remembering how they died, honoring how they lived

June 1 marks the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa massacre in which a white mob killed hundreds of Black residents and burned their neighborhood to the ground. The centennial has sparked calls for remembering how hundreds of people died and honoring how they lived.
“When Martin Luther King said that ‘The arc of the moral universe bends towards justice,’ he was diving deep into the desire for a new day. We are called to live this new day. Maya Angelou said, ‘If we learn from history, we do not have to re-live the mistakes that were made.’ If we face our history honestly, openly, and lovingly, a new day can be born.” - Walter Brownridge, Episcopal Priest, Diocese of Vermont
Affirmative prayer: Infinite Presence, I take up a new day, opening to my fears, judgments, and intolerance. With honesty and love, I release my sense of separation from others and my need to rise above them. There is only One Life. Today, I recognize those who have suffered violence, holding them in the light of wholeness and Divine Love. I give thanks that amends are being made, justice is raised high, and forgiveness is at work in the restoring of lives and communities. Thank you, God, forever. Amen.

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