Justice Prayers - June 3, 2026
Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase
- MLK Jr
The Feast of the Visitation
May 31 marks The Feast of the Visitation in the Roman Catholic Church. The feast marks the encounter of Elizabeth and Mary where Elizabeth announces the truth of who Mary is, blessing her, naming her faith, and proclaiming the movement of God. Mary responds in a song. (Luke 1:46-55).
German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer recognized the subversive nature of Mary’s Song. In a sermon during Advent in 1933 he stated: “The song of Mary is the oldest Advent hymn. It is at once the most passionate, the wildest, one might even say the most revolutionary Advent hymn ever sung. This is not the gentle, tender, dreamy Mary whom we sometimes see in paintings. . . . This song has none of the sweet, nostalgic, or even playful tones of some of our Christmas carols.”
Mary’s song is a song of salvation, with political, economic, and social dimensions. May we join with voices around the world who continue to sing the song.
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour!
God, you know my pain and my plight. You scatter the proud. You
bring rulers down from their thrones. But the hungry are filled
with good things. The humble are lifted up. This promise from you,
God, is written on my heart. Amen.
Competing Visions
An issue facing the Christian church today is competing visions about the church's witness and public voice.
“Rededicate 250” was a national gathering of prayer, worship, and thanksgiving recently held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The event sought to “unite Americans in gratitude for the nation's history and to symbolically rededicate the country as One Nation under God.” The day featured Scripture readings, personal testimonies, musical performances, military bands, with public servants and high profile faith leaders in attendance.
The following week, Repairers of the Breach organized a similar gathering to protest Rededicate 250. They viewed it as “the use of religious nationalism to justify war and harmful public policies”. Bishop William J. Barber II criticized religious gatherings that remain silent in the face of poverty, war, voter suppression, healthcare inequities, and attacks on vulnerable communities, arguing that the use of power contradicts the core values of Christianity.
Lord Jesus, when Christians see your call differently, keep us rooted in your love and unity. Give us humble hearts, listening ears, and a desire to seek your Kingdom above all else, that our witness may reflect your grace and truth.
Safeguarding Human Dignity
When it comes to safeguarding people from known harms, there is often a lag between awareness and action. Smoking claimed countless lives before meaningful protections were put in place.
Today, we can point to many products and practices whose harmful effects were not fully understood by consumers until years later. Australia recently passed a ban on social media use for children under 16, and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has announced plans to introduce similar legislation restricting youth access to social media and AI chatbots.
Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, reflects on safeguarding human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence. These developments raise important questions about how we balance innovation with responsibility and care for the most vulnerable among us.
Lord, we give thanks for those who seek to protect human dignity and safeguard others from harm. As new technologies shape our lives in ways we do not yet fully understand, grant us discernment. Help us to hold together individual rights and what it means to be our brother's and sister's keeper.
Becoming (part of) the Answer to our Own Prayers
Beyond the Headlines: Faith, Community and the Stories that Shape Us
Join a new justice education series from Thrive, World Renew, and the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue. This four-part series explores immigration, food justice, climate justice, and gender justice through a biblical lens—equipping participants to recognize harmful narratives, understand root causes, and take meaningful, faith-informed action.
