Loving God, our Father, our Mother, today we thank You for the indigenous women of the world, who throughout the ages have used their sacred wisdom and close relationship to the Earth to nurture and heal for the sake of all. In times of wars, displacement, and the generations of trauma imposed on them, they have challenged the forces of power and domination to bring about positive change and hope for the future of their children. Today they take their place among the many women who work silently to advance the progress of our civilization, people like Mary Golda Ross, a Cherokee woman, who became the first Native aerospace engineer.
Gracious God, help us all, women and men, to break the silences that hold us captive to fear, intimidation, prejudice, and illogical thinking. May we continue to speak words of courage, compassion, and truth so that those voices still unheard can emerge in the strength of their power and dignity for the benefit of our world.—AMEN.