Below, I’ve adapting a prayer by Rev. Prince Rivers, A Prayer of Lament for Those Who Cannot Breath (2016). I said this prayer in the Trinity Daily Podcast for May 29.
Holy God, a cloud of grief hangs heavy over our city. The injustice of racism continues to press down and take away the breath of life from those who bear your image. Please give us the strength to pray as we raise our hands to the heavens and we lift our eyes to the hills, which is where our help comes from.
Lord, the names of people who have been choked, shot, and assaulted are too many to count. So many people of color have been taken away by evil and injustice. Father, how long must we listen to the cries and screams as blood stains our streets? How many videos must we watch before we begin to see a change?
Help me, God. Help us. Help the people of Minneapolis. Help Saint Paul. Help our nation. Help us examine ourselves. Help us to never forget that George Floyd, Philando Castile, and Jamar Clark should still be here. We do not pray for vengeance, but we do thirst for justice. We hope for healing between neighbors and officers called to protect and serve. We long for the day when young men will live long enough to be old men and parents will not have to say ‘good-bye’ too soon.
Our hope is in you, God. Deliver us from all our fears. O God, come quickly to help us. O Lord, come quickly to save us. In the name of Jesus Christ, who came that we might have life and have life more abundantly.
Amen.
