Develop a Discipleship System
Praying for Change: Daily Prayers for Anti-Racism (January-March 2024)
JANUARY 1, 2024
It is a new year, God of beginnings, a time for resolutions and promises and hope. Things will really be different this time. We will stick to our plan; we will make our commitments; we will be new people. This time for sure. Like last year and the year before that …
Why do we continue in the same patterns of behavior year after year? What will it take for us to act differently, to see differently, and to value differently? Help us with these resolutions, Lord who calls to repentance and gives grace to be renewed. Help us in 2024 to work to create the world that reflects the vision of kingdom and kin-dom both. Walk with us, Lord of life, as we walk with you. Amen.
Derek Weber, December 2023
JANUARY 2, 2024
Lord, give us hope for those in poverty.
Lord, give us hope for the community in racial conflict.
Lord, give us hope for those that face racism in different places in society.
Lord, give us hope for the hopeless.
Lord, give us hope for those who are in wartime.
Lord, give us hope for the challenges that parenting represents.
Lord, give us hope for the children of the world.
Lord, give us hope for all the churches around the world that are helping their community to be bolder through racial dissimilarity.
Lord, give us hope for the government leaders as they face racial injustice.
Lord, give us hope!
We pray all this in your Holy Name. Amen.
Rev. Dr. Carlos A. Ramos Graulau, GCORR Board Member, Maj Deputy Wing Chaplain USAF & Dr. Waleska Serrano, Columbus, MS, in “Racial Justice Prayers of Hope,” Religon and Race, https://www.r2hub.org/library/racial-justice-prayers-of-hope.
JANUARY 3, 2024
God of justice, all people are made in your image and all people have equal dignity and worth. Show me the ways I have been blind to my own prejudices and help me be part of the healing rather than part of the problem. May I have the humility to learn and the courage to call others forth to a world of greater equality.
Amen.
Shannon K. Evans, Active Anti-racism (August 23, 2021), Franciscan Media, https://www.franciscanmedia.org/pausepray/active-anti-racism/.
JANUARY 4, 2024
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, Episcopalians United Against Racism, page 2, https://www.episdionc.org/uploads/files/Becoming_an_Anti-racist_Church_Curriculum.pdf.
JANUARY 5, 2024
Tomorrow is Epiphany, God of revelation, and our prayer in preparation is for eyes to see your glory. We are reminded in the story of the wise men that the ones who see aren’t always the expected ones. Your star is seen by those who don’t measure up to our criteria. Your light is sometimes followed by those who don’t always speak the same language, don’t know the insider rituals, don’t have the religious credentials we think are essential.
May our Epiphany prayer be that we can be as extravagant as you when it comes to letting the light shine. May we not keep the glory we know only for insiders. May we not cover the light of Christ with bushels of prerequisites. May our hospitality and inclusion be as wide as yours. Help us shine with the loving light of Christ. Amen.
Derek Weber, December 2023
JANUARY 8, 2024
One God, in Three Persons, creator of one human species, in many hues: all who pray to you are descendants of Adam and Eve, all members of one race called “human.”
Forgive the blindness that causes our eyes to notice and magnify those things we regard as different from ourselves in others. Teach us to see clearly, that we, your children, are far more alike than we are different. Help us to put aside the racial prejudices embedded within us, and to see within every person the Child of God you created, our sister or brother, destined for Glory. In the name of One who died for all persons, of all colors, Jesus Christ.
Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia cited in “Racism Prayers: Stand up to Racism,” Social Justice Resource Center, https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/racism/.
JANUARY 9, 2024
Good and gracious God, through your Son’s words you commanded us to be lamps shining on a stand, not under a bowl or a bed. Grant that our words and actions be always an evident manifestation of your light. You promised to those who hunger and thirst for justice that they will be filled. Give us the strength to commit to personal change and discover our own biases, so that we can see everyone with the same eyes your Son saw all those around him. We want to create access for those who lack it and change structures of inequity. Strengthen us and be our refuge in this quest.
This we pray: AMEN
“Prayer Service in Our Fight for Equity and Justice,” University of Dayton, Ohio, https://udayton.edu/ministry/csc/advocacy/antiracism_prayers/fight-for-equity-justice.php.
JANUARY 10, 2024
Loving and just God,
you call all peoples to live as brothers and sisters,
regardless of their culture, their language, or the color of their skin.
Forgive us for the times we have failed,
and give us your grace to overcome the evil of racism
so that our hearts may become free of all prejudice and animosity.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Excerpted from Prayers of the Faithful Against Racism, Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, https://www.dosp.org/racialharmony/pray/prayers-of-the-faithful-against-racism/.
JANUARY 11, 2024
Merciful God,
you are righteous and love justice:
stir the hearts of your people that,
rejoicing in our diversity,
we may repent of the wrongs of the past,
and, by your grace, seek the peaceable kingdom of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All Amen.
A collect for Racial Justice Sunday, Church of England, https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/liturgical-resources-racial-justice-sunday.
JANUARY 12, 2024
God of new beginnings, of second chances and start overs, it is hard to admit that all the resolutions in the world can’t help us become the perfect people we sometimes aspire to be. We need something more. We need more will and more grace and more hope and more … I don’t know, just something more. Send your Spirit to be that something more. Move aside my lack of will or stubborn will so that you can open my eyes to a world I don’t really want to see. Open my heart to those whom I have worked to avoid. Open my hands to those who need me to give and to love. Help me, God whose will I pray will be done in and through and sometimes in spite of me. Help me be more like the one I claim to follow in ways that make a difference in this broken but beautiful world. Amen.
Derek Weber, January 2024
JANUARY 15, 2024
Dearest Jesus, come and sit with us today. Show us the lies that are still embedded in the soul of America’s consciousness. Unmask the untruths we have made our best friends. For they seek our destruction. And we are being destroyed, Lord. Reveal the ways the lies have distorted and destroyed our relationships. They break your shalom . . . daily. Jesus, give us courage to embrace the truth about ourselves and you and our world. Truth: We are all made in your image. Truth: You are God; we are not. You are God; money is not. You are God; jails, bombs and bullets are not.
And Jesus, give us faith to believe: Redemption of people, relationships, communities and whole nations is possible! Give us faith enough to renounce the lies and tear down the walls that separate us with our hands, with our feet, and with our votes!
Martin Luther King, Jr. cited in “Prayers of Martin Luther King Jr.,” Prayer and Politiks, https://prayerandpolitiks.org/articles-essays-sermons/prayers-of-martin-luther-king-jr/.
JANUARY 16, 2024
God of our past, present and future,
you created each one of us in your image and likeness,
help us to recognise you in each person.
As we pray for end to suffering caused by racism
lead us this day to walk with one another,
pray with one another and work together,
so that we create a future based on justice and healing,
where all can fulfil the hope you have for all peoples.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales cited in “Prayers for Racial Justice,” Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, https://cafod.org.uk/pray/prayer-resources/prayers-for-racial-justice.
JANUARY 17, 2024
Gracious Lord,
we dream of a world free of poverty and oppression, and we yearn for a world free of vengeance and violence. we pray for your peace.
When our hearts ache for the victims of war, [racial violence] and oppression, help us to remember that you healed people simply by touching them, and give us faith in our ability to comfort and heal bodies and minds and spirits that have been broken by violence.
When the injustice of this world seems too much for us to handle, help us to remember that you fed five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish…, and give us hope that what we have to offer will turn out to be enough, too.
When fear of the power and opinions of others tempts us not to speak up for the least among us, help us to remember that you dared to turn over the tables of money changers, and give us the courage to risk following you without counting the cost.
When we feel ourselves filled with anger at those who are violent and oppressive, help us remember that you prayed for those who killed you, and give us compassion for our enemies, too.
When we tell ourselves that we have given all we can to bring peace to this world, help us to remember your sacrifice… , and give us the miracle of losing a little more of ourselves in serving you and our neighbors.
Walk with us, Lord, as we answer your call to be peacemakers. Increase our compassion, our generosity, and our hospitality for the least of your children.
Give us the courage, the patience, the serenity, the self-honesty, and the gentleness of spirit that are needed in a world filled with turmoil and terror. Amen.
written by Jack Knox, pastor of Salem (Oregon) Mennonite Church, cited in “Prayers for Racial Justice,” St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Allentown, PA, https://www.standrewsbethlehem.org/welcome-home-page/prayers-for-racial-justice/.
JANUARY 18, 2024
For the sake of the names we have held in prayer.
For the sake of the names we will never hear.
For the sake of the lives of the people who were known by these names.
For the sake of all our children and all of us, whose futures are inextricably linked.
For the sake of the necessary work to be done for all your children.
For the sake of the one whose sacrificial love redefines our understanding of divinity and discloses the meaning of our humanity.
We pray, we act, we live. Amen.
Concluding Blessing of a Prayer of Lament and Confession, Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, IN, page 6, https://www.secondchurch.org/attachments/Prayer%20Liturgy%20-%20June%202020.pdf.
JANUARY 19, 2024
Loving God of all people, we began this week in gratitude and contemplation of a modern prophet, who like prophets from all time, made us think about uncomfortable truths and challenged us to envision a more loving way to live this life you have given us. While we confess the ongoing need for such prophets to speak plainly, we also give thanks once more for the courage and the witness of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and those he has inspired to speak plainly to this day.
Forgive us when we try to twist his words to imply that he wanted to do away with the diversity of culture and tradition, insinuating that by “content of character,” he meant folks just like me. Help us honor his legacy by believing in the possibility of beloved community and giving space to all people in the glory of their differences and the wonder of their uniqueness; help us learn to see them as the glorious palette of color and beauty that you have created. Let us see all the people as beautiful because each carries an aspect of the Imago Dei. And we are humbled and blessed by that. Amen.
Derek Weber, January 2024
JANUARY 22, 2024
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class,
Creator, forgive.
The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own,
Creator, forgive.
The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth,
Creator, forgive.
Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others,
Creator, forgive.
Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee,
Creator, forgive.
The lust which dishonors the bodies of men, women and children,
Creator, forgive.
The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God,
Creator, forgive.
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Amen.
“The Coventry Litany of Reconciliation,” Contemplative Prayer to End Racism, https://mailchi.mp/4e180cce00b0/catholic-worker-movementpillar1-prayer-and-the-eucharist?fbclid=IwAR25yPGlpz5nkV29h-MkXO2yuX_9jvzOuqZ5UsyA1Ue9we7xhyxBVeQtPVk.
JANUARY 23, 2024
God, we confess that sometimes we close windows against the fresh air of new ideas, against the noise of other people’s worries, against the winds of change. God, we confess that we often draw the curtains against people who are different, against world news or community concerns. Forgive us our insulation within comfortable places and the security systems on our hearts. Open up our lives. Amen.
“Prayer of Longing,” Exploring Antiracism: Welcome to the Table (July 18, 2021), the People’s Congregational Church, Bayport, MN, page 2, https://peoplescongregational.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/7-18-2021-Bulletin.pdf.
JANUARY 24, 2024
Dear God, I trust your Spirit to guide us in our common life and enlighten us to the injustices of white privilege in this country. Make our common prayers occasions for your Spirit to break into our hearts and lives, that we may finally see our world with a glimpse of your love and light. I pray that we may all be healed of our hurts and divisions, so that we may become agents of the reconciliation and peace that you desire for this world. This is my prayer.
Amen.
Excerpted from Rainey G. Dankel, “A Prayer on Privilege,” Beloved Journey, https://edlibelovedjourney.org/whiteprivilege.
JANUARY 25, 2024
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, https://www.usccb.org/resources/prayer-service-racial-healing-our-land. Copyright © 2018, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. All rights reserved.
JANUARY 26, 2024
Hating ourselves. We are only hating ourselves.
O God from whom all people have come into being, you created us to be one. You asked us to see what unites us, what we share in common. You gave us resources and wisdom; you gave us what we need to thrive and grow and fulfill all the potential that you have placed within us. You created all we see and called it good.
And we drew lines. We called some lesser and some weaker. We began to take the “we” you created and became an “us” and a “them.” We looked down on some of your creation; we pushed them to the margins, and we began to hate them—the other, the stranger, the one not like us—not realizing that we were only hating ourselves.
Help us, God of oneness. Help us see with your eyes. Help us see ourselves in the faces of the other; help us heal what has been broken and overcome the hatred that lives in hidden places in our hearts. We ask for a renewal—a new year of hope and possibility. Help us be the people who bring glory to your name by loving one another as you have loved us. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Derek Weber, January 2024
JANUARY 29, 2024
“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.
“Prayer for Racial Harmony,” A Year of Prayers to End Racism, the Diocessan Commission to End Racism, pages 1-2, https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/08/AYearofPrayertoEndRacism.pdf.
JANUARY 30, 2024
Wonderful Creator God,
Through scripture, you assure us:
That although we may consider outward appearances
You do not — It is the heart that you consider.
Through the psalms, you tell us:
That although we may pre-judge others,
We are wonderfully made,
Lovingly stitched,
In your tapestry of love.
We are each of us wonderful and beautiful.
Help us remember that.
And to accept responsibility when our failure to recognise your love in others causes harm.
Help us to love ourselves as you love us.
Amen.
A Prayer for Anti-Racism, the United Church of Canada, https://united-church.ca/prayers/prayer-anti-racism.
JANUARY 31, 2024
Lord, we thank you for the increasing number of children’s books with diverse characters and storylines. We pray that all children in school will see people of their backgrounds and cultures presented positively in their classrooms.
Racial Justice Prayers, Church of the Servant, February 2023, https://www.churchoftheservantcrc.org/february-2023-anti-racism-prayer-calendar/.
FEBRUARY 1, 2024
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 Churches, Rev. Dr. Natalie C. Wimberly, co-chair, Rev. Justin Thornburgh, co-chair, https://www.abc-usa.org/2021/01/prayer-for-truth-and-action-from-the-abc-anti-racism-task-force/.
FEBRUARY 2, 2024
God of Day light and Dark of night, God of Sunshine and of Cloud,
This is a day when we hope for less light. Does that seem strange? It does to me. Whether we are observing Candlemas (the Mass of the Candles and the Presentation in the Temple) or Groundhog’s Day, we are hoping for an end to winter and a lack of shadows. An odd observance, to be sure.
Winter can be an inconvenience for some, but deadly for others. Perhaps we should hope for an end to homelessness instead of winter. Perhaps we should pray for - work for - advocate for—an end to the marginalization that causes many to sleep on the streets or in doorways or alleys. Help us see beyond the shadows of poverty into the spring of community and support. Let us build a world of sunshine and respect, of warmth and sustenance that all might be gathered up in safety and security and abundance. Amen.
Derek Weber, January 2024
FEBRUARY 5, 2024
God of Eternity and Now, today would have been my mother’s ninety-fifth birthday. I miss her and honor her today. She was a shining example of what it means to love one’s neighbor in real life. Though she grew up in the segregated south, she chose to love rather than hate, to accept rather than fear, to worship with rather than separate. I was blessed to be taught about community by her. Thank you for the gift of my mother. Now help me, as you help us all, continue to grow as the united people you have called us to be. Help us to face our past with honesty and embrace our future with hope, even as we live in the present with a determination for justice. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
Derek Weber, January 2024
FEBRUARY 6, 2024
Leader: Father of the Heavenly Lights, you brought us to life by your Word of truth,
People: We were made in your image, sons and daughters of all colors.
L: The cancerous wickedness of racism has caused your children to suffer. Prejudice, discrimination, and hatred have led to brokenness, violence, and even death.
P: We confess that we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have allowed the sin of racism to divide us in what we have done and what we have not done; what we have said and what we have not said.
L: Purify our hearts and tame our tongues, we pray;
P: Give us courage to repent, to fight for righteousness, and to love and embrace one another…
L: In the name of Jesus, Our Lord…
All: Amen
“Litany of Confession,” Rev. Rhea Summit, Pastor, New Alexandria UMC, cited in Anti-Racism Worship Resources, Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church, https://www.wpaumc.org/antiracismworshipresources.
FEBRUARY 7, 2024
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, and especially the hearts of the people of this land, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“Prayer for Social Justice,” page 1, Weekly Prayers, Christ Church Episcopal, Anchorage, Alaska, https://www.christchurchanchorage.org/weekly%20prayers.pdf.
FEBRUARY 8, 2024
Gracious God, you created all of us in your image. Open our hearts and minds to this reality. Let us recognize that we are all Your beloved sons and daughters.
You are community: Father, Son, and Spirit. Help us to foster community in our neighborhoods. Teach us to be one as you are one. Teach us to love as you love.
Open our eyes to the sin of racism. Show us where it exists in our society. Please grant us the courage to denounce it, but always with a loving heart like yours.
Enlighten our minds to be aware of our own weaknesses and gently teach us not to act out of our own biases. Teach us to celebrate our differences and to see diversity as strength.
Please grant us the grace to work together for an end to racism in our world. We long to live together in your kingdom as brothers and sisters.
Amen.
“Prayer for an End to Racism,” Young Catholics, https://young-catholics.com/1649/prayer-to-end-racism/.
FEBRUARY 9, 2024
Save us, O God, from ourselves,
from racism often cloaked in pious words,
from the machinations of white supremacy hidden in calls for civility,
from micro aggressions thinly veiled in arrogance,
from apologies when they don’t give way to action,
from forgiveness without facing the truth,
from reconciliation without reparation.
Deliver us, O God, from expecting siblings of color to continue to bear this emotional work, which is not theirs to do.
Grateful for the long arc that bends toward justice, we pray:
Grant us wisdom, give us courage for the facing of these days,
by the power of the Spirit, all for the sake of the kin-dom that we share in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
“A Prayer for Racial Justice,” Worship Resources for the Day of Racial Healing, pages 5-6, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Worship_Resources_for_Day_of_Racial_Healing.pdf.
FEBRUARY 12, 2024
God of history and God of now,
Today we remember one of this country’s greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln. He is remembered for many things, but one thing rises above the rest, and that is the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the freeing of the people enslaved. We know this document did not immediately solve all the problems and did not immediately give freedom and equality and justice to those who had so long suffered the abuse of a system of oppression based on skin color. And thanks to historians, we also know that Lincoln himself did not fully believe in equality and was working to save a nation more than a people. Yet he worked for the right thing. He moved toward justice, even with a limited vision.
What does that say about us, God who knows our hearts even better than we do? Can we move toward justice even with hesitations and fear? Can we work for equality even with questions and uncertainties? Of course, we want our hearts to be right. But maybe it is in the doing that we shape our hearts according to the vision of kin-dom that you have established. Maybe it is in the searching, the inviting, the hospitality, the reaching out that we are finally able to create beloved community. We can’t wait until all the questions are answered and all the fears resolved. Help us step forward beyond our hearts to work for justice for all. In Christ’s name. Amen.
Derek Weber, February 2024
FEBRUARY 13, 2024
Today is Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, God of times and seasons. It is a day when we prepare for a fast to come by eating to excess. Well, maybe that is not exactly what we will do, but it seems built into our patterns of behavior. It is good to remove the temptations that are before us. But perhaps we ought to consider how we remove the fat on this “Fat Tuesday.” Or we should consider what fat we should remove to move into our Lenten journey more honestly. Maybe the fat we should get rid of is the fat of our prejudice, of our fear and hatred of the other. Maybe we should give up the fat of our privilege or our tendency to let things be rather than work for justice and advocate for change. Maybe this final celebration before we examine our souls during the season of Lent should be one that says goodbye to all that keeps us from living in community. Help us, God of surrender and of transformation, rid of everything that does not allow your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Let that be our prayer this Mardi Gras. Amen.
Derek Weber, February 2024
FEBRUARY 14, 2024
Remember that you are dust.
God of truth and of eternity,
Ash Wednesday is a hard day. Mortality is something we prefer to ignore. Sinfulness too. This is exactly why we need this season, why we need this examination. Rather than passing over the opportunity to ask deep questions about the state of our souls, may we hold up our lives, our thoughts, our deeds, our hopes and our prayers against the vision of your kin-dom. May we ask the hard questions about the justice we work for and the unity we pray for during this Lenten season. Let us ask whom we overlook and whom we ignore as we seek to build up your church and our own discipleship. May we, this hard day and hard season, be aware of our limitations and our need for a savior, and may we walk with Jesus to the cross and beyond. In his holy name, we pray. Amen.
Derek Weber, February 2024
FEBRUARY 15, 2024
Just like moons and like suns, /
With the certainty of tides, /
Just like hopes springing high, /
Still I’ll rise.
- Maya Angelou, “Still I Rise”
God of the moon and stars, help us rise above divisiveness and hate. As we rise, let us lead the way for others to rise alongside us.
Sojourners “Verse and Voice” daily email, https://sojo.net/daily-wisdom/latest.
FEBRUARY 16, 2024
Battered, Broken, Betrayed.
I stand Before you
Between the lines
Breathe on me Breath of God
Because I have Betrayed
My Brother and sister
By my silence
Breathe on me Breath of God
But what is Breath
when it is stolen
Humanity Beyond recognition
Buried in Blood
Bring us transformation
Beauty for Brokenness
Expose me for my blindness
Breathe on me the breath to see
Be Brave and Bold
Beyond what others can see
So when I can’t Breathe
God Breathe on me
When I cannot see my Betrayal
Bring me to the light
I Beg for the wisdom to Be Better
Bless me with the strength
to never stop Becoming
Beyond the patience to listen
Bring me into action
I can’t Breath
So God, Breathe through me
Leah Wenger, “Breathe on Me, Prayers of Lament: Responding to the Violence of Racism,” Mennonite Church USA, https://www.mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/lament-violence-of-racism/.
FEBRUARY 19, 2023
O God of all nations and all peoples: our nation once, in time of war, forcibly interned in camps, without trial and without just cause, many of our own people because of their Japanese ancestry. Grant us, by your grace, the strength and courage never again to treat as enemies any entire group of persons, solely because of the enmity of some members of that group, but to defend and preserve the basic human rights of all people, even in times of distress, for the sake of your Son who died for all. Amen.
A Year of Prayer to End Racism, February, For humanity toward perceived enemies: (Internment of Japanese Americans, February 19 executive order), Commission to End Racism of the Diocese of West Virginia, page 1, https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/08/AYearofPrayertoEndRacism.pdf.
FEBRUARY 20, 2023
Dear God, thanks for teaching us that favoritism is a sin, and that we are all one in union with Jesus Christ.
Lord, grant us recognition that racism still exists in order that we’ll be able to help end it. Help us to know and to understand other races so that our hearts will accept them.
We pray for a change of spirit in our families, churches, communities, and the world to accept diversity. May this help lead to world peace.
AMEN.
Source Unknown, A Toolkit for Anti-Racism Prayer Services, page 18, http://www.ospihm.org/racial-healing/docs/Toolkit-for-Anti-Racism-Prayer-Services.pdf.
FEBRUARY 21, 2023
Loving God who knows our lying down and our rising up, I marked another birthday this week. It was yet another occasion for reflection and contemplation. Like during this season of Lent, I can’t help but consider the state of my soul and my place in the work of living into your kingdom, of building your kin-dom. It is hard not to feel shame and inadequacy; I am too comfortable with the status quo and afraid of the changes I need within and unwilling to seek changes in the world around me. I pray for justice; I pray for an end to hate; I pray for your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. But like the disciples on the mount of Transfiguration, I often speak without knowing what to do. Show me, Lord, where a hand stretched out in support or friendship might be a sign of something bigger. Show me, Lord, where my giving of time or resources might be used in powerful ways to build peace, to end racism. Show me, Lord, how to use however many years might be left to me to work for something besides my own security, something that will speak of your vision of eternity, beginning right now. Amen.
Derek Weber, February 2024
FEBRUARY 22, 2023
Almighty God, source of our life, we acknowledge you as Creator of all people of every race, language and way of life. Help us to see each other as you see us: your sons and daughters loved into being and sustained by your parental care. Keep watch over our hearts so that the evil of racism will find no home with us. Direct our spirits to work for justice and peace so that all barriers to your grace which oppress our brothers and sisters will be removed. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Bible Readings and Prayers to End Racism, page 2, Augustinian Secretariate for Justice and Peace and midwestaugustinians.org. “Used with permission.” https://static1.squarespace.com/static/50e5979fe4b0d83d9231662c/t/58c3181dbf629a85334f8694/1489180701327/justpaxracepray.pdf.
FEBRUARY 23, 2023
God of justice, we hear again your call to let justice run down like water,
And righteousness like a mighty stream. (Amos 5:23-24)
Direct our hearts and thoughts today towards the indigenous communities everywhere that are experiencing injustice. Open our ears again to hear your word of instruction to us, recalling that you have already spoken of that which you require of us: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you, our God. (Micah 6: 8)
Amen.
Week of Prayer for Overcoming Racism and Xenophobia (March 19-25, 2023), World Council of Churches, page 1, https://www.oikoumene.org/sites/default/files/2023-03/Daily%20Prayers%20for%20Week%20of%20Prayer%20for%20Overcoming%20Racism%2019%20-%2025%20March%202023.pdf.
FEBRUARY 26, 2024
O God, our hope of ages past, present and future (Sankofa), be thou our vision amidst our tears of joy and lament, as you have been with African peoples remembered this Black History Month.
Deepen our hunger for righteousness and food security for all.
We pray this in your holy name, Jesus the Christ. Amen and Ashe.
Email from Bread for the World, Prayers to End Hunger, https://www.bread.org/pray/.
FEBRUARY 27, 2024
I recognize that racism manifests in my own individual thoughts, attitudes, actions, and inactions. It also manifests in social structures and unjust systems that perpetuate centuries of racial injustice. For my individual actions and my participation in unjust structures, I seek forgiveness and move towards reconciliation. I look into my heart and ask for the will and the strength to help contribute to the healing of racism in my time.
“Prayer of Repentance,”A Prayer Service for Racial Healing in Our Land (September 9, 2020), St. Brigid Parish, page 2, https://irp.cdn-website.com/e1a3add3/files/uploaded/Racial%20Healing%20prayer%20service.pdf.
FEBRUARY 28, 2024
Love incarnate,
Fountain of Mercy and Justice
In a world of inequity and pain
May our actions be our prayer.
We cry out for Shalom, fullness of life to all.
Let the Spirit of Truth guide us.
Let the Spirit of Love free us.
Give us the compassion, courage and resolve
to become the light, we seek
that many may see life and their dignity restored
Inspire us to embody a world without injustice and prejudice
Form us into channels of your love and peace
Let the river of justice and mercy flood our imperfect world
Quenching the thirst of parched souls and lands.
Abide in us o Liberator that we become the Word
so that the world may have Life, Life in all its abundance.
Amen
A Prayer for Racial Justice Sunday 2021, Church of England, https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/stories-and-features/prayer-racial-justice-sunday-2021.
FEBRUARY 29, 2024
It’s Leap Day, God of times and seasons. We think we get an extra day. Our calendar is longer, it’s true. But our days follow one another in an unbroken procession until we find our way to you. Help us not number our days but enrich them. Not count our days but fill them with grace.
The grace of living in community,
the grace of bringing together,
the grace of working for justice,
the grace of seeing your face in the multicolor tapestry of humanity.
Help us fill our days with your grace. In Christ’s name. Amen.
Derek C Weber, February 2024
MARCH 1, 2024
We deplore the hatred and bigotry paraded through the streets of our cities and towns that direct hatred at African Americans and other people of color, Jewish people, Muslims, immigrants and refugees, and sexual minorities.
Lord, have mercy
We have divorced ourselves from our brothers and sisters and take comfort in our belief that this is a land of opportunity for all
Christ, have mercy
We say we love the widow and orphan, the poor and oppressed, but ignore the conditions that create and perpetuate their problems
Lord, have mercy
We take no responsibility for the systems we have created through our own actions and our own personal interests.
Lord, have mercy
We have no comprehension of our corporate sins, preferring instead to go it alone with God
Christ, have mercy
We consider our privileges as rights we are due, and we fear the loss of our privileges.
Lord, have mercy
We are ignorant that there are those that do not have the same privileges.
Christ, have mercy
We consider any attempt to remedy the inequities as reverse discrimination.
Lord, have mercy
We make daily decisions on who to fear or trust, who to hire or reject, who to befriend or ignore based on implicit biases that we do not see.
Christ, have mercy
We justify the institutionalization of these processes as a way to preserve the beauty and integrity of our own community
Lord, have mercy
We chant “America First,” which is idolatry, and use that phrase to justify granting to ourselves advantages and denying those advantages to our brothers and sisters around the world.
Christ, have mercy
Excepted from A Lament for the White Church in America and My Role in It by Dr. Bob Aronson, https://globalworship.tumblr.com/post/165029581385/a-lament-for-the-white-church-in-america-and-my.
MARCH 4, 2024
God of Solidarity, thank you for being a God who enters the suffering of the world.
Forgive us for the times we shy away from the blood and tears we encounter.
Release us from the empty cravings for unity that come at no cost to the oppressor.
Lead us toward spaces of costly advocacy. Guide us into a solidarity that demands something of us.
Let us learn to risk ourselves on behalf of the vulnerable.
Help us as we contend daily with the curse that still dwells in the hidden parts of us, that we would be people of constant searching, self-honesty, confession, and forgiveness.
Adapted by Rev. Shannon Baxter of West End United Methodist Church, Nashville, from Cole Arthur Riley’s “Black Liturgies” and used in worship on February 25, 2024.
MARCH 5, 2024
Holy One –
We grow weary and frustrated with the world. There are many fighting for the right to shut their eyes. And still, you know, our hearts call for collective awakening and liberation.
The path before us feels daunting and overwhelming. As we work towards bringing your kin-dom to earth, strengthen us. Give us courage to collapse into you when our souls require rest. And then birth a fire of renewal within us; push us to embody these words, not just through our speech, but with our feet.
“A Prayer for Weary Activists,” Praying with Our Feet, https://www.praywithourfeet.org/devotionals/july-disability-pride-month.
MARCH 6, 2024
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.
Prayer for the Oppressed (Book of Common Prayer, p. 826), Episcopal Church, cited in Dismantling Racism Resources, St. Titus’ Episcopal Church, https://sttitusdurham.org/resources-for-dismantling-racism/.
MARCH 7, 2024
“Steal away, steal away home. I ain't got long to stay here."
Steal Away,
Spiritual, Wallace Willis
God of eternity and of now,
In this Lenten season of examination and remembering our mortality, may we be not overwhelmed with our limitations and our sinfulness, but be stirred to respond to the thunder we hear and move toward you. May we rise to the urgency of the moment, but trust in the promise of a coming kin-dom, and let every action, every word, every gesture be a way of stealing toward you, of becoming more like the Jesus who draws us on this journey of life and of love. May the kingdom and the kin-dom be seen in us in the notlong moments we have in this life. Amen, and thanks be to God.
Derek C Weber, February 2024
MARCH 8, 2024
Lord, it is so easy to remain silent when we witness intolerance from our family, friends, or colleagues. We value and protect our comfort. It is so easy to look the other way when we see injustice in our community and in our world. Yet we know it is your world, and we are all brothers and sisters. Give us the courage to be bold. Inspire us to stand up for those who are marginalized. Lead us to action. For you are calling us to make this world a more just place for all your children.
Excerpt from Prayers in Memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., https://faithconnector.s3.amazonaws.com/4252/files/mlk.pdf by Christ Church UMC, Bethel Park, PA, https://www.christumc.net/antiracism.
MARCH 11, 2024
O God, who gave one origin to all peoples and willed to gather from them one family for yourself, fill all hearts, we pray, with the fire of your love and kindle in them a desire for the just advancement of their neighbor, that, through the good things which you richly bestow upon all, each human person may be brought to perfection, every division may be removed, and equity and justice may be established in human society.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Masses for Various Needs and Occasions, no. 29. For the Progress of Peoples, cited in “Holy Hour Against Racism,” page 2, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, https://www.usccb.org/resources/Holy%20Hour%20Against%20Racism%20V3_0.pdf.
MARCH 12, 2024
Grandfather Great Spirit
All over the world the faces of living ones are alike.
With tenderness they have come up out of the ground
Look upon your children that they may face the winds
And walk the good road to the Day of Quiet.
Grandfather Great Spirit
Fill us with the Light.
Give us the strength to understand, and the eyes to see.
Teach us to walk the soft Earth as relatives to all that live.
Sioux Prayer, cited in “Ways You Can Help: A Parish Guide,” pages 7-8, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, https://www.stpaulspgh.org/uploads/images/sjar-parish-guide-first-draft_680.pdf.
MARCH 13, 2024
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. https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/childrens-prayer-image.pdf.
MARCH 14, 2024
Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Mark 10:48 NRSV
Christ who walks before us, like so many I sit in my blindness on the side of the road. There is so much I don’t see. There are so many that I do not see. And I have become too content with my blindness. It is easier for me to ignore the needs of my neighbor. It is more comfortable to not see the advantages of my privilege. It is simpler for me to overlook the complexities of race in our modern society.
But when I dwell in this unseeing, I also miss the destination, the kin-dom toward which you are calling all of us. I miss the gift of community, the glory of justice and equality. I miss you, loving Christ. So, give me the courage to shout for your mercy and the grace to ask to see fully. Even when the sight is painful and makes demands on me. Help me not be quiet in the way things are, but to shout, “Have mercy on me.” In Christ’s name. Amen.
Derek C Weber, March 2024
MARCH 15, 2024
Lord God, we mourn the ways your scripture has been used to justify oppression. May we believe in a resilient gospel, one that stands the test of injustice and leads us to new life.
Sojourners, Verse and Voice email, Feb. 29, 2024, https://sojo.net/daily-wisdom/verse-and-voice-22924.
MARCH 18, 2024
O Lord, how long will your church be divided along racial lines? How long will the lingering effects of animosity, injustice, and pride mark your blessed bride? How long, O Lord, will my white brothers and sisters not understand the pain in those whose experience is different than ours? How long, O Lord, will my minority brothers and sisters struggle with distrust and feel ostracized?
God, grant us the heart to weep with those who weep. Give us empathy and understanding. Create trust where there is pain. Make your church the united bride you want her to be.
These divisions of mistrust and historical bias run deep, O God. Without you, nothing will ever change. In our pain and our weariness, we express our hope that Jesus can change our hearts and unite the church. We believe the gospel is greater than our divisions. And we long for the day when the world will take note of how we love each other. So, help us to meet each other in this prayerful journey. We come to learn to lament. Hear us as we weep together, that we might walk together.
In the name of Jesus, our King. Amen.
Mark Vroegop, “A Prayer for Racial Reconciliation,” (June 5, 2020), Crossway, https://www.crossway.org/articles/a-prayer-for-racial-reconciliation/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw17qvBhBrEiwA1rU9w9sT5N3OaB-McR98XLrjgGRpwJSApE7OQiH8yB8s9nv5thZC_bimgBoCvy8QAvD_BwE.
MARCH 19, 2024
Vernal Equinox, 2024
Equality, God of times and seasons, it seems a rare thing in our created world. Yet here it is. A day of equality. Equal light and equal dark. We’re always looking for signs and meanings. And maybe there isn’t anything here. It is just an accident, a celestial pattern that doesn’t influence who or what we are. It is just the way things are; let it be.
And yet, we are too often satisfied with the way things are. We are too inclined to let be that which is not equal, not balanced, not leaning toward justice. Forgive us for our complacency. So, maybe we need a reorientation on this equinox day. Maybe we need the inspiration of the movement of the sun across our horizon to work for new hope and new possibility once again. Let us move off the center and away from the way things are and create a new day of justice and equality. May we launch into spring with a resolve to tear down the barriers and live into a new expression of beloved community. In Christ’s name. Amen.
Derek C Weber, March 2024
MARCH 20, 2024
Holy Mary, to whom we have consecrated our lives, we join with you in prayer. We seek the grace and understanding to be converted from the sin of racism that has infected our society for so many years.
Help us not be in denial of the power systems that still give some privileges at the expense of others.
Help us to use our power and influence in our communities, families, schools, parishes, and other institutions to assure appreciation and respect for all cultures.
We are grateful for our call to live and spread the community spirit in which the Body of Christ flourishes and celebrates various gifts and talents. Show us the steps we must take to counteract racism.
We pray in the name of Jesus, asking your intercession.
Amen.
Marianist Prayer for Ending Racism, University of Dayton Campus Ministry, https://udayton.edu/ministry/csc/advocacy/antiracism_prayers/marianist_prayer.php.
MARCH 21, 2024
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 (St. DART), St. Dominic’s/Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, https://www.chausa.org/prayers/cha-prayer-library/prayer/a-prayer-for-racial-justice.
MARCH 22, 2024
God of all people, a friend of the poor, our holy liberator.
You have promised us salvation through Christ
a heaven of justice, mercy, and righteousness.
Help us to overcome worries
and threats of life
so that everyone will live in harmony,
friendship, and solidarity of life surrounds us.
Through your Holy Spirit
make us a mouthpiece of your salvific act,
a hand that comforts,
a provider of food for the poor,
a light that ignites hope
a testimony of your love
and a champion of your peace to all.
Amen.
Kenneth Dulanas Base, Local Youth Pastor at UMC – Mortola St., Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, cited in Racial Justice Prayers of Liberation, Religion and Race, https://www.r2hub.org/library/racial-justice-prayers-of-liberation.
MARCH 25, 2024
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.
“Prayer to End Racism,” Prayers for Racial Justice and Reconciliation, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-for-racial-justice-and-reconciliation#:~:text=Good%20and%20gracious%20God%2C%20you,This%20we%20pray.
MARCH 26, 2024
Jesus, one of your final prayers was for unity among your people (John 17:21). I pray for the coming together of people of all colors, socioeconomic, political, and religious backgrounds within the church to seek you in united prayers of repentance to receive forgiveness for the sins of racism and empowerment to move toward reconciliation. Enable church leaders to pave the way in pursuing racial healing with faith and love. Strengthen congregations leading multi-racial Bible study groups to be catalysts of change. Empower church leaders as they minister your Word with boldness, leading to healing in communities across this nation. May the church turn to God’s Word and let it speak to the issues of justice and healing for which our nation cries out.
American Bible Society, Prayers That Destroy the Spirit of Racism, https://news.americanbible.org/uploads/publication/2020-07_Prayer-Racial-Healing-Prayer-Guide-Edit+Design-Request_346712_v1_ck_(1).pdf, p.4.
MARCH 27, 2024
God of justice, all people are made in your image and all people have equal dignity and worth. Show me the ways I have been blind to my own prejudices and help me be part of the healing rather than part of the problem. May I have the humility to learn and the courage to call others forth to a world of greater equality. Amen.
Shannon K. Evans, “Pray,” Active Anti-Racism (August 23, 2021), https://www.franciscanmedia.org/pausepray/active-anti-racism/.
MARCH 28, 2024
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
John 13:34 NRSV
A new commandment is just what we need, God of law and grace. Something to stir the blood and to get your people to move, to march, to shout from the rooftops, this new directive we have been given. This will allow us to know who is in and who is out, who is really faithful and who is simply pretending. Give us this new commandment, shake up the status quo, renew us, your people, God who calls.
“Love one another, as I have loved you.” This isn’t new. This isn’t transformative; this isn’t revolutionary. We’ve heard this; we’ve said this; we know this. Where is the new?
Maybe in the doing. Maybe in the living. It is, we humbly admit, a new commandment because we have yet to try this loving thing. It is new, not because you haven’t commanded it before, but because we haven’t been willing to follow. We’d rather draw lines; we’d rather be divided; we’d rather fear the other. And not love one another. Forgive us.
As we gather on this Maundy Thursday, instill in us a passion to observe this new command with commitment and with will. May your will be done in us, through us, by us, even now, even here. Amen.
Derek C Weber, March 2024
MARCH 29, 2024
Good Friday
Pilate asked them, "Shall I crucify your King?"
John 19:15 NRSV
God of the cross, God of incomprehensible love,
We are a people of excuses, most of the time. Excuses and explanations and rationalizations, all uttered with the hope that somehow our blindnesses and our rough edges, our fears and our prejudices can be explained, so that we don’t have to give them up. So that we don’t have to change, to be transformed into something new but unrecognizable. So that we can continue as we are, sure of our rightness, our privilege, our relative goodness. Most of the time.
But today, all those excuses and explanations are like ashes in our mouths. And we realize that the king we really follow is the king of self. Not the king of kings, the prince of peace. And that false king needs to be crucified so that we can truly be the people of the Risen One.
Humble us today, O God who dies our death to show us the way to life. Put our feet on the path to unity, community, equality, the path to life. In the name of the one on the cross. Amen.
Derek C Weber, March 2024
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