This prayer is a response to the acquittal of the shooter who killed two racial justice activists, and injured one, in Kenosha, Wi., in the summer of 2020.
“Justice, justice shall you pursue.”
Justice You commanded us to pursue,
To make holy the paths of righteousness,
And to break the realm of wickedness.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
We were told to love,
Oh how we have failed, O Lord,
How the paths of holy we desecrated,
Letting hate creep into our being,
Letting hate remain and fester.
Look upon us, O Lord!
For we are like Sodom,
Our justice perverted like Gomorrah!
See how the wicked flourish!
See how they walk without blame!
See, O God, see!
We are like David, blinded by lust and greed.
Nathan stands before us, naming each of our crimes
We are like Cain, hiding from the blood of our brother,
The blood of our brother crying out from the ground.
Sins against our kin hold no punishment or grievance in this unjust nation.
We kill our neighbors, and we are praised.
We strike down holy worlds, and are raised up in honor.
We murder, and we are praised as saints.
God of justice,
God of justice,
Let justice flow as a mighty stream.
