Although the celebration of Christmas in the United States is accompanied by related images of snow-covered lands, Santa Claus, holiday decorations, food, and festive gatherings, many Christians also considered Christmas a time of religious observation and prayer.

There are many, many Christmas prayers written in books and on the Internet.  Some of them can be found on this Web site in the prayer directory, and at sites like this one: http://www.christmas-day.org/christmas-prayers.html.

What are your favorite Christmas prayers and on what occasions during the Christmas season do you recite them? Who or what do you pray for?

On the first day of Muharram, some Muslims mark the first day of the Islamic year while others begin observing the Commemoration of Muharram.  This marks the 10 days between the anniversaries of the battle of Karbala (currently in Iraq) and the death of Husayn ibn Ali and the defeat of his army in the year 680 CE.

Muharram is commemorated in many ways in different Islamic sects and cultures.  It is common, however, for Muslims to fast during the hours of daylight on the 10th day of the month, known as the day of Ashura, and also on the ninth or 11th day.  Mosques may provide free meals (nazar) on these dates. 

Muharram does not generally affect public life in the United States.  However, Muslim stores, businesses, and other organizations may have altered opening hours and there may be some congestion around mosques, particularly in the evening and at night.

What is your religious practice is observation of Muharram?

What are your thoughts on prayer and healing?  Does prayer influence one’s spiritual, emotional, and physical health?  What about praying for the nation, or praying on behalf of someone or something else?

Dr. Wendy Cadge, profiled in PRAYER IN AMERICA, contributed an essay titled, Prayer, Health, and Healing, in which she discusses the effects of intercessory prayer on healing the sick.  Anecdotally, people of faith believe that prayer can bring about healing.  But, recent research on the topic contradicts these claims.  What are your thoughts?

Fasting during Ramadam is one of the five pillars of Islam, the belief that requires that Muslims perform five central duties in order to strengthen their faith.  While Islam has two major sects, the Sunnis and the Shiites, all Muslims aim to realize these five pillars in their lifetime. 

Ramadan concludes with a three-day festival known as Eid, which  means “to break the fast.” 

Learn more about Holy Days on the PRAYER IN AMERICA Interfaith Calendar. 

economic achievements of American workers.  It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have

made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the

plans of the Central Labor Union.  The Central Labor Union held it second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on

September 5, 1883. 
                                                                                                                                                                                     

In 1884, the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union

urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a “workingmen’s holiday” on

that date.  The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many

industrial centers of the country.                                                                                                                                               

The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday —

a street parade to exhibit to the public “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” of the

community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families.  This became the

patters for the celebrations of Labor Day.  Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later as more

emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday.  Still later, by a resolution of the American

Federation of Labor Convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to

the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.

Although Labor Day is a secular day, a number of organizations and houses of worship express good wishes for the day

with prayers:

Prayer of Blessing the Work of Our Hands 

Blessed be the works of your hands,

O Holy One.

Blessed be these hands that have touched life.

Blessed be these hands that have nurtured creativity.

Blessed be these hands that have held pain.

Blessed be these hands that have embraced with passion.

Blessed be these hands that have tended gardens.

Blessed be these hands that have closed in anger.

Blessed be these hands that have planted new seeds.

Blessed be these hands that have harvested ripe fields.

Blessed be these hands that have cleaned, washed, mopped, scrubbed.

Blessed be these hands that have become knotty with age.

Blessed be these hands that are wrinkled and scarred from doing justice.

Blessed be these hands that have reached out and been received.

Blessed be these hands that hold the promise of the future.

Blessed be the works of your hands.

O Holy One.

What does Labor Day mean to you? Do you pray for the occasion even on secular holidays?

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.  The first state to officially recognize Memorial Day as a holiday was New York in 1873.  By 1890, all of the northern states were celebrating Memorial Day.  The South refused to acknowledge the holiday, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the Memorial Day holiday officially changed from just honoring soliders who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring American soldiers who died fighting in any war).  It is now celebrated in almost every state on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional day for honoring Confederate soldiers who have died:  January 19 in Texas; April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis’ birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years.  Many Americans have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day.  Most people no longer celebrate the holiday by remembering proper flag etiquette or reflecting on the cost of the freedom we hold sacred.  While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades.  Some people think that the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the National Moment of Remembrance resolution was passed in December 2000 which asks that at 3:00 pm local time, all American “voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to Taps.  Taps is an official bugle call used by soliders during a military funeral.

To find prayers to use during your Memorial Day observance, browse the prayer directory.  Have a favorite Memorial Day prayer?  Submit it here!

As a young, black, and decidedly liberal theologian, James H. Cone saw his faith imperiled.  “Christianity was seen as the white man’s religion,” he said.  “I wanted to say: ‘No!  The Christian Gospel is not the white man’s religion.  It is a religion of liberation, a religion that says God created all people to be free.’  But I realized that for black people to be free, they must first love their blackness.”

Dr. Cone, a founding father of black liberation theology, allowed himself a chuckle.  “You might say we took our Christianity from Martin and our emphasis on blackness from Malcolm,” he said.

Many black Americans have long embraced this type of religious tradition, with its emphasis on advocacy, political action, and protest against racism.  There are other religious traditions that also incorporate cultural and ethnic aspects from their congregants, including Mormons, the contemporary Latino Christian churches, the Greek Orthodox church, and Judaism.

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, former senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, and Senator Barack Obama’s former minister, has certainly been in the news lately.  Rev. Wright is one of the foremost adherents of black liberation theology.  Snippets of some of his sermons criticizing American foreign and domestic policies have made the media rounds and have been soundly denouned by Senator Obama.

Rev. Wright, however, has his supporters.  He also defended himself, saying that his remarks were “descriptive, not divisive.”  Do you agree with his contention?  If you attended a house of worship and the senior clergy preached or made comments with which you disagreed, would you leave or speak out?  Or, are clergy not necessarily representing the congregation’s spiritual beliefs and actions at all times?  What would be your reaction?

In an article called Articles of Faith in the Atlanta Journal-Consitution, we learn of Bobby Coleman.  Mr. Coleman battles workplace problems with words — and faith.  The businessman keeps a plaque in his truck that reminds him he’s never alone.

“Lord help me remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that you and I together can’t handle,” reads the plaque.

Even though she doesn’t have a traditional work space, flight attendant Deborah Herring keeps a spiritual icon close to her while she’s working.  On her wrist she wears a silver charm bracelet adorned with nine fruit charms.  “On the back of each fruit charm is engraved one of the Fruits of the Spirit — Galatians 5:22,”  she says.  For instance, one represents self-control.  Herring says she needs that when passengers repeatedly ask her which snacks are available, even though she announced it several times. The charm that reminds her to be patient helps her deal with unexpected flight delays.

Os Hillman, author of The 9 to 5 Window:  How Faith Can Transform the Workplace, has been studying religion’s place in the corporate world for more than a decade.  “I think people like to reflect their values where they spend 60 to 70 percent of their time,” Hillman says.  He explains that, for Christians, this might mean keeping a Scripture verse on the wall that reminds them why they’re there.

Do you rely on prayer or other spiritual expressions in the workplace?

Throughout the United States, the Easter holiday has been partially securalized, so that some families participate only in the attendant revelry, which can include decorating Easter eggs and participating in Easter egg hunts.  In America, eggs and other treats are delivered by the Easter Bunny in an Easter basket.  Many families may attend worship services on Easter morning, then participate in a feast or party in the afternoon.

While much of the legend surrounding the Easter Bunny comes from modern-day stories like Peter Cottontail, the use of a hare or rabbit goes back to Celtic paganism.  The hare, or rabbit, was a symbol of new life to pagans, so it was adopted by early Christians to represent the new life in Christ.  The use of the bunny as a symbol of Easter occurred in German writings as early as the 1500’s.

The egg has a long history of being part of creation theories and celebrations.  The Easter egg is not a Christian tradition, but it is believed to have come from Druidic celebrations of Spring.  Dyed eggs were also used by Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans during spring festivals.  Christians adopted the eggs and used them to represent rebirth and resurrection.

Do any other traditions or practices accompany your Easter celebration?

This blog adapted, in part, from http://holidays.net/easter.

Lord, You have arisen forever

In my heart!

May the sunrise

Remind me to shine in Your light

May the caress of a gentle breeze

Remind me of Your compassion

May the fragrance of a flower

Remind me to blossom in Your love

May the singing of birds

Bring a song of joy to my lips

And in the closing of each day

May I remember to quietly pray

Wherever I am, whatever I do

May my thoughts in joy return to You!

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art17996.asp

The Christian festival of Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The spring festival has its roots in the Jewish Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ deliverance from bondage in Egypt, and in the Christian reinterpretation of its meaning after the crucifixion of Jesus and the proclamation of his resurrection three days later.

Early Christians observed Easter on the same day as Passover (14-15 Nisan, a date governed by the lunar calendar).  In the 2nd Century, the Christian celebration was transferred to the Sunday following the 14-15 Nisan, if that day fell on a weekday.  Originally, the Christian Easter was a unitive celebration, but in the 4th Century, Good Friday became a separate commemoration of the death of Christ, and Easter was thereafter devoted exclusively to the Resurrection.

Easter Day is currently determined as the first Sunday after the full moon on or after March 21.  Eastern Orthodox churches, however, follow the Julian rather than the Gregorian calendar, so their celebration usually falls several weeks later than the Western Easter.  Easter is preceded by the period of preparation called Lent.

Many American Christians observe the Easter Season, which includes Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Good Friday, with a period of prayer, fasting, and meditation.  If you celebrate Easter, what rituals and prayers are included in your observance?  Visit the prayer directory for examples of prayers to use in your commemoration.