Prayer of Lament and Confession for Racism

Prayer of Lament

Oh Lord, who is ever before me, beside me, behind me, and within me,
In this time of deepening awareness of the brokenness of racism in our land, I lament:
            How often I have looked outward to see racism yet have failed to look within;
            How complex and messy racism is and how difficult to address.
           
How little I have truly done in the midst of all I see;
            How I often did not know what to do when I am aware of the deep pain of racism;
            How often I have been speechless when a word was needed;
         
How again and again, Blacks end up dead at the hands of the police who have sworn to protect;
            How again and again police are faced with life-threatening situations that end with life being lost;
            How Black parents have to find the words to give their kids "the talk" on how to come home safe.
            How racism has been part of the fabric of this country since its founding;
            How the effects of racism, from Jim Crow laws to redlining to fear of the “Black Male” to Mass Incarceration, continue to plague our land.
            How our country has not confessed its racism nor experienced deep lament and thus racism has such a hold on us.
           
How hard it is to imagine Blacks and Browns and Whites living beyond being defined by their skin color;
            How hard it is to imagine an open, cross-culture, vulnerable conversation of how racism affects each one of us;
            How it is not enough to simply talk about racism but that racism must be dismantle, little by little;
            How I live in White privilege and do not really know or understand what it is to be Black in this country.
            How much I want to ignore the issues of racism, the deaths caused by racism, the anxiety living in racism and have them not affect me.

O Lord, break my heart open with lament.
            O Lord, pierce my soul with lament.
            O Lord, open my eyes, open my mouth, open my arms that I might love in the midst of this deep pain.

Prayer of Confession

Gracious Lord, who knows what is in my heart and mind and soul, I come to you to confess that:
            Racism has become far too normal in our land;
            And I don’t want to get involved in the pain and hurt and separation
            That goes on around me and in me.

            I want to make excuses. I want to justify. I want to explain.
            But there are no excuses for racism. No justification. No explanation
            That will ease the sense of brokenness and pain and division in our land and in me.

            My White privilege has made me blind to what my Black Sisters and Brothers experience.
            My White privilege has given me the luxury of not worrying if I will come home safe tonight,
            My White privilege has given me a level of expectation that I will be heard, of how I will be treated, and I will not be ignored
                        That so many in this land do not have.

            I am scared to speak out against racism. I am scared to act. I am scared to confront the power structures in this land.
            A part of me does not want to get involved.  A part of me wants to keep my distance.

O Lord, I must confess that I am racist.
            I judge people by the color their skin.
            I see Blacks as less than: less smart, less hard-working, less able to fit in.
            This culture taught me this and I learned it well.
            How hard it is to speak these words in this time.
            But I must be honest with you if I hope to move forward.

You, O Lord, are the God of the Cross and the God of the Empty Tomb,
            You, O Lord are the God who forgives me, frees me, and sends me into those conversations I need to have.
            You, O Lord are the God who does open my eyes so I will see, who does break my heart so I will love, who does move me to act
                        Even in my deep sense of not knowing what to do.
            You O Lord show up to me again and again and send me forth into this brokenness of racism, ignoring my cries of “I’m not ready” or “I don’t know what to do.”
            You send me forth because you know O Lord that is how I am to live as a forgiven person;
            And you promise me deep joy will come when I move into this darkness of racism because I will meet you there and I will meet and get to know and love my brothers and sisters.

Thank you Lord for this grace and power and love.

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