Lenten Devotional: Prayers of Solidarity

• Scripture Readings

  The readings correlate with the sermon passages for Lent 2023.

  Week 1 – Mark 8:27-35
  Week 2 – Mark 9:42-50
  Week 3 – Mark 10:17-31
  Week 4 – Mark 10:32-52
  Week 5 – Mark 12:1-12
  Week 6 – Mark 12:28-34
  Week 7 – (Easter) Mark 16:1-8

• Rhythms

  Cycle through the meditations, readings, and prayers three times each week to listen to God and bring your attention to solidarity with these concerns.

  • Meditate on the scripture
  • Read life story
  • Prayerfully consider reflection questions
  • Conclude with the prayer(s) provided

Readings by Week

• Week 1 - Proclaiming Jesus

  Scripture

  Mark 8:27-35

  Life Story

  Saint Maximillian Kolbe followed Jesus with calm conviction even when trading places with a condemned man in Auschwitz.

  Conversational Prayer

  Dialogue with God about the space of solidarity you are holding in this session. Use words, spoken or written, draw, sing, or move your body as ways of engaging/expressing these prayer thoughts, feelings, and questions.

  • Give thanks for Saint Maximillian Kolbe’s life. What from their story stands out to you? What gives you encouragement and strength?
  • What challenges you?
  • Does anything in their story prompt you to desire to live, love, act, and relate differently than you have before?
  • Prayerfully hold a posture of awareness of God’s presence with you. In that awareness, consider what a faithful response is for you out of this time of prayerful solidarity.
  • Pray now for those who are affected by displacement, occupation, and imprisonment- where their bodily freedoms are limited, that their lives would still reflect freedom in Christ.

  Poetic Prayer

  “From Behind Bars: Luke 7:18-23” by Drew Jackson*

  From behind bars it’s hard
  to see if the long arc
  of the moral universe is bending toward justice.

  I have heard reports of a movement, working to bring change,
  but all I can see are COs and prison guards laughing at talk of abolition.

  And I laugh
  to cover up the fact
  that my hope is waning.
  Little light remains in this dungeon.

  Is this really you?
  Is this really a God move?
  Or should I just keep waiting
  with the patience that killed the ancestors?

• Week 2 - Caring for Children

  Scripture

  Mark 9:42-50

  Life Story

  Eunice Kennedy Schriver was committed to honoring the independence and dignity of disabled children and founded the Special Olympics.

  Conversational Prayer

  Dialogue with God about the space of solidarity you are holding in this session. Use words, spoken or written, draw, sing, or move your body as ways of engaging/expressing these prayer thoughts, feelings, and questions.

  • Give thanks for Eunice Kennedy Schriver’s life. What from their story stands out to you? What gives you encouragement and strength?
  • What challenges you?
  • Does anything in their story prompt you to desire to live, love, act, and relate differently than you have before?
  • Prayerfully hold a posture of awareness of God’s presence with you. In that awareness, consider what a faithful response is for you out of this time of prayerful solidarity.
  • Pray now for the children whose humanity is not recognized. For the children displaced by war. For those who have been separated from their parents because of political maneuvers. Pray for those in the broken foster care system and situations where they have needed to grow up too fast. Pray for their healing and for systemic change that seeks to care for the whole personhood of children from infancy to adolescence.

  Singing Prayer

  “Jubilee” By Maveric City Music, performed by the Highrock Choir. Lyrics

• Week 3 - Leaving Riches

  Scripture

  Mark 10:17-31

  Life Story

  Chuck Feeney gave away billions of dollars anonymously and lived a modest humble life.

  Conversational Prayer

  Dialogue with God about the space of solidarity you are holding in this session. Use words, spoken or written, draw, sing, or move your body as ways of engaging/expressing these prayer thoughts, feelings, and questions.

  • Give thanks for this Chuck Feeny’s life. What from their story stands out to you? What gives you encouragement and strength?
  • What challenges you?
  • Does anything in their story prompt you to desire to live, love, act, and relate differently than you have before?
  • Prayerfully hold a posture of awareness of God’s presence with you. In that awareness, consider what a faithful response is for you out of this time of prayerful solidarity.
  • Pray now for those who are captive to their bank accounts. Pray for their freedom and that they will begin to be a part of God’s redemptive work in the world by giving lavishly rather than living lavishly. Pray over your own finances and ask God to show you how your riches may be used to bless others.

  Singing Prayer

  “Be Thou My Vision” performed by Jason Cross. Lyrics

• Week 4 - Serving Others

  Scripture

  Mark 10:32-52

  Life Story

  John Perkins was a leader in the civil rights movement, a developer of community organizations to support youth in rural and urban areas, and a leader in reconciliation.

  Conversational Prayer

  Dialogue with God about the space of solidarity you are holding in this session. Use words, spoken or written, draw, sing, or move your body as ways of engaging/expressing these prayer thoughts, feelings, and questions.

  • Give thanks for John Perkin’s life. What from their story stands out to you? What gives you encouragement and strength?
  • What challenges you?
  • Does anything in their story prompt you to desire to live, love, act, and relate differently than you have before?
  • Prayerfully hold a posture of awareness of God’s presence with you. In that awareness, consider what a faithful response is for you out of this time of prayerful solidarity.
  • Pray now for those whose civil rights are not honored and respected. Pray for those who are doing the grassroots work to change communities and policies. Pray for God’s provision for those waiting for systemic change and redemptive justice to be seen in their lifetime. Give thanks for all those who have gone before to lay the foundations. Ask God to show you how you can engage in helping to restore justice and equity to your community.

  Poetic Prayer

  “Demonized: Luke 7:31-35” By Drew Jackson*

  It does not seem to matter how we do this work:

  with bullhorns or ballpoint pens,
  with demure conversation or deafening protest, with justied rage or joyful resistance.

  We will still, somehow, be demonized.

  Labeled as rabble-rousers.
  Agitators.
  Those who stand against the work of God in the world.

  It seems to me
  the issue is not our methods,
  but that we would dare raise our voices to challenge the status quo.

  The problem is that we have the audacity
  to say woe to you.

  What we do is madness.
  We must be crazy
  to believe that change could come to this generation.

  So go ahead and frame us.
  Continue to blame us for disturbing your false peace. Keep covering us in your lies.
  We will prove to be the wise ones
  in the eyes of history.

• Week 5 - Stewarding the Land

  Scripture

  Mark 12:1-1

  Life Story

  Sister Dorothy Stang’s commitment to protecting the people and land of the Amazon rainforest ultimately cost her her life.

  Conversational Prayer

  Dialogue with God about the space of solidarity you are holding in this session. Use words, spoken or written, draw, sing, or move your body as ways of engaging/expressing these prayer thoughts, feelings, and questions.

  • Give thanks for Sister Dorothy Stang’s life. What from their story stands out to you? What gives you encouragement and strength?
  • What challenges you?
  • Does anything in their story prompt you to desire to live, love, act, and relate differently than you have before?
  • Prayerfully hold a posture of awareness of God’s presence with you. In that awareness, consider what a faithful response is for you out of this time of prayerful solidarity.
  • Pray now for those whose suer sickness, poverty, and death because the land and water have been made toxic by chemicals and irresponsible industry. Pray for indigenous peoples whose land was and is being taken, and with it an erasure of their way of life. Pray for the healing of God’s earthly creation, that it would be stewarded as a gift to protect and respect rather than used and consumed.

  Prayer

  “Blessing of the Land or a Garden”‡

  God of the Universe,
  you made the heavens and the earth,
  so we do not call our home merely “planet earth.”
  We call it your creation, a divine mystery,
  a gift from your most blessed hand.
  The world itself is your miracle.
  Bread and vegetables from earth are thus also from heaven.
  Help us to see in our daily bread your presence. Upon this garden may your stars rain down their blessed dust.
  May you send rain and sunshine upon our garden and us.
  Grant us the humility to touch the humus,
  that we might become more human,
  that we might mend our rift from your creation,
  that we might then know the sacredness of the gift of life,
  that we might truly experience life from your hand.
  For you planted humanity in a garden
  and began our resurrection in a garden.
  Our blessed memory and hope lie in a garden. Thanks be to God, who made the world teeming with variety,
  of things on the earth, above the earth, and under the earth. Thanks be to God
  for the many kinds of plants, trees, and fruits
  that we celebrate.
  For the centipedes, ants, and worms,
  for the mice, marmots, and bats,
  for the cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers,
  we rejoice
  that we find ourselves eclipsed by the magnitude
  of generosity and mystery.
  Thanks be to God.

• Week 6 - Loving God & Neighbor

  Scripture

  Mark 12:28-34

  Life Story

  Martin de Porres endured ridicule and racism in the pursuit of joining a holy order where he offered radically compassionate care for the sick.

  Conversational Prayer

  Dialogue with God about the space of solidarity you are holding in this session. Use words, spoken or written, draw, sing, or move your body as ways of engaging/expressing these prayer thoughts, feelings, and questions.

  • Give thanks for Martin de Porres’ life. What from their story stands out to you? What gives you encouragement and strength?
  • What challenges you?
  • Does anything in their story prompt you to desire to live, love, act, and relate differently than you have before?
  • Prayerfully hold a posture of awareness of God’s presence with you. In that awareness, consider what a faithful response is for you out of this time of prayerful solidarity.
  • Pray now for those who encounter obstacles as they follow God because of the hatred of others. For those whose gifts go unnoticed or undeveloped because of the shortsightedness of people in positions of authority. Ask God to help make you aware of whose abilities you discount, limit, or overlook.

  Prayer

  “Prayer for Healing”‡

  For Healing In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we enjoin your divine mercies.
  Lord, why do we suer?
  Why do we hurt?

  Shall our only answer
  be the eternal abyss of the cosmos?
  Shall our only answer be the whirlwind of unknowing
  which engulfed Job?
  Why do the wicked flourish,
  while the righteous waste away?
  I am left speechless, left with the words,
  “I will trust in you, my God.” God, we ask for the sending of your healing Spirit, who came to us through Jesus, as he breathed upon his disciples.
  This Spirit gathered your people,
  to be warmed by the re of divine presence.
  By this warmth, may (name of sick person)
  be healed and taken into your care. Like the blind man whom Jesus healed,
  may (name of sick person) become a sign
  of your glory, calling you the Anointed One,
  the one who also anoints us and points us to the love of God.
  Grants us your healing peace. Amen.

• Week 7 - Women Proclaiming the Gospel

  Scripture

  Mark 16:1-8

  Life Story

  Phillis Wheatley was a poet and an enslaved person who used her voice and pen to speak against slavery from a Christian perspective.

  Conversational Prayer

  Dialogue with God about the space of solidarity you are holding in this session. Use words, spoken or written, draw, sing, or move your body as ways of engaging/expressing these prayer thoughts, feelings, and questions.

  • Give thanks for this Phillis Wheatley’s life. What from their story stands out to you? What gives you encouragement and strength?
  • What challenges you?
  • Does anything in their story prompt you to desire to live, love, act, and relate differently than you have before?
  • Prayerfully hold a posture of awareness of God’s presence with you. In that awareness, consider what a faithful response is for you out of this time of prayerful solidarity.
  • Pray now for those who are speaking but not heard. That the world would pay attention to their voices and heed the call to alleviate suffering and injustice. Ask God to make you aware of the voices and stories of women you aren’t hearing or listening for.

  Prayer

  “A Litany to Honor Women”‡

  We walk in the company of the women who have gone before, mothers of the faith both named and unnamed, testifying with ferocity and faith to the Spirit of wisdom and healing. They are the judges, the prophets, the martyrs, the warriors, poets, lovers, and saints who are near to us in the shadow of awareness, in the crevices of memory, in the landscape of our dreams.

  We walk in the company of Deborah, who judged the Israelites with authority and strength.

  We walk in the company of Esther, who used her position as queen to ensure the welfare of her people.

  We walk in the company of you whose names have been lost and silenced, who kept and cradled the wisdom of the ages.

  We walk in the company of the woman with the ow of blood, who audaciously sought her healing and release.

  We walk in the company of Mary Magdalene, who wept at the empty tomb until the risen Christ appeared.

  We walk in the company of Phoebe, who led an early church in the empire of Rome. We walk in the company of Perpetua of Carthage, whose witness in the third century led to her martyrdom.

  We walk in the company of St. Christina the Astonishing, who resisted death with persistence and wonder.

  We walk in the company of Julian of Norwich, who wed imagination and theology, proclaiming, “All shall be well.”

  We walk in the company of Sojourner Truth, who stood against oppression, righteously declaring in 1852, “Ain’t I a woman!”

  We walk in the company of the Argentine mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, who turned their grief to strength, standing together to remember “the disappeared” children of war with a holy indignation.

  We walk in the company of Alice Walker, who named the lavender hue of womanish strength.

  We walk in the company of you mothers of the faith, who teach us to resist evil with boldness, to lead with wisdom, and to heal. Amen.

• Citations

  * Jackson, Drew E., and Jon Batiste. God Speaks through Wombs: Poems on God’s Unexpected Coming. InterVarsity Press, 2021.
  † https://ccda.org/dominique-gilliard/
  ‡ Claiborne, Shane; Wilson-Hartgrove, Jonathan; Okoro, Enuma. Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals. Zondervan. Kindle Edition.