SABBATH PRAYER FOR A GREAT MUSLIM

Welcome back.  Today, I would like to offer a Sabbath prayer in remembrance of one whose name means "worthy of all praise most high."

Muhammad Ali's funeral was held today. I was sad to hear of his death.  I followed his career with great interest because my mother told me when I was very young that he was the best boxer in the world.  

I do not recall when she said it.  Was it before or after the first Liston fight?  

Time Magazine's commemorative issue arrived in my mailbox today.  A young Ali is on the cover.  In its pages you will find an excellent article about the man written by Robert Lipsyte.  I read it in one sitting and enjoyed it thoroughly.  There are many anecdotes and many surprises that no medium can express except excellent writing.

Ali was a great fighter in all the ways we can say a man fought greatly. As we recognize and remember his greatness as a man, we must never forget that he was a great sinner.  He could be unfair, mean, and promiscuous with the amount of transgression one might expect of any man of true faith.

Despite his transgressions, Ali waged jihad in life for truth and justice. He loved with a heart that revealed much of the grace we Christians know in Christ.  His journey revealed Allah to be a God of love.  That love manifested itself in the life of Muhammad Ali despite his humanity and maybe because of his humanity.

I will miss you, Champ.  You are one of those blessed ones who make the world a little more interesting as long as you are alive.

I offer this Sabbath prayer to honor my Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters. Truly, I offer it to all the world.

May the LORD know you and reveal you to yourself.  
May the LORD bless you and grace you with God's love all your days.  

May ALLAH bless Ali.
May ALLAH keep him in death as providentially as ALLAH kept him in life.  
May ALLAH bless his family and console their grief.

May ALLAH bless and keep you in love everlasting.
May ALLAH bless and keep you in grace ever abounding.
May ALLAH bless and keep you in providence ever nurturing.

On this day of rest, make us more kind and just, O LORD.
Turn our lights to your flame, O LORD, so we may carry it into all darkness and never despair.

AMEN

Blessings...

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