A Prayer for Our Times
Forgive us our righteousness
O Father God, the Lord of all,
the one who sent your son
who mother-like her people called
to come to her for help
and safety from the coming
holocaust of Rome or Hun,
and later still the Teuton
near achieving all his goals
until what we term providence
stayed the hand that held the steel
that ravaged worlds and lands,
and peoples, nations, folk,
who had no option
but to choose to suffer
as their noble goal and call.
You, who gave us peace of sorts,
now you we petition to save us
from false freedom riders,
lynchers,
killers,
murderers
of innocents in lands far-off.
Those are nearing every day
and threatening our sense
and dream of justice
coming from ourselves
(our ways
our actions noble
and power benign).
How soon, how soon,
I ask plead beg
Before you enter in once more
to strike the heart of darkness
rampant in our world?
How long before
(analyses now done) and sent
to friends who worship you this Lent
One thing remains
for friends—for me—
one thing remains to do:
repent.
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