Gracious God, we pray for courage and comfort in the words of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb”:
When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?
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…
where we will never again sow division…
This is…the hill we climb…
We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be…
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.
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…
Merciful God, may our merging of mercy, might, and right lead to an experience of love for all and for our future generations.—AMEN.