Praying for Change: Daily Prayers for Anti-Racism (January-March 2023)

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JANUARY 2, 2022

Lord, you do not show partiality, and love all your children so much that you sent the Redeemer into our world to forgive sins and grant us the blessing of eternal life. Yet, human courts issuing unjust laws continue to fail us and sustain injustice. So, we appeal to you, the Chief Justice of the high courts of heaven, to rule from heaven so that earth must respond to the social and racial justice that freedom and equality now demand. Thank you, God, for answering the fervent prayers of our ancestors, and our prayers, by responding to the marching feet of multi-generational and multi-racial protesters demanding a re-constituted America where “we the people” includes your children of every hue and background. In your powerful and precious name, we pray, Lord God. AMEN.

Excerpted from “A Prayer for Social and Racial Justice” (July 5, 2020) by Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, NCNW National Chaplain and President of Skinner Leadership Institute, https://www.barbarawilliams-skinner.com/post/a-prayer-for-social-and-racial-justice.

JANUARY 3, 2022

O Lord our God, in your mercy and kindness, no thought of ours is left unnoticed, no desire or concern ignored. You have proven that blessings abound when we fall on our knees in prayer, and so we turn to you in our hour of need.

Surrounded by violence and cries for justice, we hear your voice telling us what is required, “Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mi 6:8). Fill us with your mercy so that we, in turn, may be merciful to others.

Strip away pride, suspicion, and racism so that we may seek peace and justice in our communities. Strengthen our hearts so that they beat only to the rhythm of your holy will. Flood our path with your light as we walk humbly toward a future filled with encounter and unity.

Be with us, O Lord, in our efforts, for only by the prompting of your grace can we progress toward virtue. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

From Prayers for Racial Justice and Reconciliation, cited in “Racial Justice,” St. John the Evangelist, Roman Catholic Church, Columbia, MD, https://sjcolumbia.org/parish-ministries/racial-justice.

JANUARY 4, 2022

We pray, O Lord, for change.

Jesus, you revealed God through your wise words and loving deeds and we encounter you still today in the faces of those whom society has pushed to the margins.

Guide us, through the love you revealed, to establish the justice you proclaimed, that all peoples might dwell in harmony and peace, united by that one love that binds us to each other, and to you.

And most of all, Lord, change our routine worship and work into genuine encounter with you and our better selves so that our lives will be changed for the good of all. Amen

Prayer adapted from Racial Healing and Liturgical Resources, The Catholic Community of Ascension and St. Augustine, Elkridge, Maryland, https://ccasta.org/racial-justice-faith.

JANUARY 5, 2022

Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“A Prayer for the Oppressed” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 826) cited in “Our Commitment to Racial Justice, The Falls Church, An Episcopal Congregation, Falls Church, VA, https://www.thefallschurch.org/copy-of-the-community.

JANUARY 6, 2022

Like the magi from far away places, God who is revealed in surprising ways, we come to worship and to adore the one who calls us to new life. This day of Epiphany, may we truly learn to see you made manifest before us. May we see you in the faces of those familiar and those unfamiliar to us as we are shocked by our common humanity. May we see you in the lives of those like us and those unlike us as we are surprised by Emmanuel. May we see you in places we know well and in places where we feel like strangers in a strange land. May we see you in lines crossed and in barriers removed and in justice awarded. May we see you in hands that have seen hard labor and in eyes that have seen sorrow, in backs bearing scars of oppression and abuse, in tears of suffering and the frustration of poverty and neglect. May we see you in the needs of those around us, even as we see you in the mirrors we face before us. Because when we see you, God with us, we will worship, and we will work to build your kin-dom so that all can see what we see this Epiphany day. Let it be so. Amen.

Derek Weber, December 2022

JANUARY 9, 2023

Holy One,

In your image. You have created humankind, in great diversity. We give thanks for the differences—of cultures and ethnicities, of histories and life-stories, of skin colour and language and hearts that love the world.

We watch in horror as Power desecrates Black and Brown bodies; walks on their sacredness, kills and subjugates, in thousands of ways, hidden and overt. We must not stop at watching—held back from right action by our horror or seeming powerlessness.

Grant us hearts that listen and learn; egos that are willing to accept when our own racism is called out.

Grant us courage, to disassemble the systems, the stories, the mythos, that privilege whiteness over all others.

Give us your Holy Spirit’s wind to call out racism in all its forms—inside our hearts, inside the church, and in your world, give us the strength, the wisdom and the will to root out White Fragility, and White Supremacy, so that they would never again do harm, never again take away, never again kill.

Help us to be anti-racist, in all that we say, in all that we do, in all that we are. It is time. It is well past time.

God of all creation, bless us all with what we need, to march on. To live this work of anti-racism. Today. Every day. Always.

In Jesus’ name. May it be.

Anti-Racism Prayer by the Right Rev. Richard Bot posted on The United Church of Canada website, https://united-church.ca/prayers/anti-racism-prayer.

JANUARY 10, 2023

God,

You are the source of human dignity, and it is in your image that we are created.

Pour out on us the spirit of love and compassion.

Enable us to reverence each person, to reach out to anyone in need, to value and appreciate those who differ from us, to share the resources of our nation, to receive the gifts offered to us by people from other cultures.

Grant that we may always promote the justice and acceptance that ensures lasting peace and racial harmony.

Help us to remember that we are one world and one family.

Amen.

Australian Catholic Social Justice Council posted on “Racism Prayers,” Social Justice Resource Center, https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/racism.

JANUARY 11, 2023

“I’m just a soul whose intentions are good,
O Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.”

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell, Sol Marcus, sung by Nina Simone.

Lord of transformation and new beginnings, a week and a half into a new year and our resolutions may be falling by the wayside. Not just the ones for better health or better work/life balance. But the real resolutions, the ones that change the world, the ones that speak of your kin-dom, the ones that lean into justice, and the ones that make for peace.

Some of us prayed the covenant prayer as we began this new year, where we said, “I am no longer my own, but thine.” Where we claimed to want to work with your Spirit and build the blessed community with our words and deeds and hopes and dreams. Our intentions are good. Let those around us not be confused by how we choose to live our lives each day. Let those around us see in us the things that make for peace. May our living not cause others to stumble; may we not be misunderstood. In Christ’s name

Derek Weber, January 2023

JANUARY 12, 2023

God of all creation, we give you thanks and praise because you are God. We give you thanks for this day and for the blessings in it.

As we lift our hearts to you, we know that you are already aware of all of the ways our world can feel unjust. We hope for a world where everyone is welcome. We hope for a world where justice flows.

As we seek to love our neighbors, help us to do so with empathy. Help us to consider what another person is feeling before we rush to judge. Give us humility, God, to see the world through the eyes of another. Give us wisdom and words, and even silence.

God, we lift up our leaders. We lift up those who govern our country and our state, that they will make wise choices for the well-being of all citizens. We pray for people all around the world who need to know of your love; God, give them people who can show your love to them.

As we gather together this day, we just ask that you bring peace to our hearts. We ask that your peace and hope grow in our world.

Amen

Prayer by Alyssum Power, MDiv student at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas.

JANUARY 13, 2023

Love Incarnate, Fountain of Righteousness and Justice, open our eyes to the suffering and despair of the Palestinian people facing oppression, discrimination and forceful uprooting from their native land. Lord, in mercy….

Hear our prayer.

God of power and might, give us the courage and will to change systems and mentalities that perpetuate apartheid and injustice, for the sake of your Son our Lord. Lord, in mercy….

Hear our prayer.

God of peace, give us a lasting spirit of solidarity with brothers and sisters seeking refuge and safer lives in our nations. Enable us to reverence each of them, to reach out to their needs, and to value and appreciate their human dignity. Lord, in mercy….

Hear our prayer.

Grant us, O Lord, that we may promote the justice and fair treatment of migrant workers in the Middle East and all over the world. Open our eyes to their unique contributions and gifts and help us remember that we are all passing visitors on this earth. Lord, in mercy….

Hear our prayer.

Lord, empower us Church leaders as they minister your Word with boldness, leading your faithful to the richness of your Love. May the Church turn to your Word and let it speak to the issues of justice, anti-racism, anti-discrimination and common humanity for which we all cry out. Lord, in mercy….

Hear our prayer.

“Middle East Regional Prayer, UN International Day Against Racism” (March 21, 2022), World Council of Churches, https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayers/middle-east-regional-prayer-un-international-day-against-racism-march-21-2022.

JANUARY 16, 2023

God of the word of comfort and the word of challenge,

Today is the day we honor a pastor and prophet, a tireless campaigner for civil rights and the conscience of the nation, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We give you thanks that you raised up such a witness for the beloved community and gave him words and deeds that still stir many and fill us with hope, even as our eyes are opened to the truth of lingering injustice. Help us honor his memory, not by simply paying lip service or by quoting lines often taken out of context; but let us listen more deeply to the plea he and those who stood with him and the Christ who anointed him that we may work for justice in small ways and in large, in daily human relationships and encounters and in systemic changes that lift up those who have been pushed down and recenter those who have been pushed to the margins.

May we give honor to Dr. King by acknowledging there is still much work to be done and then set about doing it, inside our own hearts and communities as well as in a wider world. Let justice roll down. Amen.

Derek Weber, January 2023

JANUARY 17, 2023

Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ, who took human form and broke down the walls that divide;

We seek your forgiveness for not living out the truth that all are one in Christ, for the sin of racism. We pray for all those affected by the marginalisation of prejudice and the violence of racist words and actions. We pray that we might uproot its cancerous and systemic hold on our own institutions. We pray that we might recognise in reverence your divine image and likeness in our neighbour, and find joy in the resemblance.

We pray in your name and seeking your glory. Amen.

A prayer written by Archbishop Justin Welby and Dr Sanjee Perera, Archbishops' Adviser on Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns, for Racial Justice Sunday (2-13-2021), https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements/prayer-racial-justice-sunday.

JANUARY 18, 2023

Compassionate and Gracious Creator Spirit, you breathe life into all of creation.

In you, we live and have our breath.

Breathe into us, as we breathe together in the stillness of our hearts.

Breathe with us, as members of a shared family and community, created in your loving image.

By your breath, re-create us as one family and community, rich in diversity, rooted in love, filled with respect for one another.

By your breath, fill our conversations with thoughts of peace and inspire our actions with deeds of justice.

Breath of life, hold us in your heart, where we can all breathe together as one.

Breath of love, heal us all – black, white, brown; women and men; young and old, whom you have quickened into life by your loving breath.

Breath of hope, empower us to re-create our world with your light, love, and life.

Compassionate and Gracious Creator Spirit, breathe in us, now and for life.

Amen.

“ A Prayer for Racial Justice,” Adapted from a prayer by Sister Anne Arabome, SSS, associate director of Faber Center for Ignatian Spirituality, https://www.marquette.edu/faith/a-prayer-for-racial-justice.php.

JANUARY 19, 2023

God of mercy and compassion, we bring forth into your presence all the communities that are experiencing segregation, discrimination and oppression based on caste, class, creed, colour and gender both in the church [and] in the society. It is your death on the cross that has put an end to all enmity by breaking down the walls that separate us. We ask you to empower us, O Lord, to tear down the fences of hatred and indifference. Liberate us from the bonds of pride and self-seeking. Enable and strengthen us to overcome our prejudices and fears. Grant us your courage to open ourselves to others, so that we may continue to live in solidarity with the oppressed communities. Amen.

A Prayer of Solidarity, National Council of Churches in India, Dalit Liberation Sunday 2009, https://ctbi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/RJS-2010-Prayer-suggestions.pdf, page 2.

JANUARY 20, 2023

O God,

We confess that the sin of racial hatred and prejudice distorts your divine plan for our human lives: You created us in divine likeness, diverse and beautiful: In every person, every race is your image.

But too often we fail to recognize your image in all: Forgive us.

You created us in divine freedom, to be free: In every decision, every choice is your possibility of justice.

But too often we fail to choose to advocate for your justice for all: Forgive us.

You created us for divine abundance, to tend and share: In every garden, every social structure is your seed of community.

But too often we fail to create that community which includes all and gives to all equal access to your abundant life: Forgive us.

Forgive us:
Open our eyes to distinguish good from evil
Open our hearts to desire good over evil
Strengthen our wills to choose good over evil,
So that we may create among us your beloved community.

Words of Assurance

Hear the good news: God’s gift of grace in Jesus Christ forgives us and sets us free to live full human lives in community. We may go forth confident of the grace to see with new eyes beyond racial prejudice; to imagine with renewed fervor justice and mercy for all, and to create with a new will a community where all are given access to God’s abundant life.

Thanks be to God!

Prayer of Confession: Racial Justice Sunday, United Church of Christ, https://www.ucc.org/worship-way/worship_worship-ways_year-c_le_lent-prayer-of-confession.

JANUARY 23, 2023

For your household with its blessed diversity of races and ethnicities,
We give thanks, O God.

For your presence with those who suffer the pain of oppression because of racism,
We pray, O God.

For the courage and commitment of those who challenge injustice,
We give thanks, O God.

For your forgiveness for our denial and apathy when we have cooperated with powers of dominance and discrimination,
We pray, O God.

For ears to hear stereotyping in church and community, and the courage to name it,
We pray, O God.

For eyes to see exclusion in our lives and churches and for resolve to confront it,
We pray, O God.

For minds to address what the conscience knows,
We pray, O God.

For hearts freed of cynicism and despair and renewed with hope,
We pray, O God.

For faith that acts on the certainty of your love for us and on your desire that we honor our differences and live in harmony,
We pray, O God.

We pray in fellowship with those from this time and beyond time who have witnessed to your call to community. We covenant with you and each other to be your instruments of justice and reconciliation in this time and in this place. In the name of Christ, who is loving, just, and forgiving, we offer our prayer. Amen.

Mary S. Webber, Dismantling Racism: The Task of the People of God Leaders Manual (St. Louis: January, 1993); original, “Litany for Racial Justice” adapted by Ronice Branding, with permission. Taken from: Fulfilling the Dream, Ronice Branding, Chalice Press, 1995. Cited in “A Prayer for Justice and Reconciliation,” Seeing the Face of God in Each Other: Antiracism Training Manual of the Episcopal Church (2011), https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/02/antiracism_book-revise3.pdf, page 39.

JANUARY 24, 2023

God of Heaven and Earth, you created the one human family and endowed each person with great dignity. Aid us, we pray, in overcoming the sin of racism.

Grant us your grace in eliminating this blight from our hearts, our communities, our social and civil institutions. Fill our hearts with love for you and our neighbor so that we may work with you in healing our land from racial injustice.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

“Closing Prayer” from A Prayer Service for Racial Healing in Our Land, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, https://www.usccb.org/resources/prayer-service-racial-healing-our-land.

JANUARY 25, 2023

O Holy Spirit of comfort and eternal presence: spread over us, your weary and anxious people, your protective and reassuring wings, that we might be delivered from our fears of one another: that we might experience the exhilarating freedom of welcoming even strangers without defensiveness, hostility, or suspicion, but rather with openness, hospitality, and the expectation of friendship. In the Name of Jesus, who welcomes all. Amen.

“July—For Freedom from Fears,” A Year of Prayers to End Racism, Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia, http://www.wvdiocese.org/pages/pdfs/AYearofPrayertoEndRacism.pdf, page 3.

JANUARY 26, 2023

Almighty God, our hearts cry out to you, joining the voices and hearts of all the marginalized, but especially our sisters and brothers of other races and nationalities. Help us to find ways to make a difference, not just while the crisis manages to capture the evening news, but for the long haul. Through Christ, we pray, amen.

Pastor Tobias, “Undoing Racism: Pray—Act, Repeat (A Pastoral Letter),” Redeemer Lutheran Church, New Paltz, NY, https://redeemernewpaltz.org/blog/undoing-racism-pray-act-repeat-a-pastoral-letter.

JANUARY 27, 2023

Holocaust Remembrance Day

It is safe to say that we are all tired of praying these prayers. Even we who have committed to this work of praying can sometimes grow weary of the daily task of reminding ourselves of this sinfulness that lies at the root of the human heart, that grows out of fear and suspicion, that blinds us to the beauty of the other and fosters a sense of superiority of self. We want to “check this off our lists” and declare it done while we move on to other things. And there are many other things for which we are moved to pray, O Lord of all of Life.

Yet, on this day, we are humbly reminded of the depths of this particular hatred and the shame of a world that turned away, refusing to see the ugly truth. So, on this Holocaust Remembrance Day, let us recommit ourselves to this task of praying for an end to racism and for the beginnings of your kin-dom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Amen and amen.

Derek Weber, January 2023

JANUARY 30, 2023

God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change.

Lord, we know we cannot change what has happened in the past and the devastating impact of racism.

Grant us courage to change the things we can.

In the spirit of reconciliation and with gratitude for the gift of diversity, we seek to engage and empower people of faith to create a community of justice and peace through our common prayers and acts of compassion.

We do, Lord, with your help, have the power to change ourselves and our response to the present situation. Please guide us and give us the courage to do what we must do.

And lastly, Lord,

give us wisdom to know the difference, so that with prophetic courage we may act as advocates for the dignity and well‐being of all persons, recognizing that behind every human face is the face of God.

In Jesus’ name, we pray, AMEN.

Gathering Prayer from Becoming an Anti-racist Church, by Episcopalians United Against Racism, https://www.episdionc.org/uploads/files/Becoming_an_Anti-racist_Church_Curriculum.pdf, page 2.

JANUARY 31, 2023

Heavenly Father, we stand before you in prayer, fixing our eyes on you, seeking your guidance, love, and protection. We ask for your help with eradicating the sin of racism in all its forms, individual and systemic. You have told us in scripture that all of humankind is made in your image, and that we should act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. Prince of Peace, just as the shouts of Joshua’s army helped bring down the walls of Jericho, may we lift up our voices and work to bring down the walls of racism and divisiveness. We earnestly pray for the wisdom to pursue actions that will help dismantle racism wherever it exists. We pray that you will bring the world together so that we may become one loving family under God, living in harmony and peace. We ask this prayer with great humility and in the glorious name of your son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. AMEN.

“A Prayer for Racial Equity and Healing,” The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, Philadelphia, PA, (November 21, 2020), http://www.aecst.org/PDF/dokantiracismprayer.pdf.

FEBRUARY 1, 2023

As we begin another Black History Month in the USA, God of all nations and all peoples, may we be mindful of those who have been overlooked. May we embrace the opportunity to learn and grow in our understanding of a rich and varied history, as well as the continuing contributions made by those who are often mistreated by a nation that wants to erase a troubled history. May we hear new voices this month and appreciate artists and workers, leaders and advocates that we might otherwise overlook. Open our eyes, all of our eyes, to see how your Spirit is weaving a multicolored tapestry of beloved community all around us. We give thanks for those who continue to lift us higher. Amen.

Derek Weber, January 2023

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

God, creator of all living things, unite us as people of faith to stand side by side with our suffering brothers and sisters. You have created us in Your image and likeness as equals. Our greatest sin occurs when we treat people with disrespect or as if they were created inferior because of the color of their skin. Let us reach out to those most hurt by acts of discrimination. Let our prayers plead for forgiveness for any wrong we have committed. As a community, guided by the Holy Spirit, let us work toward educating society and seek to be models of Your love so that a real conversion can occur.

We pray this in Your name. Amen.

Prayer for Equality, by Theresa Konitzer, https://www.disciplespeace.org/playlist/anti-racism.

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

Almighty God, our Creator and constant companion, you know our hearts, you see our struggles. We kneel before You in prayer for racial justice and peace in the world. Only through your grace, can this be envisioned and attained. Open our ears, let us hear your message of love, justice and truth. Open our eyes, let us see one another as you see us, beloved. Fill our hearts, teach us to love our neighbors as you love us, unconditionally.

Grant peace to the grief-stricken, heal the wounds of loss with your Divine consolation. Lift up those wronged by a broken system, channel anger into energy for lasting, constructive change. Restore hope in the face of heartbreak, empower the weary to continue working for racial justice.

Govern our minds, teach us to discern privilege, discrimination and the abuse of power. Lift our voices, give us words to speak up when racism or injustice denies any soul its dignity and human rights. Inspire our youth with your vision, empower them to take up the struggle and lead us on.

With the power of the Holy Spirit, work through us all, so that one day, Justice may roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. In the name of a triune God of great love. Amen.

St. Paul’s prayer for Racial Justice, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Natick, MA, https://www.stpaulsnatick.org/anti-racism-steering-committee.

FEBRUARY 6, 2023

Creator,

You who with a breath fill us with your Spirit, we thank you for the prophetic life and witness of Dr. King who reminds us that “history will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

Silence is betrayal, and we confess that we have allowed fear to silence us for too long. We have allowed fear to let us wait for a “more convenient season” and not name the sins of our nation, our denomination, and especially our own faith tradition. We have been silent as white supremacy and power; Christian nationalism, and jingoistic idolatry have been given the place of honor at the table.

We know that “change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle,” and so we, in our confession, ask also for the strength and the courage to straighten our backs as we work for justice. Give us the boldness to take the risks necessary to become the people you are calling us to be; to be the churches you are calling us to be; and to be the denomination you are calling us to be. Give us the drum major instinct.

This we pray in the name of the crucified, risen, and ascended Christ.

Amen.

“Prayer for Truth and Action from the ABC Anti-Racism Task Force,” American Baptist Churches of New Jersey (January 15, 2021), https://www.abcnj.net/regional-news/2021/1/15/prayer-for-truth-and-action-from-the-abc-anti-racism-task-force.

FEBRUARY 7, 2023

Dear God, in our efforts to dismantle racism, we understand that we struggle not merely against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities – those institutions and systems that keep racism alive by perpetuating the lie that some members of the family are inferior and others superior.

Create in us a new mind and heart that will enable us to see brothers and sisters in the faces of those divided by racial categories.

Give us the grace and strength to rid ourselves of racial stereotypes that oppress some of us while providing entitlements to others.

Help us to create a Church and nation that embraces the hopes and fears of oppressed People of Color where we live, as well as those around the world.

Heal your family God, and make us one with you, in union with our brother Jesus, and empowered by your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

“A Prayer for Dismantling Racism,” Pax Christi Anti-Racism Team, Catholic Health Association of the United States, https://www.chausa.org/prayers/cha-prayer-library/prayer/a-prayer-for-dismantling-racism.

FEBRUARY 8, 2023

“Welcome the World Through My Eyes”

Those words, God who sees, are found on the website that Tyre Nichols created to share his photography with the world. I can’t help but wonder if he meant welcome to the world that he saw through his eyes or that he wanted to welcome the world that he saw. He takes the ordinary and somehow projects the mystical, a vine on some rocks, pop art murals on a building in Memphis, a glowing bridge, and a happy couple of young people. All these images are the world he welcomed through his eyes. Eyes willing to see beauty in the everyday.

We won’t see any more of this world, because Tyre was murdered by the force of five renegade cops and by two emergency personnel who stood by as he was beaten. He was killed by a system of police brutality and violence perpetrated against people of black and brown skin for routine traffic violations; his human response was to flee from attack. We pray for his family and the city of Memphis, but also for all of us who have lost the opportunity to welcome a world through his eyes. Christ, have mercy. Amen.

Derek Weber, January 2023

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

Oh God, my Great Redeemer and Restorer of life, even though my ancestors walked dark roads filled with evil, I ask that you would deliver me and my children from the legacy of lies and wickedness. Sever the ties that bind to the old way full of hate. Flood us with cleansing waters that wash over and erase any remnant. We praise you and will be your love as a sign of your goodness and change.

Rob Muthiah, “The Theological Work of Antiracism Needs to Include Lament,” The Christian Century (January 12, 2021), https://www.christiancentury.org/article/critical-essay/theological-work-antiracism-needs-include-lament.

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Dear Lord,

When all we have left to do is cry out in the midst of the pain, give us hope.

When our tears feel like the only way to quench our thirst, remind us of your providing presence.

When loneliness seems overwhelming,

Make your presence known.

This world seems so full of death and destruction, but you are a God of life and restoration.

Mold us into an unwavering people of grace, passion and love that cannot ever be ignored.

Amen.

Rev. D.G. Hollums, “A Prayer Turning to God in Days of Trouble,” United Methodist Communications, https://www.umc.org/en/content/a-united-methodist-prayer-turning-to-god-in-days-of-trouble.

FEBRUARY 13, 2023

God of justice, in your wisdom, you create all people in your image, without exception. Through your goodness, open our eyes to see the dignity, beauty, and worth of every human being. Open our minds to understand that all your children are brothers and sisters in the same human family. Open our hearts to repent of racist attitudes, behaviors, and speech which demean others. Open our ears to hear the cries of those wounded by racial discrimination, and their passionate appeals for change. Strengthen our resolve to make amends for past injustices and to right the wrongs of history. And fill us with courage that we might seek to heal wounds, build bridges, forgive and be forgiven, and establish peace and equality for all in our communities. Amen.

“A Prayer for Racial Healing,” Catholic Charities, USA, cited on ISAAC—Interfaith Strategy for Advocacy and Action in the Community, https://isaackalamazoo.org/prayer-for-racial-healing.

FEBRUARY 14, 2023

It is Valentine’s Day, God who loved us even unto death, and we are awash in hearts and flowers and chocolate and lace. It is amazing what we are able to market these days. It is hard not to be cynical at the trite expressions and the simplistic understandings of this word we use so easily and so often. But the truth is, we aren’t very good at love.

Living a life of radical loving seems important to you, God of transforming grace. Yet when faced with love that transcends differences, that crosses the comfortable lines we have drawn to give us an illusion of safety, we turn away from love. We retreat to fear, to hate, to suspicion. We would rather, so it seems, live divided and broken than in relationship with those you would have us call brother or sister.

Help us, on this Valentine’s Day, learn to love as Jesus loved. In his name, we pray. Amen.

Derek Weber, January 2023

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19, NIV)

Lord, close my mouth and open my ears, especially when I’m around those who are hurting. Help me to listen, not to reply or defend or discount, but to truly hear and understand. May I be a safe place where my wounded, frightened, and even angry brothers and sisters can share their whole selves, openly and honestly and without filters. And may I listen so intently that I hear not just their words, but also their heart and hurts beneath them.

“Day 3: God Help Me to Listen,” 30-Day Prayer Challenge for Ending Racism, Jennifer Slattery, iBelieve (January 15, 2020), https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/day-anti-racism-prayer-challenge.html.

FEBRUARY 16, 2023

Grant us, Lord God, a vision of your world as your love would have it: a world where the weak are protected, and none go hungry or poor; a world where the riches of creation are shared, and everyone can enjoy them; a world where different races and cultures live in harmony and mutual respect; a world where peace is built with justice, and justice is guided by love. Give us the inspiration and courage to build it, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Bishop Ken Untener of Saginaw, for “In God’s Image: A Racial Justice Journey for All,” https://www.archbalt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/IGI_Prayers.pdf, page 1.

FEBRUARY 17, 2023

Compassionate God, who sent Jesus Christ to deliver us from all manner of injustices and inequalities, create in us new hearts and enlarged visions, to see the image of God in every person irrespective of background, race and ethnicity.

May we be generous in our love of others as we work towards ending misunderstanding, racism, and injustice; creating communities of human flourishing, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

“A Collect for Black History Month,” Liturgical Resources for Black History Month, Church of England, https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/liturgical-resources-black-history-month.

FEBRUARY 20, 2023

Jesus, the heart of our faith, lived and died for love. He showed no partiality. God’s community is diverse and totally integrated. We pray for God’s guidance and mercy as we work to attain racial justice and build the beloved community, walking together the path paved with truth, love, equity, and justice. In the prophetic tradition, we boldly proclaim; “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” (Amos 5:24)

From the Anti-racism statement of Mary Magdalene Church, https://www.marymagdalenechurch.org/ecc-anti-racism-statement.

FEBRUARY 21, 2023

God, Lord of all creation, lover of life and of everything, please help us to love in our very small way what You love infinitely and everywhere. We thank You that we can offer just this one prayer and that will be more than enough, because in reality every thing and every one is connected, and nothing stands alone. To pray for one part is really to pray for the whole, and so we do. Help us each day to stand for love, for healing, for the good, for the diverse unity of the Body of Christ and all creation, because we know this is what You desire: as Jesus prayed, that all may be one. We offer our prayer together with all the holy names of God, we offer our prayer together with Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Prayer for the Community, Center for Action and Contemplation, https://cac.org/daily-meditations/gods-shalom-and-racial-justice-2022-07-13/.

FEBRUARY 22, 2023

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. - Psalm 51:10 NRSV

This is a day of repentance, God of mercy and of justice. And it is a day of remembering our mortality, God of eternity and today. But what if we realized that those aren’t the same thing? What if, this Ash Wednesday, we decided not to repent of our humanness, but to repent of those things that made us less than what you created us to be and to do? Call us to repent of those thoughts and deeds that make us less than human, less than a part of this creation. And invite us to celebrate our oneness with the world in which we live and the whole, multicolored tapestry that is your human community. Let us be marked with a reminder that we are bound up with those we often call “other.” Let us be repentant of that which demeans ourselves and our neighbor and you. In the name of the one who wore our flesh, Amen.

Derek Weber, February 2023

FEBRUARY 23, 2023

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. - John 14:27 NRSV

Heavenly Father, we know that You are the Source of the peace that passes understanding. In these troubled times, give us understanding minds and hearts as we listen to the cries of the oppressed, the wounded, the confused, and even to the voices of those with whom we disagree. Give us the wisdom to respond with Your Truth, offering words and actions that build up instead of tear down.

Across the nation, racism casts a long shadow. We believe that all life is sacred and worthy of our deepest reverence. Give us the courage to stand up for racial justice and reconciliation. As individuals, as a ministry, and as a nation, help us to see when we have missed the mark and empower us to do better.

Root up any violence or malice within our hearts and minds and transform it into love, a love of neighbor and a rightly ordered love of self. Let us work for peace and be peace to one another and the people we serve. Amen.

“A Prayer for Racial Justice,” St. Dominic's Antiracism Team, cited on the website of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, https://www.chausa.org/prayers/cha-prayer-library/prayer/a-prayer-for-racial-justice.

FEBRUARY 24, 2023

Loving Father,

Thank you for the many beautiful colors and languages of the world and for making all your children unique.

Thank you for creating me in your image. Thank you for loving me and making me wonderful. Help me to love like you.

Help me to share your love with all the children you have made, for they are unique and wonderful.

Amen.

Children’s Prayer: We Are All in God’s Image, Copyright © 2018, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. All rights reserved. This resource and many others are available at usccb.org/racism. https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/childrens-prayer-image.pdf.

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Human Family (Book of Common Prayer, p. 815) cited in “Dismantling Racism Resources,” St. Titus’ Episcopal Church, Durham, NC, https://sttitusdurham.org/resources-for-dismantling-racism.

FEBRUARY 28, 2023

Loving God, in Jesus you were bullied, beaten, and killed. You are always on the side of those whose souls or bodies are mistreated. While I cannot be present with my body at the protests right now, I stand with all those who stand up for justice. Uphold them. Keep them safe. Grant us the courage to stand beside all who are harmed by the violence of racism with our bodies and in our prayers. Give us the words to speak out for those whose breath has been taken. Enkindle in our hearts the fire of your love that together we might end the scourge of racism that has infected our nation.

Prayer for those in solidarity with protests, Episcopal Diocese of Washington, cited in “Anti-Racism Resources,” St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Duluth, MN, http://www.stpaulsfaithformation.org/anti-racism-resources.html.

MARCH 1, 2023

A week into the season of Lent, God who draws us closer, and we are reflecting on the state of our souls. We are reflecting on the state of our church. We are reflecting on the state of the world in which we live. And there is much for which we feel led to repent. There is much that is broken, much that is a shadow of what your kin-dom calls forth from us. There is much that divides rather than unites, much that hates rather than loves, much of which we are afraid rather than pulsating with divine possibilities and with joy. It is a season of repentance.

But help us, Lord, remember that repentance is not about feeling sad, or even ashamed, but about change. To repent is to acknowledge that we are on the wrong path and turning around, going in a different direction. Help us find a different direction—a direction that leads to wholeness for every human soul. A direction that leads to justice and unity and peace. A direction that lets us walk together as we seek your will in all things, in every relationship, in every encounter, in every thought and word and deed. Help us, Lord. Amen.

Derek Weber, February 2023

MARCH 2, 2023

Creator God, open our hearts to the love and light in all of our brothers and sisters. Open our minds to empty ourselves of racial stereotypes. Help us to see difference as a treasure. Give us the grace to embrace one another so that one day we will be transformed and no longer strangers but united as one family, the family of God. Provide for us the strength to live in this hope and do this work in Mercy. Amen.

Antiracism Prayer from the Sisters of Mercy website, http://www.mercymidatlantic.org/Anti-RacismPrayer.pdf.

MARCH 3, 2023

Creator,

You who with a breath fills us with your Spirit, we thank you for the prophetic life and witness of Dr. King who reminds us that “history will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

Silence is betrayal and we confess that we have allowed fear to silence us for too long. We have allowed fear to let us wait for a “more convenient season” and not name the sins of our nation, our denomination, and especially our own faith tradition. We have been silent as white supremacy and power; Christian nationalism and jingoistic idolatry have been given the place of honor at the table.

We know that “change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle,” and so we, in our confession, ask also for the strength and the courage to straighten our backs as we work for justice. Give us the boldness to take the risks necessary to become the people you are calling us to be; to be the churches you are calling us to be; and to be the denomination you are calling us to be. Give us the drum major instinct.

This we pray in the name of the crucified, risen, and ascended Christ.

Amen.

Prayer for Truth and Action from the ABC Anti-Racism Task Force, American Baptist Church USA, https://www.abc-usa.org/2021/01/prayer-for-truth-and-action-from-the-abc-anti-racism-task-force.

MARCH 6, 2023

On March 6, 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that African Americans were not and could never be citizens of the United States, thus the infamous Dred Scott decision was made, and the nation moved ever closer to that national divorce we call the Civil War. Lord of today as well as yesterday and a hopeful tomorrow, why should we care about statements made 166 years ago? Surely, we have moved beyond and regret those declarations of the past. Surely, we no longer hold beliefs of citizenship or even personhood of a whole group of people based on the color of their skin. We do not hold that truth to be self-evident any longer. So, let the past be the past and deal with today.

Today, we see anger causing some to shout at people of color, telling them to go back to where they came from. Today, we see those who believe killing others because of their skin color is a risk worth taking to make sure we have the arms we need to feel secure. Today, we hear Black people called a hate group because some express their frustrations with White people who delegitimize them. Christ, have mercy. After 166 years, the Dred Scott decision still resides in the hearts of some. How do we move on, move to beloved community, until we confess the sins of the past and ask for clean hearts as the psalmist invites us to do? Forgive our brokenness. Forgive our deep fears and hatreds. Forgive our inability to see the face of Christ in those who are different. Forgive us for forgetting our past, even while we continue to dwell in it. Give us a new heart, a new hope, a new start. In the savior’s name. Amen.

Derek Weber, February 2023

MARCH 7, 2023

God our Creator, you created humankind in your image, and blessed us with your love. Help us to show that love to one another as we work for equality for all races in education, housing, public services, and employment opportunity. Give us strength and courage to speak out against injustice, and to work for the transformation of unjust systems that keep some in bondage: that we may more fully live out your kingdom here on earth; through Jesus Christ your son, who came to set us free. Amen.

“September, For Racial Equality in Education, Housing, Public Services, and Employment Opportunity,” A Year of Prayers to End Racism, http://www.wvdiocese.org/pages/pdfs/ayearofprayertoendracism.pdf, 3

MARCH 8, 2023

We thank you, O Lord,
For in your loving wisdom
You created one human family
With a diversity
That enriches our communities.

We pray to you, O Lord,
That we always recognize
each member of this human family
As being made in your image and beloved by you,
With worth and dignity.

We pray to you, O Lord,
That we may envision a way forward
To heal the racial divisions
That deny human dignity and
the bonds between all human beings.

We pray to you, O Lord
That we may affirm each person's dignity
Through fair access for all
To economic opportunity, housing,
Education, and employment.

We pray to you, O Lord,
That we may have eyes to see
What is possible when we reach out
Beyond fear, beyond anger,
To hold the hand of our sisters, our brothers.

We thank you, O Lord,
For your call and challenge to us
That we may reveal your teachings and your love
Through our actions to end racism
And to proclaim that we are all your children,
heirs to your sacred creation.

Amen.

Copyright © 2018, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. All rights reserved. https://www.usccb.org/prayers/prayer-heal-racial-division.

MARCH 9, 2023

Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Excepted from Episcopal Litany for Social Justice, https://epfnational.org/resources/litanies/.

MARCH 10, 2023

Creator God, the roots of racism and white supremacy have reached deeply into our hearts and souls, and into the heart and soul of our world. Through our daily practices and commitments, loosen their grip on our capacity to love each other as you love us. Remind us with each heart-expanding breath no one is free until we are all free. With the power of your transforming love, we pray. Amen.

United Church of Christ, https://jointhemovementucc.org/jtm-stories/getting-to-the-root-moving-beyond-performative-antiracism/.

MARCH 13, 2023

God of parted seas and turned tables, you have revealed to us over the centuries just how broken we are.
We hear it in words that deny the humanity of others.
We feel it in the grief of losing relationships to division.
We see it on flags that bear your name, but carry out sin.
Give us justice.
Call us into the work of repairing our world by reckoning with who we have been and are becoming.
Give us peace.
Stir us into compassion, reminding us that we belong not only to you but are responsible for one another as siblings in your beloved family.
Give us imagination, to see what may be.
Give us strength, to admit what has been.
Give us love, to bind us together.
Amen.

Kate Trigger Duffert, 2020–2021 co-chair of the Racial Equity Committee of Presbyterian Women’s churchwide board of directors in the Racial Equity Committee’s “Eight Days of Prayer, 2021, page 6, https://www.presbyterianwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/RECs-Eight-Days-of-Prayer-booklet.pdf.

MARCH 14, 2023

O God, forgive us for being a party to injustice in the lives of these your children, our Black sisters and brothers, and all victims of systemic racism in these United States.

Forgive us for not seeing them as coheirs to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Forgive us for not hearing their cries, “I CAN’T BREATHE” or “HANDS UP, DON’T SHOOT.”

Forgive us for not lifting them up as your children, precious in your sight.

Increase our strength, we pray, O Lord, that we may drink deeply of love’s power and everywhere promote your justice and peace.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Requiem for Black Children of God, created by Bishop Fernand Cheri of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and adapted for broad use, pages 7-8, https://paxchristiusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/REQUIEM-FOR-BLACK-CHILDREN-OF-GOD-edited.pdf.

MARCH 15, 2023

My Lord, He calls me,
He calls me by the thunder;
The trumpet sounds within my soul;
I ain't got long to stay here.

Steal away, steal away,
steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain't got long to stay here.

“Steal Away to Jesus,” African American Spiritual, Public Domain

There is much that causes me to want to steal away to Jesus, the Rock of ages. Like a heavy blanket, may your Spirit be pulled over my head so that I don’t have to see all that is broken in our world or all that is broken within me. We want to bury our heads in the sands of our faith and simply worry about the state of our individual souls.

Yet that was never the call of this song or the invitation of our faith. Instead, you sound a trumpet in our souls inviting us to use the time we have to move toward freedom. Not just for us, not just for me, but for the world. The trumpet calls us to break the bonds of hatred and division. The trumpet calls us to open our eyes to the truth and not hide away in comfortable fictions.

Help us, Lord, hear the trumpet in our souls and steal away to Jesus. In his name. Amen.

Derek Weber, March 2023

MARCH 16, 2023

Lord, whatever our race, ethnicity, background or beliefs, prick our conscience when we are tempted to dismiss, demonize, or discredit someone who is different from us in any way. Give us courage to keep pressing on when systems or problems seem hopeless or insurmountable.

“February 2023 Anti-Racism Prayer Calendar,” Church of the Servant, Christian Reformed Church (January 27, 2023), Saturday, 18, https://www.churchoftheservantcrc.org/february-2023-anti-racism-prayer-calendar/.

MARCH 17, 2023

“Creator of all people, in our amazing diversity of size, shape, color, and giftedness: guide us, by your grace, to recognize the beauty and fitness of all whom you have made in your own image. Give us gifts of humility and generosity of spirit to recognize in all people, the face of our Savior, Jesus, and to practice his commandment to “love one another,” toward the end of bringing harmony and peace among persons of all colors, origins, and abilities, for the sake of your Kingdom.” Amen.

“March—for Racial Harmony, Year of Prayers to End Racism, Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia’s Commission to End Racism, pages 2-3, https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/08/AYearofPrayertoEndRacism.pdf.

MARCH 20, 2023

It is the first day of spring, God of seasons and of rebirth; and it may be bright and sunny, or it may be gloomy and wet. Either way, we can hold on to hope that something new is beginning today. Some growth is happening, some beauty is springing up somewhere. That is always our springtime hope: that regardless of what we see before us, a kin-dom possibility is at hand.

It is not easy, we must admit, to hope for a beloved community in the face of division and hatred. It is not easy, we must admit, to work for equality and justice in the face of the tyranny of wealth and favoritism. It is not easy, we must admit, to live for peace in a world addicted to conflict and violence.

Yet who ever said resurrection is easy? We will follow the path of a disciple and do the difficult thing, Lord of a springtime of new beginnings. Equip us to love well this season. Amen.

Derek Weber, March 2023

MARCH 21, 2023

God, we lament the damage that our silence in the face of racial violence has done, for the sins of racism that run through our lives like so many threads in a cloth. Forgive us for the times we have given in to our discomfort, for the times we have forgotten our own privilege and failed to stand with our black siblings. Help those of us who experience white privilege every day remember that, with our privilege, we are imbued with the responsibility to challenge and hold one another accountable. Give us the courage to educate ourselves, to listen well, and to use our voices when it is most needed.

Clara Weybright, “Lament,” Prayers of Lament: Responding to the Violence of Racism (June 1, 2020), Mennonite Church, USA, https://www.mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/lament-violence-of-racism.

MARCH 22, 2023

The First Day of Ramadan

Teach me, God of all creation, how to be hospitable to those whose journey of faith is different from mine. Teach me respect for those who worship differently than I do. But most importantly, teach me how to represent my faith by caring enough to listen and learn from those who walk a different path, and only then to humbly share my story.

Help us be good citizens of a multicultural, multiethnic, and multifaith community so that we might overcome that which divides and that which tears down. May we rid ourselves of the fear of the other and learn what unites us and not just what makes us different. May I with sincerity wish my Muslim neighbors, “Ramadan Mubarak” – a blessed Ramadan.

Amen.

Derek Weber, March 2023

MARCH 23, 2023

I return to you today, O God. Help me to return to you tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that, and every day hence for this kingdom work of building an antiracist beloved community is a life-long journey, and I need you at the center of it. Amen.

Rev. Erin Gilmore in Awaken: An Antiracist Advent Devotional, Rocky Mountain Conference UCC, page 9, https://www.bvcucc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Awaken_An_Antiracist_Devotional_FINAL.01.pdf.

MARCH 24, 2023

Loving and faithful God, we come to you, Father, to ask that through your Son, Jesus and in communion with the Holy Spirit, you help us in the battle against America’s “original sin” of racism that divides us from being the Body of Christ that we are called to be as your children.

We implore you to give us your wisdom, so that we may build a community founded on the Gospel message of the life and dignity of all people from conception to natural death, and to live in communion like the divine communion of the Holy Trinity.

Bless parents that they may form their children in faith, to love one another regardless of skin color, ethnicity, and national origin, just as Jesus loves us. Bless and protect all of us as we live out our faith in being “instruments of your peace” as St. Francis said. Fill us with a thirst for justice and righteousness.

Hear our prayer and give us the courage, compassion, and perseverance to root out any form of injustice within our communities and to bring the healing love of Christ to all in need.

Amen.

Excerpted from “Our Family Prayer for Justice and Human Dignity,” by Wilton Cardinal Gregory, The Most Reverend Mario E. Dorsonville, The Most Reverend Roy E. Campbell, Jr., The Most Reverend Michael W. Fisher in Made in God’s Image: Pray and Work to End the Sin of Racism, the Archdiocese of Washington, page 2, https://adw.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/20PrayerCard-Anti-Racism-initiative-Final.pdf.

MARCH 27, 2023

Gracious, Holy, and Loving God,

We find ourselves in a time of great sorrow.
Because we are weary, we lament.
Because our hearts are broken, we lament.
Because our spirits are crushed, we lament.
Because our souls want to faint, we lament.

And when we lament, You are near.
When we lament, You are the Breath of life.
When we lament, You are the One that sustains us.

Thank You, Lord, that when we are weak, You are strong.
Thank You, Lord, that You are our help and our rescuer.
Thank You, Lord, that weeping moves us beyond sadness into compassion.
Thank You, Lord, that even in lament, You take delight in us.

Thank you for the gift of lament,
So that we do more than just regret our circumstances,
We also resolve to wait patiently on You to see us through.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Rev. Gigi A. Warren, Ordained Elder in The United Methodist Church, Board Member, GCORR, Atlanta, GA, “Racial Justice Prayers of Lamentation,” https://www.r2hub.org/library/racial-justice-prayers-of-lamentation.

MARCH 28, 2023

Dear God,

In the effort to dismantle racism, I understand that I struggle not merely against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities – those institutions and systems that keep racism alive by perpetuating the lie that some members of our family are inferior and others superior.

Create in me a new mind and heart that will enable me to see brothers and sisters in the faces of those divided by racial categories.

Give me the grace and strength to rid myself of racial stereotypes that oppress some in my family while providing entitlements to others.

Help me to create a nation that embraces the hopes and fears of oppressed people of color where we live, as well as those around the world.

Help me to heal your family, making me one with you and empowered by your Holy Spirit.

Adapted by Debra Mooney, PhD from Pax Christi, “Dismantling Racism in My Family of God,” Prayers for Racial Justice and Reconciliation, Jesuitresource.org, https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-for-racial-justice-and-reconciliation.

MARCH 29, 2023

I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free,
written by Billy Taylor & Dick Dallas, sung by Nina Simone

Open my eyes, Lord, open our eyes. It is far too easy to overlook the other. Too easy to not see the reality of another person, to judge and dismiss, to ignore and diminish. Somehow, some have decided that being color blind is a better way to be. Yet that too is a diminishment and a dismissal.

Open our eyes to those who want to be seen. As Nina sang to us years ago in words that ring true today: “I wish you could know what it means to be me. Then you'd see and agree, That everyone should be free.”

Open our eyes, Lord, to see you in those around us, because all of us are longing to be free. In the name of the one who breaks our bonds, even the bonds we create ourselves, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Derek Weber, March 2023

MARCH 30, 2023

Lord, you suffered at human hands the pain of false arrest, torture, and unjust punishment, and you commanded us to comfort those in prison. Build a fire in your people, Lord, that we may never learn patience with prejudice or make peace with oppression, but that we may burn with zeal for justice, proportion, and equal protections under law for all people. In the Name of him who died condemned. Amen.

“For Justice in the Criminal System” (June), A Year of Prayers to End Racism,” The Diocesan Commission to End Racism, page 2, http://www.wvdiocese.org/pages/pdfs/ayearofprayertoendracism.pdf.

MARCH 31, 2023

While we give thanks for the diversity of people — of cultures and ethnicities, of histories and life-stories, of skin colour and language and hearts that love the world; the best way to give thanks is to disassemble the systems, the stories, the mythos, that privilege one colour over another— is to root out (and un-root) the insidious beliefs of those of us with privilege (sometimes hidden quietly within, sometimes disguised, sometimes trumpeted as manifesto) that “me and mine” are better than “you and yours.”

To root out quiet racism— to root out White Fragility, and White Supremacy— so that it withers and dies.

God of all creation, bless us all with what we need, to take on this work, and live it. Today. Every day. Always. Until this International Day is a thing of memory.

In Jesus’ name. May it be.

The Right Rev. Richard Bott, “ A Prayer for March 21, the International Day to Eliminate Racial Discrimination, To Root Out Quiet Racism, The United Church of Canada, https://united-church.ca/prayers/root-out-quiet-racism.