Today, many in our nation are recognizing and/or celebrating Columbus Day. We don't really do a whole lot on this day. Some people don't have work or school, a lot of department stores and car dealerships have sales, haha. It's sort of a weird day. In elementary school, I recall learning about how Christopher Columbus discovered the New World and lived happily ever after with Native Americans. That's obviously not how it happened. And I am no historian, but I do not find Columbus' invasion and devastation of the indigenous people of North America to be much cause for celebration.
Last summer, I served as the chaplaincy intern at Mission Hospital, part of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange hospital system. As I noodled around on the internet for some words about Indigenous Peoples' Day, I found that they have an entire service of prayer for this day. They're so great. This litany for renunciation, repentance, and redemption was my favorite part:
Last summer, I served as the chaplaincy intern at Mission Hospital, part of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange hospital system. As I noodled around on the internet for some words about Indigenous Peoples' Day, I found that they have an entire service of prayer for this day. They're so great. This litany for renunciation, repentance, and redemption was my favorite part:
We renounce and repent those moments when we have
been closed or insensitive to others whose customs, traditions or cultures differ from our own.
We renounce and repent!
We renounce and repent the sin of racism that prompts people to act as if the lives of indigenous people have less value and dignity.
We renounce and repent!
We renounce and repent attitudes and actions which emphasize there is only one acceptable way to be, and that way is defined and dictated by the dominant culture.
We renounce and repent!
We renounce and repent the worldview that dismisses or ignores the gifts of other cultures and races, diminishing God’s dream for our world.
We renounce and repent!
We proclaim God’s redemption in the lives of those who open themselves to conversion, to new ways of seeing and being.
We proclaim God's redemption!
We proclaim God’s redemption in those who dare to challenge the telling of history which reflects only a single voice and view.
We renounce and repent!
We renounce and repent the sin of racism that prompts people to act as if the lives of indigenous people have less value and dignity.
We renounce and repent!
We renounce and repent attitudes and actions which emphasize there is only one acceptable way to be, and that way is defined and dictated by the dominant culture.
We renounce and repent!
We renounce and repent the worldview that dismisses or ignores the gifts of other cultures and races, diminishing God’s dream for our world.
We renounce and repent!
We proclaim God’s redemption in the lives of those who open themselves to conversion, to new ways of seeing and being.
We proclaim God's redemption!
We proclaim God’s redemption in those who dare to challenge the telling of history which reflects only a single voice and view.
We proclaim God's redemption!
We proclaim God’s redemption in the witness of all who work to honor the fullest image of God among us.
We proclaim God's redemption!
We proclaim God’s redemption in the church that walks with people of every culture in their struggle for abundant life, in the church that builds the community of God.
We proclaim God's redemption!
We proclaim God’s redemption in the witness of all who work to honor the fullest image of God among us.
We proclaim God's redemption!
We proclaim God’s redemption in the church that walks with people of every culture in their struggle for abundant life, in the church that builds the community of God.
We proclaim God's redemption!