I wrote this responsive litany for our upcoming prayer vigil marking the one year anniversary of George Floyd’s death, and praying for a world where violence can end. Feel free to use it with acknowledgements in any worship service where is might seem relevant.

MOVE US TOWARD BLESSEDNESS

(A Responsive Litany based on The Beatitudes of Matthew 5)

ONE: Bend us to your blessedness as we pray; turn our hearts toward those that you call blessed.  Purify our hearts and grant us a vision of your righteousness for this world, for we know that this is the path to the Kingdom of Heaven, and so we pray Holy One:

ALL: Move us toward blessedness, O God.

ONE: Help us to stand with those who mourn, to bear witness to the grief and sorrow, to not turn away when we find their tears catching in our own throats.  For we know that those who mourn will be comforted, and so we pray Holy One:

ALL: Move us toward blessedness, O God.

ONE: Give us a heart full of mercy, a heart that turns away from violence and retaliation and finds a path towards restoration and peace. For we know that those who are merciful will be shown mercy, and so we pray Holy One:

ALL: Move us toward blessedness, O God.

ONE: Teach us how to be both peacemaker and justice seeker, because you call us to be both, and we struggle to know how believing that without peace there will be no justice and without justice, there can be no peace.  We know though, that it is the peacemakers who You will call the children of God, and so we pray Holy One:

ALL: Move us toward blessedness, O God.

ONE: Help us God, to put on the mantle of persecution by standing with those who are persecuted through exploitation, oppression, war, or repression because of their race, gender, faith or nationality

ALL: Move us toward blessedness, O God.

ONE: Move us closer toward your blessedness, Holy God, so that we might know your grace in this world. Amen.

(c) 2021, C.M. Kolwey