Forgive me, God,
for eating too much.
Forgive me, God,
for eating too much
when too many
have too little.
Forgive me, God,
for eating too much
while your beloved children
die from lack of food
caused by political decisions
and a lack of will.
Forgive me, God.
I know better.
Help me do better.
Amen..
Category Archives: Human Rights
A fat man prays in world where starvation stalks
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Food, Human Rights, United Nations
A prayer of confession while children hunger and starve
How cruel have we become, God,
that we could even consider
burning food while
children hunger and starve?
Kyrie eleison.
Forgive us.
How stunted is our creativity, God
that we cannot conceive
of ways to use food while
children hunger and starve?
Kyrie eleison.
Forgive us.
What has happened to our values, God,
when we dismantle programs
that distribute food to
children who hunger and starve?
Kyrie eleison.
Forgive us.
We confess our shortsightedness and cruelty;
we confess our stunted imagination and warped values.
Kyrie eleison.
Forgive us.
Pour your Holy Spirit afresh
upon those who make decisions
that they might repent and choose life
and seek ways to share the abundance you create.
Pour your Holy Spirit afresh
upon us all that we might repent
and continue to advocate and work
for a world in which everyone has enough.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Perhaps the food in question has expired and can no longer be used. If so, that is another human failure and represents additional actions of which we need to repent.
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Human Rights
A prayer after Pride month
I thank you, God,
for friends who share photos and stories
of their participation in Pride Parades and events.
The joy, the love, the faith, the freedom,
the courage, the hope, and yes, the pride
in their faces and their bodies
fills my soul with gladness
almost beyond words.
I thank you for their witness.
It touches me profoundly and
deepens my understanding
that you create each of us
in your image and that
each person of
every sexual orientation and
every gender identify
is your beloved child.
I pray, God,
for each friend, each person
who, for whatever reason or reasons,
chose not to participate
in public events.
May they know they are loved by you and
that they too fill my soul with gladness.
Help me remember that Pride
is a focus for a month
and a way to live each day.
Inspire me to love you
and all your children more dearly.
Guide me to work
more faithfully for
a community, a church,
a state, a country, and a world
where everyone knows welcome
and everyone belongs;
where everyone is treated
with dignity and respect;
where all people can participate in Pride events: and
justice and equity prevail for all.
May it be so, Rainbow God.
Amen.
2 July 2025
Filed under Current Events, Family, Friends, Human Rights, Prayer
A prayer as the struggle continues
(on the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising
and as the Pentagon renames the USNS Harvey Milk)
When fear calls us to forget,
when bigotry seeks to rewrite and erase,
we remember, God.
We will remember.
We remember Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera,
and all your beloved children
who participated in the Stonewall Uprising,
demanding dignity, respect, and justice.
We will remember.
We remember your beloved child Harvey Milk.
Even as the Pentagon removes his name from a U.S. naval vessel.
We remember his service in the U.S. Navy.
We remember his service in San Francisco.
We remember efforts to recruit us,
to recruit us for the fight to preserve democracy
from those who are trying to constitutionalize bigotry.
We remember his challenge and inspiration.
”you have to give them hope.
Hope for a better world,
hope for a better tomorrow,
hope for a better place to come to
if the pressures at home are too great.
Hope that all will be all right.”
We give thanks for the hope Harvey Milk gave,
the hope he still gives,
and we will remember.
We remember individuals and organizations
who have worked through the years
for the recognition, rights and inclusion of
the LGBTQIA2S+ community
within society and the church.
We will remember.
We remember with thanks those
engaged in this work and ministry
who we knew, and perhaps worked with:
who we know and work with now:
(say names aloud or silently in your heart).
We will remember.
We remember with thanks those
engaged in this work and ministry
whose names we did not know,
whose names we do not know,
and yet who touched our lives
and made life better, more whole, more just.
You know their names, God.
You made and love each one.
And we will remember.
We remember and confess
that some organizations
and individuals (myself among them)
have been too careful, timid, and fearful
through the years.
We accepted the status quo
and failed to challenge the oppression
endured by your beloved LGBTQIA2S+ children.
Forgive us. Renew us. Inspire us.
Help us find our voices.
Help us locate our places in the struggle.
We will remember.
And by your grace, may we do better.
We pray in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
words in italics are a paraphrase of Harvey Milk’s words in “That’s What America Is” a speech delivered by San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, June 25, 1978 (Gay Freedom Day); words in quotation marks are from “You’ve Got to Have Hope” by Harvey Milk delivered on June 24, 1977; note that like many public speakers (and preachers) Harvey Milk presented the same ideas in numerous speeches; words in bold italics are stage directions for your prayer
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Human Rights, Prayer
27 June 2025
Walk. From Eric & Essie’s house to our apartment.
No matter what the current administration does. we will remember. The first four songs remember Harvey Milk. The remainder of the playlist remembers the Stonewall Uprising which began on 28 June. According to the Stonewall Veteran’s Association, the songs on this playlist were among the most popular songs in the Stonewall jukebox during the week of the Stonewall Rebellion.
Tired of the Silence – Andrew Lippa, Bay Area Rainbow Symphony, Dr. Timothy Seelig & San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus
The Times of Harvey Milk – Mark Isham
Wave a Flag for Harvey Milk – Mr. Greg & Cass McCombs
Give ‘Em Hope – Boys’ Entrance
Crystal Blue Persuasion – Tommy James & The Shondells
Grazing In the Grass – The Friends of Distinction
Romeo and Juliet – Henry Mancini
(We’ve Got) Honey Love – Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
The More I See You – Chris Montez
Don’t Let the Joneses Get You Down – The Temptations
Before the Parade Passes By – Barbra Streisand
More Today Than Yesterday – The Spiral Starecase
The Young Folks p Diana Ross & The Supremes
Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In – The 5th Dimension
It’s Your Thing – The Isley Brothers
While You’re Out Looking for Sugar – Honey Cone
Don’t Bring Back Memories – Four Tops
The Windmills of Your Mind – Dusty Springfield
My Way – Frank Sinatra
This Is My Life (La Vita) – Shirley Bassey
What Does It Take – Junior Walker & The All Stars
My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
Get Back – The Beatles
Filed under Albuquerque, Current Events, Exercise, Human Rights, Music, New Mexico, playlist
25 June 2025
Battle of the Greasy Grass
Wash Your Spirit Clean – Walela
Sitting Bull’s Medicine Song – Kevin Locke
It Is A Good Day To Die – Robbie Robertson & The Red Road
Lakota Forever – Brulé
The Little Bighorn March – Bill Miller
A Man Named Crazy Horse – Shannon Thunderbird
Tatanka – Luis Cachiguango
Garryowne & Valley Of Little Big Horn – Jack Gladstone
Crazy Horse Prayer – Peter Kater
Buffalo Prayer Song – Robert Tree Cody & Hovia Edwards
Little Big Horn Battle Song – Porcupine Singers
In The Spirit Of Crazy Horse – Thunder Bird Sisters
The Legend of Crazy Horse – Jim Young
Battle of Little Bighorn – Sencheng Zhang
Battle of Little Bighorn – RedCloud, feat. Def Shepard
Filed under Antiracism, Human Rights, Music, New Mexico, playlist
A prayer to the Creative Spirit of diversity
Creative Spirit,
you make all that is,
you make the human family,
in rich, wild diversity,
each one in your own image,
everyone beloved by you.
The diversity you create
enlarges the sphere of possibilities
for all of us.
Help us
acknowledge the diversity you create
as your gift to us;
understand the diversity you create
as enhancing your world;
and celebrate the diversity you create
as enriching our lives.
Inspire us to reject and dismantle
all systems and ideologies
that erroneously and sinfully
maintain that some of us have greater value.
Guide us to welcome all people
as your beloved children
and to love one another
as taught and lived by Jesus
in whose name we pray.
Amen.
inspired by When God Became White by the Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim (subscribe to her Substack account)
Filed under Antiracism, Books, Current Events, Human Rights
22 June 2025 – Songs for peace
Work began on this playlist last night as reports of the United States bombing Iran began to appear. It was “completed” this morning. Note that this list deviates from the rules (well, guidelines really) of playlists in two ways. Some artists appear more than once. Some songs do as well. Although not every song with the same title is the same song.
Heaven Help Us All – Stevie Wonder
Heaven Help Us All – Ray Charles & Gladys Knight
Heaven Help Us All – The Blind Boys of Alabama
Heaven Help Us All – Joan Baez
Give Peace a Chance – John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Give Peace A Chance – Aerosmith Feat. Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars
Peace Train – Yusuf Islam (recorded as Cat Stevens)
A Song of Peace – Abraham Jam
Where Have All The Flowers Gone – Dolores Keane, Tommy Sands & Vedran Smailovic
Imagine – Willie Nelson
Imagine – Keb’ Mo’
(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Pipes of Peace – Paul McCartney
The Great Peace March – Holly Near
War No More – Wyclef Jean
Peace Train/Isitimela Sokuthula – Dolly Parton, feat. Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Peace in the Valley – Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Peace on Earth – U2
Peace. Salaam, Shalom – emma’s revolution
War – The Temptations
War – Edwin Starr
War – Bob Marley & The Wailers
When the Wind Blows – Eric Bogle with John Munro & Brent Miller
Peace Has Broken Out – Eric Bogle
Study War No More – Pete Seeger
Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream – Simon & Garfunkel
Military Madness – Graham Nash
Masters of War – Bob Dylan
What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
Give Me Love – Billy Preston
Peter – David LaMotte
No Nuclear War – Peter Tosh
Christmas In The Trenches – John McCutcheon
Land of Hope and Dreams (Introduction) [Live in Manchester, May 14, 2025] – Bruce Springsteen
Land of Hope and Dreams (Live in Manchester, May 14, 2025) – Bruce Springsteen
A Song of Peace – Denver Brass
A Song of Peace – Gandharvas
A Song of Peace – Kim Young-Im
How Can I Keep From Singing – Eva Cassidy
Filed under Current Events, Human Rights, Music, playlist
20 June 2025 World Refugee Day
World Refugee Day Playlist
Refugee – Eric Bogle
Gourma – Etran Fintawa
Song To A Refugee – Diana Jones
Running – Keyon Harrold, Andrea Pizziconi & Jasson Harrold Running, feat. Common & Gregory Porter
Take Me to Cleveland – Robert Neustadt
Look in Their Eyes – David Crosby
The Refugee – U2
Follow Me – Moxie Raia, feat. Wyclef Jean
In Harm’s Way – Amanda Palmer
Is This Called Home – Lucy Rose
Prayer of the Refugee – Rise Against
Coming to America – K’naan
Refugee – Skip Marley
Lady of the Harbor – Si Kahn
Refugee – emma’s revolution
We Won’t Lose Count – TRISHES
Refugee – Bring Water
Refugees – Jimmy Cliff, feat, Wyclef Jean
A Safe Place to Land – Sara Bareilles, feat. John Legend
Émigré – Alela Diane
Living Like a Refugee – Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars
World Refugee Day – The Lyrical Lanterns
No Human Is Illegal – The Wakes
Filed under Albuquerque, Current Events, Human Rights, Music, New Mexico, playlist
Juneteenth 19 June 2025
Juneteenth.
Juneteenth – Suav
People Get Ready – The Impressions
Oh Freedom – Mary D. Williams
Freedom Road – The Blind Boys of Alabama
People Gotta Be Free – Keb’ Mo’
Free – Prince
Free – Deniece Williams
Is My Living in Vain – Mattie Moss Clark & The Clark Sisters
This Little Light of Mine – Fannie Lou Hamer
Freedom Now – Tracy Chapman
I’m Just a Slave – The Roots
Not a Slave – Dre’ Sr
Freedom – Richie Havens
Woke up This Morning with My Mind Stayed on Freedom – Congregation of Brown Chapel
Harriet Tubman/Steal Away – Kim & Reggie Harris
Juneteenth – Cast of Black-ish
Say It Loud – I ‘m Black and I’m Proud – James Brown
Alright – Kendrick Lamar
A Brand New Day – The Wiz
Fantasy – Earth, Wind & Fire
Yes We Can, Can – The Pointer Sisters
Ella’s Song – Sweet Honey in the Rock
Get Up Stand Up – Bob Marley & The Wailers
Mississippi Goddam – Nina Simone
Someday We’ll All Be Free – Donny Hathaway
9th Wonder (Blackitolism) – Digibale Planets
Soul Sista – Bilal
Freedom – Joi
O-O-H Child – The Five Stairsteps
Free – Destiny’s Child
I’ll Take You There – The Staple Singers
Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now – McFadden & Whitehead
I Am the Black Gold of the Sun – Rotary Connection & Minnie Riperton
One Nation under a Groove – Funkadelic
Build a House – Rhiannon Giddons & Yo-Yo Ma
Juneteenth Song – Gracie’s Corner
Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing – Beyonce
Filed under Albuquerque, Antiracism, Human Rights, Music, New Mexico, playlist
Along the Graybeard Trail 