Prayer for Us to Find our Voice to End Racism – Luke 18: 9 -14
Luke 18:9-14
A Pharisee and tax collector pray
18:9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt:
18:10″Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
18:11The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
18:12I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’
18:13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
18:14I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other, for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
I grew up in a home where it was considered acceptable to make jokes about the French or the Swedes. As a young child, this confused me—my best friend was French, and I couldn’t imagine making fun of her or her family.
As I grew older, the civil rights movement was gaining momentum—even in Northern Maine. I came to understand that people were protesting, fighting, and even dying to be accepted for who they were. By the time I reached my teenage years in the 1970s, racism was no longer something I could ignore or tolerate.
In the early years of my ministry, I became actively involved in efforts to confront racism. I taught, supported overtures to the General Assembly, and helped organize events aimed at ending racial injustice. I took part in anti-racism training and spent 18 years in urban ministry, teaching others how to engage in meaningful dialogue, appreciate different cultural perspectives, and navigate political differences.
Over the years, I’ve continued to reflect on my own background, recognizing that, like many others, I come from a culture subtly shaped by bias and racism. I remain committed to learning and growing, striving to be someone who challenges those biases rather than perpetuating them.
Much of what we see unfolding in our culture and politics today deeply troubles me. This week, it was reported that a group of political leaders shared appalling, hate-filled, and racist comments about people of color, as well as those of different nationalities and cultures. Even more disturbing, they praised Nazi ideology as something good for the world.
Racism is never acceptable. It is never right to place oneself above others because of privilege, education, or the color of one’s skin. Such behavior is a betrayal of both our shared humanity and the God who created us all. Silence in the face of hatred is complicity. Words and actions that demean or dehumanize others must have consequences.
I know this work is hard. Too often, those who spread hate are not held accountable. But silence cannot be our response. Our voices must be clear and courageous; we will not tolerate racism in our church or in our community.
Let us pray for guidance and path forward where our voices can be heard
O Wellspring of Love and Justice
we come before you with heavy hearts.
The words of hatred and racism continue
to seep into our daily lives.
Voices that place themselves above others
spread pain and division through the fabric
of our society and communities.
Guide us to the place where we can say,
No—this is not acceptable.
This is not the Gospel.
This is not the love of Jesus Christ.
Lead us, O God, to speak with courage;
to lift our voices for love, hope, justice, and reconciliation.
You have heard the cries of the poor
and lifted up the lowly.
Pour out your Spirit upon us,
young and old alike,
that our dreams, visions, voices, and actions
may bring forth your justice and peace in this world.
Amen.
