Litany of Confession and Repentance

NOTE: This is the final Day of Prayer, Fasting, and Action for Iraq. We invite you to post a note about what the past several weeks have meant for you. Thank you for your commitment, both now and in the future. While our formal time of gathering is ended, our prayers and actions will surely continue.

To Post a Comment:
1) Goto http://prayerandactionforiraq.blogspot.com/
2) Scroll down to the bottom of the posting you wish to comment on.
3) Click on the place that shows the number of comments made on the posting.
4) Scroll to the bottom of that page and click where is says, “Post a comment.”


Tuesday, March 22, 2005
A Litany of Confession and Repentance
(based on Palm Sunday reading of Matt 21:1-11)

We sing Hosanna,
and shout “Crucify!”

We proclaim peace,
and pay for war.

We preach liberation,
and practice occupation.

We glorify freedom,
and imprison without trial.

We want to be disciples,
but weaken like Peter.

Jesus of Nazareth, humble king,
a donkey your throne,
palms and thorns your crown.

Your eyes see the people on the outskirts of the crowd:

Iraqi widows draped in black
Young men detained at Abu Ghraib
Fallujan refugees homeless now
children without parents
fathers without jobs
women searching for justice
And families whose soldiers
will never return.

May Your eyes be ours, our voices Your’s,
and our Hosannas work for justice
’til the end of our days.
___________________________________________________

It is Holy Week. We are about to recall in a special way the suffering and death of Jesus, who nonviolently gave his life for the healing of all. Jesus, our Teacher, was put to death because his words and actions challenged the powers of the day. The leaders decided it was “better for one man to die” than for the Roman occupiers to feel too threatened. (John 11:48-50).

For the past four months, we have been gathering together weekly to pray, fast, and take action on behalf of the people of Iraq. We have committed ourselves to challenging the powers of the day: the powers of greed, fear, and materialism that foster the wars and occupations of our time. Although this commitment might lead us into times of darkness, death, or seeming defeat, we know from Jesus’ Resurrection that life can spring from death. The truth will always rise again.


ACTION STEPS:

1. Review the last several Day of Prayer actions. Choose one that particularly spoke to you, and continue to build on it. Share your commitment with others, for support and encouragement.

2. Consider writing a letter for the Adopt-a-Detainee Campaign. A new profile about three Iraqi brothers who were detained on Dec 31, 2004 has been added (www.cpt.org/campaigns/adopt/adopt_a_detainee.php then follow links to “CPT in Iraq”).