Not long ago, my family attended an arts festival at Stone Mountain. The place was packed, and we had to park far away from the actual festival site.

We were making the long trek back to our car when I noticed people in front of us. When they got to our car, they stopped and pointed. Then a young woman took her drink and angrily flung it against the back of my station wagon.

(ENLARGE)

The Rev. Patricia Templeton is rector of St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in northwest Atlanta.

At first, my husband and I could not figure out what was going on. But then it dawned on me — the woman was offended by my bumper sticker.

Here is the message that prompted such an angry outburst: "God bless the people of every nation." Apparently, the idea of God blessing other countries offended this woman.

"God bless America" is a phrase that we have heard a lot in the last seven years. One of the most poignant memories I have of that awful day of Sept. 11, 2001, is of the members of Congress standing together, singing that familiar hymn.

But in the years since that day, the mood has changed in this country. "God bless America" has become almost a mantra. We hear it everywhere — from politicians, on bumper stickers, from TV commentators.

And it seems to me that too often "God bless America" has become less a prayer and more a battle cry. Less a call for God's protection and guidance, and more an arrogant shout of superiority, a demand that God bless this country above all others.

As we celebrate the founding of our nation, it seems an appropriate time to ask what it means to call on God to bless America.

Recently I reread Mark Twain's essay "The War Prayer," written in the early 1900s in response to the Philippine-American War. The piece is set at a church service held to send the town's young men off to war.

The minister prays that God "would watch over our noble young soldiers and aid, comfort and encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them, shield them ... help them to crush the foe, grant to them and to their flag and country imperishable honor and glory."

When the minister finishes, a stranger who identifies himself only as a messenger from God stands and speaks. He tells the congregation that their prayers ask for more than they are aware of; that there is an unspoken side to most spoken prayers.

"If you would beseech a blessing upon yourselves, beware!" he warns, "lest without intent you invoke a curse upon a neighbor at the same time."

And then the stranger tells the congregation of the unspoken ramifications of their prayers that morning — the violent deaths of soldiers from another land, the cries of the wounded, the devastation of homes and crops, the anguish of new widows and orphans. All of this is implicit in their prayers.

"The War Prayer" ends with this sentence: "It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said."

Twain's daughter urged her father never to publish "The War Prayer" because it would be seen as an affront to both Christians and patriots. Indeed, it was not published until 13 years after Twain's death.

At the risk of causing offense, I believe there is great sense in what Twain's stranger said; that his warning is one we should all heed on this holiday on which God will be called on countless times to bless our country in a time of war.

I am not suggesting it is wrong to ask God's blessing on our nation, or to pray that God protect those we love who are in battle. Of course we pray for them. But how do we ask God's blessing in a way that does not tacitly invoke God's curse on others?

Perhaps we should remember the biblical understanding of blessing. All through Scripture, God is very clear: With blessing comes responsibility. God's blessing is never intended to be only for personal or national prosperity and gain. God's blessings are intended to be used to bless others.

And God makes it clear that, ultimately, nations will be judged not by how strong their militaries are, not by how rich and powerful their most prosperous citizens are, but by how the poor, the marginalized, the aliens and enemies are treated.

We live in a country that God has deeply blessed. And when we are at our best, we have used those blessings to reach out to others in love and charity.

In the same way, God's blessing of others nations does not take away from our own blessing, but enhances it. The spread of justice and peace and prosperity anywhere is good news for people everywhere.

So on this day I pray that God will bless America. And I pray that God will bless Canada and Mexico and the nations of South American and Africa and Asia and Europe.

I pray that God will bless North Korea and Afghanistan, and Iraq and Iran.

May God bless all the nations of the world.