The 23rd of November marked Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Although this holiday has virtuous elements of gratitude, family bonding, and thanksgiving for the harvest of the season, for Native Americans it is a “National Day of Mourning.” For Indigenous peoples, the day is a reminder of the genocide, dispossession of their homes and lands, and the continued violence on their culture and livelihood. It is also a chance to protest and raise awareness for the struggles of Native American tribes in the face of colonialism.
God of light, we join in mourning with our Native American brothers and sisters who continually suffer from colonial violence. We, like many other indigenous people groups around the globe, face a colonial structure of violence and erasure. Lord, give us strength as we face the storm and work to end all forms of colonial structures, ideologies, and actions which oppress natives around the world.
Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer