in the wizarding-world dare utter Voldemort’s name, calling him instead “You-Know-Who” or “The Dark Lord” or “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.”
I wasn’t with you during the first administration of Donald Trump, so I don’t know if and how you prayed for him by name, as sometimes the president – the office and the name – is read during the Prayers of the People at Mass. We’ve read “Joseph, the President of the United States” from time to time during my tenure here.
I do know that in other parts of the Church during his first administration, some intercessors opposed to his presidency couldn’t bring themselves to say his name or outright refused to do so; or the clergy and other liturgical planners in liberal-minded congregations simply avoided such a prayer altogether so as to avoid controversy. This practice was a source of some commentary, pro and con, in various church and clergy list-serves I read.
The desire not to say the name of a bitter political opponent certainly is real. I have religious and secular friends who wouldn’t refer to the former and present occupant of the office by name – using instead crass nicknames or something more formal such as, “the incumbent”.
Of course, this was true for people of the church-going type or not, with previous presidents from the opposite political party. In some places and times, the names Obama or Bush or Clinton or Reagan were unwelcome or mocked or avoided altogether. It’s an understandable human impulse.
But is it Christian? And is it practical, prayer-wise?
Jesus tells us to love our enemies and to pray for and bless those who persecute and abuse us. From the cross he forgave his political and religious opponents, his torturers, and his executioners. After his resurrection he blessed the very same disciples who abandoned him. Easy? Of course not! But there it is.
And if … if we want Mr. Trump and his advisors and acolytes and policies to be ethical and moral and just, might we not want to pray for him by name? Not in the, “Lord, we both know he’s terrible – please change him to match our views” sort of prayer (if that even truly is a prayer), but rather that his heart and ours be converted and conformed to God’s will – for I believe that you and I and even our favorite presidents all have fallen short of the mark. The Kingdom of God is far from its completion on earth as it is in heaven.
Will we pray for Donald Trump by name every week for the next four years? No, because we change the form of our prayers every so often. We didn’t pray for Joseph Biden each of the past 208 weeks, either. But sometimes we did; so it’s likely we will. And it just might change Mr. Trump, and us, if we dare to name him in our personal prayers: prayers for his conversion and ours to conform to God’s will for us.
God’s blessings and peace,
Dan+
Comments