Thought for the Week - 15th January 2023

 

Dear Friends, 

You will no doubt be familiar with the names of Stephen Lawrence and George Floyd. Stephen was a teenager who in April 1993 was murdered whilst waiting for a bus in London. He was a young man looking forward to fulfilling his dream of becoming an architect. George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis in May 2020 sparking a global wave of solidarity that brought people out onto the streets around the world to protest, making it impossible to ignore the deadly consequences of institutional racism. Both Stephen and George were murdered because of the colour of their skin. This week sees the start of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18th-25th) and the material for this year’s week has been produced by the churches of Minneapolis entitled Be-longing: Praying for Unity amidst Injustice. It places before us the prophet Isaiah’s challenge to do good and seek justice (Isaiah 1:17) at a time when the political, social and religious structures encouraged the hypocrisy of offering sacrifices whilst oppressing the poor, seeking to awaken the conscience of the people to the reality of the situation. The booklet states, ‘­The prophet Isaiah calls us to learn to do good and requires us to decide to engage with the issues. We are challenged to engage in self-reflection. Praying together during this week allows us to reflect on what unites us and enables us to commit ourselves to confront all instances of oppression and injustice. Undertaking this commitment requires churches to acknowledge their own complicity in racial injustice. We must confess how our silence has allowed other voices to sound out without challenge. As Christians we must be willing to disrupt systems of oppression and advocate for justice. Our commitment to each other requires us to engage in restorative justice (mishpat). We must speak out, dismantle unjust structures and create a society in which people can live with freedom and dignity. We must engage in dialogue and so increase awareness and insight about the lived experience of all people. Together, we must engage in the struggle for justice in society – because we all belong to Christ.’  

Grace and peace

Neil

Prayer for Racial Justice by Revd Dr Martin Luther King Jr

When our eyes do not see the gravity of racial injustice, shake us from our slumber and open our eyes, O Lord. When out of fear we are frozen into inaction, give us a spirit of bravery, O Lord. When we try our best but say the wrong things, give us a spirit of humility, O Lord. When the chaos of this dies down, give us a lasting spirit of solidarity, O Lord. When it becomes easier to point fingers outward, help us to examine our own hearts, O Lord. God of truth, in your wisdom, enlighten us. God of love, in your mercy, forgive us. God of hope in your kindness, heal us. Creator of all people, in your generosity, guide us. Racism breaks your heart, break our hearts for what breaks yours, O Lord. Amen

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