A Prayer for Racial Healing

Back in August I was invited to offer a prayer for racial healing at a celebration for Chief McCoy, Anchorage's first black Chief of Police.  I thought I would share it here.

A Prayer for Racial Healing

Dear God,
The Bible shows us that the story of humanity starts in a Garden, and ends in a City.

The Garden – Genesis 1 & 2

At the beginning of the story…

In the garden, you, oh God, create all things and all things are called good 

                                                                    – in fact, you called your creation very good.

In the garden you created humans and called them good.

From that garden account we know that all humans were 
breathed into existence by your holy breath, 
filled with your spirit, 
and made in your image.

The City – Revelation 7, 21 & 22

At the end of the story…
We get a picture of what is to come…a holy city.

In that city we see gathered - people from every nation, tribe, people and language.

In that city there is no more mourning and you, God, wipe every tear from every eye.

That city is so safe - for all the people - that the gates never close.

That city is so bountiful that the needs of everyone are met.

Our City

But today we stand, 
not in the Garden of Eden
or in that perfect holy city of God, but in our city – Anchorage.

We stand in a city filled with people made in the image of God.

A city populated with people God loves and created as good.

But this city is not that perfect holy city of God...

Our city rests on land taken from the Dena’ina Athabaskan people, 

who you made in your image and called good.

Ours is a city, in a country, that, at its founding, saw black people as less than human,
despite being made in your image and called good.

Throughout this city’s history – this state’s history – this country’s history - 
    too often people have been told they were less than because of the color of their skin;
    too often they were made to cry, with no one to wipe away the tears from their eyes;
    too often opportunities were withheld based on color;  
which meant the bounty of this country, this state, this city was not shared so that all of the people’s needs were met.

Many seem to believe this racist past is in the past, but it present is in our present as well.

Just a year ago the streets were filled with people asking 
    this city, 
    this state, 
    this nation, 
    and the world,  
    to consider that Black Lives Matter.

During this pandemic year there were those in our nation quick to blame our Asian brothers and sisters for the virus – 
though they too were created by you and called good.

And now a debate rages in this nation about how, or even if, a discussion of race will take place in our schools, our government, and other organizations.

We do not live in the perfect city of God,

We live in the fallen middle,

We live in upheaval,

 
between the created goodness of the garden and the restored goodness of the city of God.

The Goldern Rule

But you sent Jesus to us, in this in-between space. 
He walked the earth as we do.
He showed us how to live together in these turbulent times.

When someone asked him to summarize how we live in the middle of the story that starts in garden and ends in the holy city he replied:

“'Love the Lord your God with all your heart 
and with all your soul 
and with all your mind 
and with all your strength.’
And ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Mark 12:30b-31a)

But we humans have not loved each other as we love ourselves.

So often we love ourselves, 
and those that look like us, 
FIRST and above all else.

We have chosen to dwell on and magnify what divides us, 
rather than being united by the fact that we are all God’s children, and made in God’s image.

Confession

So dear God we ask for your forgiveness for the ways we have failed to love our fellow humans 
who bear your image,
who were created by you,  
and are loved by you.

 
We ask that you forgive us for not treating EVERY person as we would like to be treated.

We repent for our personal sins - 

for all the ways we have each failed to love as you thought us.

We ask for forgiveness for participating in the systems of sin that have treated some as less than human.

We ask that you change our hearts, 
so that we might love one another as much as we love ourselves

We ask that you open our eyes,
so that we might see everyone as you see them – as your children.

We ask that you breathe your spirit into us once again
so that we might be moved to do justice, 
and love mercy, 
and walk humbly with our God.

We ask that you will give us the strength & ability to tear down the evil the systems of oppression, separation and racism,
so that you might once again look on your creation, and its people, and say it is very good!

God we ask that you might make Anchorage a city where your children from every nation, tribe, people & language are welcomed, embraced & included.

God, teach us what it means to love one another.

And finally 
    Our Holy Father, who is in heaven, 

    We ask you to bring your kingdom here to Anchorage, as it is in heaven.

    We ask that your will be done in this place.

    We request that the daily needs of all of the people of this city be met.

    Forgive us God for not loving you and our neighbor as we should. 
    

    Help us to resist the temptation to love ourselves more than we love you or others.
    

    And we ask that you deliver this city from all forms of evil. 

We pray this all
    In the name of the Father who is for us,
    The Son who is with us, 
    And the Holy Spirit that unites us in the never-ending dance of love.      

AMEN.