God of many names and infinite manifestations, in the midst of a global pandemic and global resistance to the pervasive dehumanization of persons, we ask for the grace to step up to the creative possibilities inherent in these crises. We thank You, God, for all we have accomplished these past several months, and we pray that we will never tire of creating opportunities for the People of California to survive and grow and thrive. May we all acknowledge that we have not noticed carefully enough our complicity in the unjust structures of racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, to name just a few. May we not be overcome with guilt; rather, let us be the generation that breaks the chains that keep us all bound in fear and smallness of heart. Our world has changed drastically in the last three months.
Dear God, help us commit to meeting the changes with steadfast integrity, deep gratitude, and manifest hope as we hear the words of Alice Walker:
The world has changed: Wake up!
Give yourself the gift of a new day.
The world has changed:
This does not mean you were never hurt.
The world has changed:
Rise! Yes, and Shine!
Resist the siren call of disbelief.
The world has changed:
Don’t let yourself remain asleep to it.—AMEN.
(“The World Has Changed” in Hard Times Require Furious Dancing (2010) by Alice Walker).