Lady Liberty is Weeping: A Prayer for Our Country (on January 6th, 2021)

Lady Liberty is weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted 

She cries – 

Looking out at the city on the hill
overtaken by narrowness and violence by those who seek to mock her 

She has been breached 
the sacred steps of democracy trampled
the hallowed halls defiled, looted.  

Lady Liberty is weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted 

Her flag waved by the very people who seek to destroy everything it represents 
Her marble cracks and crumbles as the flames of hatred and injustice are fanned
Our house is divided –

We pray it stands –

stands for what we hope it can be
what it has never been but always tried reach toward
and what it has to be if it is to stand at all 

We weep and cry out our impassioned prayer

God who is the shield of justice 
who implores us to spread peace
We pray we are able to help our democracy stand 

to represent more fully one more person
to right one more injustice
to spread one more truth
to establish one more hour of peace 

We cry and we are not comforted but we are together 

We are not comforted. 
But we are re-dedicated.

We will re-dedicate our country and its hallowed halls once again –
This time through the steadfast commitment to every ideal we dream of

We will continue to bend our arc 

toward justice – toward honesty – toward truth. 

When the fire is out –

We will raise the flag, 

Clean the steps. 

Repair the breach. 

 And see our house stand, one house, one nation, in peace.