The Christian may have gotten there first. He bent to his knees in the public square, hands held to the heavens, praying for the land.
When along came this guy who believed in Apollos, Zeus, and Athena, and all the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece. "Pardon, brother, but what are you doing there, kneeling next to that park bench?" he said.
The Christian looked up. "I pray to my God. I pray for this nation," he replied.
"Well, those certainly are good things to pray for," said the believer in Greek gods and goddesses. "Now, I don't have the same god as you -- I actually believe in a bunch of them -- but would you mind if I called on my gods to help?
The Christian was a little startled -- at first. Then, he sighed. "You know, if you want to pray to your gods for helping this nation, I think that good of you. Of course you can join me."
Soon enough an atheist might came along. Seeing them on their knees, he quickly sized up what was going on. And laughed.
Then, his swallowed his laugh, so to speak, and covered his mouth with hand.
"I am sorry," he said. "I saw you both praying here, and thought how silly of you, to pray to your imaginary gods, as if they can do anything. But, you know, as I think about it, I think it admirable, that you would appeal to your gods to heal this land.
He sighed as he look at them. Then smiled. "I tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to join you, if you'll let me. I don't know whether we would call it a prayer. But, I'm going to utter my hope that all the forces of nature and all the powers of science and the powers of all that are real -- I'm going to utter my hope that they will heal this nation.
"Can I join you? he asked, as he kneeled next to them.
And, so it is. Nations need not let their beliefs divide them. They yet can have common goals. They yet can speak with one voice for their nation. They yet can be one.
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