The Transformative Power of Prayer

Praying Through the Night has been the signature event of The National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS at Metropolitan Interdenominational Church for almost two decades. Every year in the Nashville-Davidson county (Tennessee) area, 12 congregations from across the faith community share in an all-night prayer vigil focused on HIV/AIDS. Characteristic of the brilliant vision God gave to National Week of Prayer founder, Pernessa Seele, during Praying Through the Night, we set doctrinal, theological and faith differences aside to pray for the elimination of the scourge of HIV/AIDS that has affected our people.

Praying Through the Night reminds me of pastoral moments I have observed in critical-care waiting rooms when patients’ loved ones, who have little or nothing else in common, will engage each other in prayer. As our inter-faith community gathers at 7:00 on a Saturday night and prays until 7:00 Sunday morning, each hour brings people together--irrespective of race, gender, culture, nationality, sexual orientation, class, political party, religious affiliation or anything else that might create division. Perhaps in the midst of this crisis, our Creator has given a point of focus with the potential to unite us as one people.

Metaphorically, I have come to think of praying through the night as symbolic of the way in which HIV/AIDS sometimes overshadows our existence. This long night of HIV/AIDS we have been living through has translated into a season of death, sickness and fear comparable to some of the worst times in human history. This season has brought to the surface many signs of human weakness. Latent attitudes of fear driven by stigma, homophobia and silence around sexuality serve as a veil that keeps out the light of truth. For almost 31 years, this disease that never sleeps has paraded around the world causing a nightmare for millions. Yet, when we pray--grounded in the unconditional love that we are called to share with all human kind--we know that the God to whom we address our prayers is able to dispel the doom and gloom that shut out the light.

The National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS is an undeniable part of our global strategy to eradicate the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS. For generations, people of faith have held on to the belief that “prayer changes things.” Therefore, as we consider all of the strategies at our disposal in response to this disease--whether education, prevention, outreach, harm reduction, psycho-social case management, treatment or vaccine research--prayer is an essential ingredient. Indeed, prayer has been a critical part of all the battles we have fought and won for centuries, and when we pray through the night, we are assured that a new day is coming and healing is within our reach.

Rev. Edwin C. Sanders II,
Senior Servant and Founder
Metropolitan Interdenominational Church