A Message from the Executive Presbyter, Rev. Joey Lee
On June 5, 2020, I participated in an Interfaith Prayer Service for Racial Justice and Peace at the Basilica of St. Joseph in downtown San Jose. In addition to myself were Buddhist, Catholic, Episcopal, Jewish, Lutheran, and Muslim faith leaders. Here is what I said:
I’m Joey Lee, Executive Presbyter for the Presbytery of San Jose. As an executive and minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) I bring you greetings, and stand in solidarity and hope.
Later in the service will be a reading of the names of those who have violently died. There are many others, whose names we do not know.
America, we need to stop killing Black people.
Let us pray:
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far on the way.
We come to you O God, because our hearts are heavy with the grief of injustice.
We come to you O God, because our ears hear the cries of our sisters and brothers.
We come to you O God, because we don’t know how to tell our children, why YOUR children treat one another this way.
We pray for peace, but we also pray for justice.
We pray for calm, but we also pray for equal protection under the law.
We pray for civil discourse, but we also pray for moral and ethical leadership.
For our failure to see each person created in your image, forgive us.
For our failure to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with you, forgive us.
For our failure to tear down white supremacy and dismantle police brutality, forgive us.
Heal us as individuals, heal our communities, our nation, and even your world.
Remind us again to seek the shalom of the city in which you have placed us, knowing that in its welfare, we shall find ours.
Restrain those who would use our sacred texts and sacred spaces for their own selfish purposes.
Sustain these faith leaders, whom you have called, that we may be bearers of your peace, but also proclaimers of your justice.
I pray all this in the name of the one who also was arrested, falsely accused and brutally executed, to ultimately show that life is greater than death, and love is greater than evil, it is in Jesus’ name, I pray.
Amen.