Holy, Holy, Holy God, God of power and might, God who gathers your people
and holds them to her bosom as a hen gathers her chicks; that God: Hear our prayers.
Hear the prayers of the protesters in Portland:
As they push back against camouflaged non-police, non-military,
non-identified brutes-in-a-uniform swinging batons at Navy veterans
who simply stand at attention.
Hear the prayers of the mothers locking arms on Portland’s front lines.
They chant: "Leave our kids alone!" And every word is prayer.
Hear our prayers for the officers who actually want to do right and are caught in between;
give them courage to face down evil impulses, to subvert unjust pathologies as they join their comrades who shaped the Task Force Recommendations on 21st Century Policing
and sound the trumpet for a new day in America.
And hear our prayers God for the 4 million plus...
Elders, Mothers, Fathers and Grandfathers, Children and Grandchildren, Homeless and Homed, Rich and Poor people, the 4 million images of God for whom it has hurt to breathe:
Come close, Lord. Save them, Lord. Save us, Lord.
Remove the ones whose folly blocks justice and life, and liberty, and happiness.
And, Holy, Holy, Holy God, be with the movement makers now:
Sit with them, heal their broken hearts,
make them community to each other, beloved community;
and give them eyes to see next steps and next paths and next bends,
and the Next America! Help them see it, so all can see it!
Come close now, Brown Jesus: We need you, O we need you; Every hour we need you.
Oh, bless us now, Brown Jesus; We come to you. Amen.
Credit: Lisa Sharon Harper
Creator God, Healer of wounds,
Your mercies are new every morning.
As our bodies in motion are temples of your presence,
Keep us safe and heal our injuries.
Lord, for those whose immune systems need more support,
shield their community from sickness;
for in you we all move and breathe and have our being.
Your son Jesus Christ, street medic in his spiritual and political revolution,
preferred to spend time with the outcast, the disabled, and the agitators.
Empower and guide our street medics and community health workers;
may they comfort and protect those along the way of life and truth,
so that we may continue following you, however perilous the journey.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Credit: Andrew Harmon