A Post-Election Prayer

Nachamu, Nachamu ami

As Isaiah called out to God,
Today, I do, too

Nachamu, Nachamu Ami
Comfort us, comfort our people.

You don’t speak directly to us
Like you once did your prophets

And still
We tried, so hard, to follow in their footsteps
To be prophetic pursuers of justice
To hold our kings and rulers to account.
To declare that pikuach nefesh is paramount
To protect the lives and bodies of women, of all people who can become pregnant.
To safeguard trans individuals
To stem the rampant destruction of our earth
To defend our very democracy.
To heal the fractures of our divided land.

Why, God?
Al tasteir paneha
Don’t hide your face from us
Answer us.

Sh’ma koleinu
For those crying out, angry, afraid
Answer us
Hear our voices.
What is our mission now?
What lies on the road ahead?

We look to the prophet Mikah.
Your prophets can still be our guide

We have been told before,
and we know what we must do
Only this:
Do justice
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God

We walk humbly into a new reality
A time of disappointment and fear
A time not to forget what we can and must do.

Like Queen Esther,
We rise to the challenge of our new era.

For who knows?
Maybe it is just for this moment
that we find ourselves
in a position to exercise leadership.

Be strong and resolute
Find comfort in each other.
Together,
We will pursue justice and mercy,
and walk humbly onward.
 

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