We can weave justice into our prayers by interceding for the oppressed and the oppressors both locally and globally. Most prayers of intercession can be used with choruses or refrains between the prayers for our concerns and the concerns of the world. Good examples include "Let Us Pray to the Lord" (SNC 202), "Ososo" (SNC 209), and "Open Our Eyes" (SNC 263). "Ososo" calls for God to bring reconciliation to the people, while "Open Our Eyes" asks the Lord to make us more aware of the oppressed in our world. By including prayers concerned about issues of justice, worship directs the congregation beyond itself and builds the fellowship of the body of Christ.
Listen to the songs
• Spontaneous prayers can incorporate God's justice by simply addressing God as the God of freedom and deliverance, the God who hears the cry of the widow, or the God who raises up the humble and humbles the proud.
• Bring justice into your worship by incorporating the reading or singing of more psalms that are justice-themed. The song "O Great God and Lord of the Earth" (One Is the Body) is a disturbing yet powerful proclamation of justice based entirely on Psalm 94. "Do Not Be Vexed" (One Is the Body) is a setting of Psalm 34. Psalms 72, 37, 103, 140, and 146 are a few of many such psalms.
• Sing the many songs that bridge music and justice. "O God, Your Justice Towers" (SNC 272) contrasts our blindness to injustice to God's desire that justice roll like a mighty, cleansing stream. "In Labor All Creation Groans" (SNC 270) creates a yearning for the way God wants the world to be. "Jesus Heard with Deep Compassion" (SNC 124) sings of the justice spread by Jesus during his life on earth, and "Bring Forth the Kingdom" (SNC 123) commissions the people to engage the world with justice.
Listen to the songs
• The simple act of incorporating global music into worship, preferably sung in the original language, encourages us to remember the global church, builds the unity of the church universal, and directs our attention to our neighbor. This in turn places the needs and concerns of these people groups before our eyes and into our mouths. This can be particularly meaningful when combined with prayer interceding for the particular struggles of the people of that nation. Singing global music proclaims that we value the contributions from all people, all are welcome here, and worship is for all of us.
• Another way to incorporate justice into prayer is by praying for the further establishment of God's kingdom on earth. This prayer from the Iona community is a good example:
Let us pray for the breaking in of God’s kingdom in our world today.
Lord God, because Jesus has taught us to trust you in all things, we hold to his word and share his plea:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where nations budget for war while Christ says, "Put [away] your sword":
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where countries waste food and covet fashion while Christ says, "I was hungry . . . I was thirsty . . .":
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where powerful governments claim their policies are heaven blessed while Scripture states that God helps the powerless:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where Christians seek the kingdom in the shape of their own church as if Christ came to build and not to break barriers:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where our prayers falter, our faith weakens, our light grows dim:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where Jesus Christ calls us:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Lord God, you have declared that your kingdom is among us. Open our ears to hear it, our hands to serve it, our hearts to hold it. This we pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
–A Wee Worship Book, pp. 16-17
©1999, by WGRG The Iona Community (Scotland). Used by permission of GIA Publications, Inc.
• Incorporate prayer and song that lament the injustice in the world. "Jesus Christ, Hope of the World" (Mil Voces para celebrar, 387 [the Spanish hymnal of the United Methodist Church]) by Joao Carlos Gottinari looks ahead to a world without injustice and asks God to bring that hope into fullness. "Inspired by Love and Anger" from the Iona Community asks why God allows suffering to continue and challenges the singer by asking why we are not more active in being God's transformers of the injustice we lament.
• Litanies can incorporate both prayers and songs that express concern for justice, lament occurrences of injustice, celebrate God's love of justice, or commit to practicing justice. A good justice litany should address the root causes of the injustice rather than solely encouraging a mercy response. It should challenge people to understand their role in the systems and structures that perpetuate this injustice. It should pray for both the oppressed and the oppressors, for both are made less by injustice than they were created to be. Finally, it should proclaim the hope of the way things will be in the fully established kingdom of God, urging people to help make that a reality.
Leader: As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city
he wept over it and said: “If you, even you, had only
known on this day what would bring you peace…”
All: We weep with Jesus for those who suffer, for
those without peace.
Leader: For those waking today in pain and in dread
of another day of sickness…
All: We weep with you Jesus.
Men: For the 78 children who woke up in homeless
shelters today in our town…
All: We weep with you Jesus.
Women: For the AIDS orphans, awake before dawn to be
mothers and fathers to their brothers and sisters…
All: We weep with you Jesus.
Men: For the women who wake to live another day with
the memories of rape, abuse, and violence.
All: We weep with you Jesus.
Women: For the men who crawl out of bed to face
another day of failure to provide for their families.
All: We weep with you Jesus.
Leader: For those of us who awoke today healthy,
wealthy, powerful, self sufficient, and with all the
answers…
All: We weep with you Jesus.
Leader: In your passion we weep with you Jesus for
the death of our goodness and the corruption of your
creation.
All: But on Easter morning we will awake rejoicing!
Women: On Easter morning awaken our brothers and
sisters and bathe them in peace, the sure hope of the
Gospel’s good news, and of comfort, food, friendship,
and all else that you have promised.
Men: On Easter morning awaken us to the joy of our
powerlessness, the freedom of our dependence, and the
excitement of your call to serve.
All: Awaken us with you on Easter morning -- new
creations!
Our Confession and Our Faith
Responsive Reading
Leader
You are God, the creator, and we are your creatures.
You formed us with immense love –
in your own image - and made us good.
All
But we were not content with ourselves or with the paradise you created.
We wished to be in no ones’ image but our own. We believed the lie.
We disowned you, and all creation has paid the price.
We are formless and cannot find our real selves,
We are wandering and cannot find home,
We are tired and hungry and cannot find rest,
Leader
We have reached the end of our strength.
We are dying.We have no more bright ideas.
We confess that we cannot save ourselves.
We cannot even improve ourselves.
All
But you have done for us and your creation
what we could not do for ourselves!
Thank you for facing down Death and Despair,
Thank you for the Easter Jesus,
Leader
This world belongs to you.
We belong to you
We are free to become who you made us to be…
All
Your creatures,
Your friends,
Your praise singers,
Fearless and joyful implementers of your
compassion, your justice, your shalom,
Co-creators with you.
