my prayer to be a better human

God –

Forgive us for living in this empire,
For swallowing the idols of this world
like pills in a box
labeled for each weak day.

We have thin idols.
We have gifted idols.
We have wealthy and successful idols.
We have idols for work and for sex and for war.

Forgive us for diminishing our humanity
By thinking only of being thinner, happier, and more productive.

Forgive us for abusing our authority
And for outsourcing our responsibility
Overseas somewhere
(we think).

We’ve made the world a clinical trial
And have tried to hide the results.

Forgive us for trading away our dignity
And for the exchange of our humility
with the humiliation
of other people.

We have gotten this life so very wrong.

Stoke the embers back to life
And fire the flames of You in Us

Uncover your people.

Excavate our godliness from the Nothing forests.

We want to move with you,
Walk in step with you,
Following, dancing, making, healing
This world
So we can say, together,
with your voice:

It is good.