Gracious God, as we continue the work entrusted to this Legislature, help us find courage and comfort in the words of Amanda Gorman from her inaugural poem for the country, “The Hill We Climb”:
When the day comes we ask ourselves,
where can we find light in this never-ending shade?
And yet the dawn is ours…
We are striving to forge a union with purpose…
Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true:
That even as we grieved, we grew,
That even as we hurt, we hoped,
That even as we tired, we tried,
That we’ll forever be tied together, victorious.
Not because we will never again know defeat
but because we will never again sow division…
That is the promised glade,
The hill we climb…
We will not march back to what was
but move to what shall be—
A country that is bruised but whole…
We will not be turned around
or interrupted by intimidation
because we know our inaction and inertia
will be the inheritance of the next generation.
Our blunders become their burdens.
But one thing is certain:
If we merge mercy with might,
and might with right,
then love becomes our legacy
and change our children’s birthright…—AMEN.
(“The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country” by Amanda Gorman)
