Juneteenth - June 19, 2021

Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? Will you strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being?

Love incarnate,

Fountain of Mercy and Justice

In a world of inequity and pain

May our actions be our prayer.

We cry out for Shalom, fullness of life to all.

Let the Spirit of Truth guide us.

Let the Spirit of Love free us.

Give us the compassion, courage and resolve

to become the light, we seek

that many may see life and their dignity restored

Inspire us to embody a world without injustice and prejudice

Form us into channels of your love and peace

Let the river of justice and mercy flood our imperfect world

Quenching the thirst of parched souls and lands.

Abide in us o Liberator that we become the Word

so that the world may have Life, Life in all its abundance.

Amen

A prayer written by Anderson Jeremiah

Taken from the book Rage & Hope: 75 Prayers for a Better World

Juneteenth, also known by other names (Freedom Day, Emancipation Day), is an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It is now recognized as a federal holiday, and this year takes place this Saturday.

You can learn more about the history of Juneteenth here, here, and here.

Bronze figures look out from the Texas African American History Memorial on the grounds of the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas.

May we give thanks in our prayers every single morning for the beauty and diversity of God’s creation and may we remember the love that God has for every single one of us. He is “God and Father of all” and we truly are all brothers and sisters, called to love one another and care for one another. Help us, Father God, to live into this truth, every moment of every day of our lives.

Amen