Forgiveness requires faith
A prayer against racism and hatred
Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash
Lord God you are the Almighty One. Your name is the One we praise night and day. To you, and you alone, do we glorify and magnify. It is to you, the Creator of all life, that we cry out in the midst of hatred and anger. To you, O lover of the soul, that we seek deliverance from racism and violence.
We are a nation whose history is an ocean of sin. Forgive us, O Lord.
We have enslaved those we deemed subhuman and labeled them property, Forgive us, O Lord.
We have thrown thousands into internment camps in the name of safety and security, Forgive us, O Lord.
We have separated individuals in society based on skin color, Forgive us, O Lord.
We have assassinated those who spoke of freedom and dreamed of equality, Forgive us, O Lord.
We have jailed those who demanded to be seen and not mistreated, Forgive us, O Lord.
We have judged another based on their appearance before knowing their heart, Forgive us, O Lord.
We have become fearful in neighborhoods where we are a minority, Forgive us, O Lord.
We have assumed someone of another race is operating with bad motives, Forgive us, O Lord.
We have viewed others as our enemy based on ethnicity, Heal us, O Lord.
We have caused anger and hatred among neighbors we are called to love, Heal us, O Lord.
We have destroyed dreams and damaged self-esteems because of color, Heal us, O Lord.
We have caused tears to be shed and hearts to be broken, Heal us, O Lord.
We have reached out our hand to our race and fists to others, Heal us, O Lord.
We have praised equality, while demanding others ‘stay in their place’, Heal us, O Lord.
We have turned our face from injustices and our hearts from compassion, Heal us, O Lord.
We have buried our children because of the hand of violence and hate, Heal us, O Lord.
From future visible and invisible scars of racism, Deliver us O, Lord.
From teaching others to hate because of a person’s race or culture, Deliver us O, Lord.
From our children and grandchildren being considered less important than others, Deliver us O, Lord
From a child’s heart being exposed to racism and judgment, Deliver us O, Lord.
From a parent teaching their child its acceptable to hate, Deliver us O, Lord.
From the refusal to love our neighbor, Deliver us O, Lord.
From a heart that rejects the value of every individual, Deliver us O, Lord.
From the arrogance that coincides with racism and hate, Deliver us O, Lord.
O, Lord, you are the Almighty and Immortal One. You are the One who parts the seas and moves the mountains. It is at your command that storms calm and oceans part. It is through your Word that life is created and through your mercy and grace that each individual holds dignity and worth. Lord God, Prince of Peace and the world’s Redeemer, surround us with your Presence and shower us with your grace. Pour forth your Spirit, O Lord, and heal our Land.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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About the Author
Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.
During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.
After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.
Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.
Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.
She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)
Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson
