A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book (46 page)

The All-Gods:

• In the midst of a busy city, the gods crowd close,
  

  each asking for worship,
  

   
  

  the gods of each and all.
  

   
  

  You are so many that I can't begin to honor you one by one:
  

   
  

  take these words as a gift to you all.
  

   
  

Xáryomen:

• Lying awake in the dark of an unfamiliar city,
  

  I can feel the hum that extends through it and holds it together.
  

   
  

  I feel the power lines, the water mains, the roads.
  

   
  

  I feel the bus routes, the subway tunnels, the bridges.
  

   
  

  I feel the police, the fire fighters, the EMTs,
  

   
  

  the garbage men, the delivery trucks,
  

   
  

  the hospitals, schools, and post offices.
  

   
  

  I feel the network that forms the city,
  

   
  

  its skeleton and capillaries,
  

   
  

  supporting and feeding it.
  

   
  

  And I feel your skeleton and capillaries,
  

   
  

  supporting and feeding it.
  

   
  

  And I know who you are
  

   
  

  and find myself familiar in an unfamiliar city.
  

   
  

• We aren't governed by kings anymore,
  

  but those who do govern us still need the Truth of the King.
  

   
  

  So all the gods of kingship—Jupiter, Lugh, Indra, Osiris, Mitra,
  

   
  

  don't desert us.
  

   
  

  In this changed time, we still look to you for help.
  

   
  

• President, Chief Executive, Commander-in-Chief:
  

  you have sworn to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.
  

   
  

  Gods and Goddesses of the Oath:
  

   
  

  don't let him forget this.
  

   
  

  And if he does, torment his dreams,
  

   
  

  compelling him to return to his vow.
  

   
  

• Industry, you have made us strong.
  

  Commerce, you have made us rich.
  

   
  

  Agriculture, you have fed us well.
  

   
  

  War, you have defended our freedom.
  

   
  

  Peace, you have given us something to defend.
  

   
  

  Justice, you have enabled us to deserve all these.
  

   
  

  Liberty: with these we have built a home for you,
  

   
  

  and we ask you to come live with us,
  

   
  

  continually reminding us of your gifts and your demands.
  

   
  

• We call you, Justice, to come,
  

  no matter what the cost to ourselves.
  

   
  

  We call you, Liberty, to come,
  

   
  

  no matter what sacrifices you may demand.
  

   
  

  We call you, Wisdom, to come,
  

   
  

  no matter how wrong we may prove to be.
  

   
  

  Bless America with your presence.
  

   
  

  Challenge America with your demands.
  

   
  

  Make all our actions prosperous and true.
  

   
  

• Open the doors, Janus.
  

  Break down the walls, Thor.
  

   
  

  Burn through the chains, Agni.
  

   
  

  Show the way out, Amaterasu.
  

   
  

  All the gods, bring freedom to those in your lands,
  

   
  

  bring freedom to those in other lands,
  

   
  

  bring freedom to all in all lands.
  

   
  

  For by right of birth we are free,
  

   
  

  and meant to live by Liberty's decree.
  

   
  

Ancestors:

• It might be that your blood doesn't flow through my veins,
  

  but your ideas flow through my mind.
  

   
  

  Founders and Framers,
  

   
  

  each day may I think of them,
  

   
  

  and each day work to bring them into being.
  

   
  

• On an incomprehensibly vast ocean
  

  To an unknowably deep land;
  

   
  

  Trusting to wood and rope and cloth,
  

   
  

  and fickle winds,
  

   
  

  you came from a need to live as you thought right.
  

   
  

  Though I do not like all you did,
  

   
  

  and though you would not like all
  I
  do,
  

   
  

  still like calls to like.
  

   
  

  The fire in my heart is yours.
  

   
  

  Against obstacles, you prevailed,
  

   
  

  afraid below decks while storms shook the boat, you carried on.
  

   
  

  If I, like you, set my self only to the right,
  

   
  

  without the storms destroying my resolve,
  

   
  

  I will consider myself truly your descendant.
  

   
  

  As like calls to like, as fire to fire,
  

   
  

  be with me and give me courage as needed.
  

   
  

Democracy:

• It's not your hands I'm voting with, Demokratia,
  

  so don't let anyone try to tell you that.
  

   
  

  I mean, really, what would be the point?
  

   
  

  If my vote isn't independently given it's not under your blessing.
  

   
  

  It's only when I don't ask you how to vote that I can really honor you.
  

   
  

  Freedom is your worship.
  

   
  

Genius of the People:

• In times past, people prayed to the deities who ruled governments to bless their society, to ensure good government. They prayed to the god who guided the rule, or the genius of the ruler, or to the ruler himself.
  

  We don't do that. We have no ruler toward whom we might pray, or to whose genius we might pray, or to whose guiding deity we might pray. Or we
  do
  have a ruler, but not one; we have many. For our ruler is the People. So if we are to pray for our ruler we must pray to the genius of the polity itself, not to give power, but authority; not to ease the application of force, but its right use; to gain liberty and justice for each person, and for the People.
  

   
  

  Make us a moral nation, Genius; that is, one in which each citizen is continually trying to both know and practice Virtue. Instill in us and encourage in us a love for the Good. This is the only way to pray for our ruler; be pleased by our knowing that.
  

   
  

Liberty:

• Liberty
  

  Mother of Exiles
  

   
  

  Hear your children as we call to you!
  

   
  

  You have watched over our nation,
  

   
  

  keeping it free,
  

   
  

  keeping it independent,
  

   
  

  for [number of years] years you have done this,
  

   
  

  faithfully and carefully,
  

   
  

  with love for your children.
  

   
  

  Liberty
  

   
  

  Mother of Exiles
  

   
  

  Hear your children as we call to you!
  

   
  

  Be with us now as you have been with us from our beginning.
  

   
  

• Many and great are the gifts Liberty brings.
  

  Many and great are the forms in which she comes to us.
  

   
  

  We praise her in all of them.
  

   
  

  Liberty of the Harbor,
  

   
  

  may your flame shine to light the whole world.
  

   
  

  Armed Freedom,
  

   
  

  may you watch over our government.
  

   
  

  Walking Liberty,
  

   
  

  may it be the rising sun of prosperity from which you stride.
  

   
  

  Libertas!
  

   
  

  Liberté!
  

   
  

  Liberty!
  

   
  

  We remember you in all of your forms
  

   
  

  and worship you in all of the ways you show yourself to us.
  

   
  

• Here today, I would like to invoke the sacred name of Liberty.
  

  It was for Liberty that our ancestors fought.
  

   
  

  It was with her inspiration that they created our Constitution.
  

   
  

  It was with her guidance that they formed a nation.
  

   
  

  It was for her continuing inspiration that I pray today.
  

   
  

  The Founders had a vision:
  

   
  

  a land fit for Liberty to dwell in.
  

   
  

  Under her guidance we will make that dream real.
  

   
  

• Liberty:
  

  Our Representatives and Senators,
  

   
  

  Our President,
  

   
  

  Our Supreme Court,
  

   
  

  only hold their offices to make you known.
  

   
  

  Make this known to
  them
  ,
  

   
  

  so that knowing you they will be inspired to your service.
  

   
  

• Whether with bound-back or loose hair,
  

  the cap of your pole bites deeper than an iron spear tip on any others.
  

   
  

  Whether through images or ideas, words or deeds,
  

   
  

  may you triumph throughout the world!
  

   
  

  Praised in the past by few,
  

   
  

  Praised today by many,
  

   
  

  May you, Liberty, be praised in the future by all throughout the world,
  

   
  

  by all nations and cultures,
  

   
  

  your torch a light to all!