A PRAYER FOR THE 15th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 

Jeremiah 2:4-13

4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord:

What wrong did your ancestors find in me

    that they went far from me,

and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves?

6 They did not say, “Where is the Lord

    who brought us up from the land of Egypt,

who led us in the wilderness,

    in a land of deserts and pits,

in a land of drought and deep darkness,

    in a land that no one passes through,

    where no one lives?”

11 Has a nation changed its gods,

    even though they are no gods?

But my people have changed their glory

    for something that does not profit.

12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this,

    be shocked, be utterly desolate,

says the Lord,

13 for my people have committed two evils:

    they have forsaken me,

the fountain of living water,

    and dug out cisterns for themselves,

cracked cisterns

    that can hold no water.

Why do we need you, God

Look at what we have done

We came to this New World

tamed the wilderness 

carved out towns and cities

burbs and neighborhoods

Rolled up our selves

got to work

planting and plowing

building and creating our New Eden

Why do we need you, God

Look at what we have done

From Bunker Hill to Gettysburg

from Little Big Horn to Wounded Knee

We fought and defeated

liberated and conquered

Til all the enemies of freedom

and progress

were vanquished and overcome

from the Home of the Brave

and the Land of the Free

Why do we need you, God

Look at what we have done

Now we stand astride the globe

arching above all

countries and civilizations

Colossus of the universe

Our arms and armies

protect and defend us

Our riches are the envy 

of all who look upon us

Why do we need you, God

Look at what we have done

11 Has a nation changed its gods,

    even though they are no gods?

But my people have changed their glory

    for something that does not profit.

Forgive us, God of all nations

bend our pride to your glory

Remind us we are not the owners

but the stewards

of the good Earth

Forgive us, God of all creation

For all that we are

and all that we have

are gifts of your grace

held forever in your hands

Forgive us, God of all peoples

from the genocide we committed

against the Native people of this land

and the enslavement of millions

for our profit and gain

Forgive us, God above all Gods

for we have worshipped the gods

of riches and avarice 

bowed down to gods of might 

coveting swords and spears

Forgive us, God the giver

who sent his Son Jesus

to save and redeem us

who sends the Spirit

to comfort and guide us

Amen