The parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke is a reminder that Jesus was all about overturning a world of division. The news this week has been fraught with unjustified killings: two more black men at the hands of police officers, and 5 police officers at the hands of a man driven mad by his hate. The African American men who died were the 123rd and 124th black men to die in the custody of police this year to date. The white officers who were shot and killed were running toward the danger, trying desperately to protect a peaceful Black Lives Matter vigil. In his sermon, Rev Kent asserted that the world we have made with our violence and suspicion is poisoning us. It is unraveling our soul as a country, and killing too many of our brightest and best. Here is his prayer offered by worship leader Maggie Park from our worship:
Lord help us end this world of our own making: the one of violence and hatred. Help us end this world where our fear first kills others, then murders our own soul. Help us put to bed the idea that we can claim any agency of yours but your kindness and your mercy. We cannot be your protector, your purifier, your righteousness: we can only be your children. Help us end this world of fear and build a new one. Help us believe the good news of your Jesus; help us follow in his way respecting each one’s conscience and serving the world by love and justice. We are sick to death of death. But don’t let us grow weary in the struggle! Show us the way to life and life everlasting: teach us to make a new world where none shall hurt or destroy on all your holy mountain. Teach us this day to love you, and all yours, with all our heart, mind, body and soul. Amen. –Rev. Kent Gilbert
He also suggested “Prayer in Action:” ways to put our fervent hope into concrete acts. Here are a number of ways to pray in our own community:
- Learn the names of your 10 closest neighbors. ALL your neighbors. Learn what they love and what matters to them. You cannot love those about whom you are ignorant.
- If you are a white American who has never considered what it might be like to be scared to death to get a traffic stop,how could you let your neighbors of color know you are learning, and willing to understand their reality? How will they know you, as a Christian, are in solidarity with their fears?
- What can you do to make the life of police officers more sane and less prone to danger? What can you do to be understanding of their fears, their losses and sacrifices?
- What kindnesses can be offered to those you think of least? Street workers? Garbage workers? Wait staff? If you have the chance, how would they know you have their back?
To see and hear the full service please click to watch the Union Church YouTube Channel:
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