God of Empathy and Equity
A few people asked about the prayer from the Sunday service when Laura Lacombe prayed so thoughtfully and powerfully. Here it is in its entirety. Take some moments and pray through this. Perhaps there’s a line you don’t feel comfortable praying or perhaps there’s a line you’d like to spend more time praying - those are all fine ways to approach using this prayer.
God of empathy and equity,
We are here today with a diversity of feelings and experiences – but I know that a dominant feeling of this week is grief. God please help us grieve the 19 children and 2 teachers killed in Uvalde. People who were your beloved children. People that started their day like any other, but never got to finish it. People with friends and family, fears and dreams. People who were utterly failed by the police. We lift up everyone in that community who are mourning and grieving and asking how something like this can happen. We pray for every parent and sibling, every teacher whose world has been turned upside down.
May we not grow numb to this pain, God.
When our society demands that we keep going and keep working, pretending like this level of tragedy is normal, may we remember to grieve. As we suffer under the weight of an oppressive society, may we demand our right to rest, to safety, and to community. And when we get to rest, may we ensure that those around us have that right as well.
May we be like Jesus, who offered impractical solutions to meet the needs of those in front of him. Give us bravery to envision a world where none go hungry. Give us the hope to believe that this world can be different – that children can leave for school in the morning and return safely to their family’s arms; that trans people can access affirming healthcare; that Black people can flourish without fear of their safety; that disabled people have equitable access to thrive; that we can build community safety without the system; that everyone can have a place to call home.
Make us bold in this world, God.
Give us courage to speak out against these white supremacist systems of violence that keep people trapped in cycle of poverty and leave them disconnected from healthy community. Give us the tools and the strength to build communities around us that will keep us safe in times of danger and tragedy. Remind us that we are created to be together – that we are not meant to be isolated. Help us find the way forward which allows people to thrive, no matter how impossible it feels.
Be our guide in this world of tragedy God.