Solidarity

By Pastor Paul Gauche

Today’s Word: ‘Solidarity’ as in… the “Solidarity Prayer: An Alternative Liturgy In a Time of Uncertainty” from Chris and Phileena Heuertz, co-founders of Gravity, the Center For Contemplative Activism in Omaha, Nebraska. Written primarily as a prayer to move us through the global pandemic, the words deeply resonate with all who struggle with distress, illness, fear, injustice, violence and death.

Take your time as you breathe and pray through each petition. Move slowly, don’t rush as you hold for a moment all who come to mind as you make these words your own. Then, when you are ready, we’ll all breathe the response together in solidarity: “You’re not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the parents of newborns who feel the sadness of not being able to introduce their babies to friends and family because of social distancing… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For retired folks who are already struggling to get by but now watching their shaky financial futures vaporize with every hit the stock market takes… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For everyone getting married over the next few months, try to remember you’re not celebrating alone even if your community can’t be there for the ceremony… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the refugees trying to make sense of all this chaos in a foreign country in a language that’s often difficult to comprehend… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the small business owners who are forced to close shop out of service to our collective health but will struggle to stay in business once this has all passed. “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For single parents who were already under-supported and over-worked… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the 20-plus million kids in the US who need public school meal assistance just to get one or two hot meals a day and for their parents who are suffering the pain of seeing their kids go hungry… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the activists, charities, and non-profit organizations fighting to build a better world one donation at time while watching their funding thin out… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the elderly in assisted living communities who fear they may never see their family again… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the authors, artists, musicians, speakers, and everyone else in the gig-industry whose livelihood is dependent on events that have been cancelled… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the immunosuppressed and immunocompromised who fear running down to the market to buy the basics so they can get by one more day… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the undocumented who have been illegalized by an unjust and unwelcoming system who fear applying for assistance at the risk of deportation… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For those who are incarcerated and concerned for their own health in their isolated communities or worried they may lose loved ones they’ll never see again… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the flight attendants and local grocers who graciously serve all their customers while making themselves vulnerable… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the hospice workers who wrestle with the risks of showing up or not showing up to care for their patients, and the difficult consequences of either choice. “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the chefs, bartenders, delivery folks, dish washers, hosts and hostesses, line cooks, servers, and all the hospitality industry who’ve prepared and provided meals for us but about to lose their jobs… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the parents whose employers won’t make concessions for you to stay home with your children who aren’t able to attend school… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For the health care professionals who put themselves in risk to care for the suffering bodies of our collective humanity… “You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.”

For every single one of us who will lose a loved one, a friend, a family member, or a partner to this virus and will be forced to grieve alone…

You are not alone. We’re in this together. We’ll do everything we can to help.

 Amen

#100days50words

Paul Gauche is the Pastor of Life Transitions at Prince of Peace. His posts are part of his #100days50words project, where be blogs about a different word each day. You can follow his project on Instagram (@pgauche), or on his blog, Thriving Rhythms.