A Prayer and Reminder for Our Times

As we take our customary Summer break from The Weekly Word, we want to leave with a prayer and a reminder.  Among many alarming trends, a particularly disturbing one is the reluctance of individuals to speak out for fear of recrimination.  Very sadly, that is not an unwarranted worry.  Blatant targeting of individuals and institutions is evident and is seemingly becoming almost mainstream.

A friend told me recently that his wife genuinely feared that their home might be targeted with tossed bricks, graffiti, or arson if a letter-to-the-editor he had written protesting Federal governmental actions was published. With dismay, we have noted the ever-increasing number of interviewed citizens who demand that their last name be withheld from publication by journalists asking their comments and opinions for news stories.

This is not America, the land of free speech.  This is not faith-inspired tolerance, a bedrock of open dialogue that leads to common understanding and confers respect for others.

Motivated by our faith and seeking a more just world, we commend this prayer to you.  Say it privately and publicly in group meetings, where it becomes a stirring call to action.

May I Speak Out
(author unknown)

Lord of Light, Lord of Hope,

Your prophet Isaiah cried, “Shout it aloud, do not hold back.

Raise your voice like a trumpet.”[1]

Yet I have seen your people suffer,

And have remained silent too long.

Help me speak out.

• When human dignity is not honored, may I speak out.
• When the poor are oppressed, may I speak out.
• When injustice reigns, may I speak out.
• When charity is absent, may I speak out.
• When rights are not respected, may I speak out.
• When the law is unjust, may I speak out.
• When violence is normalized, may I speak out.
• When other voices are silenced, may I speak out.
• When I am most afraid to speak out, may I speak out nonetheless.

Lord, give me the courage to be your microphone[2]

That my words may shine as brightly as yours,

to still the oppressor’s sword

and soften the hearts of the mighty.

Even now, I shudder at the thought of speaking.

But you have promised that those who trust in you will not be put to shame.

And to remain silent when I have seen what there is to see

grows more unthinkable every day.

Now is a time for prayer, Lord. Soon it will be a time for speaking.

May I speak out

Amen.

As you say that prayer, reflect on these well-known words from another time of repressed speech and open attack on those with differing viewpoints. They were written by Martin Niemöller, the German Lutheran pastor and theologian that spent seven years in Nazi concentration camps.   Initially, he was a Nazi supporter.

…And I Did Not Speak Out

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out –

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out –

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out –

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me –

And there was no one left to speak for me.

We will be back with regular Tuesday Weekly Words after Labor Day.  Our Friday newsletter continues uninterrupted.  Periodic postings and email bulletins from A Faith That Does Justice will also continue as warranted as together we strive to live our faith intentionally, in action, and in service to those who are poor, vulnerable and in need.

Peace and blessings to you during the Summer!

Tom Dwyer and the Editorial Team at A Faith That Does Justice

[1] Isaiah 58:1

[2] Oscar Romero, The Violence of Love