LIBERATION LECTIONARY ~ LATINE HERITAGE MONTH

Soothing the Storm

“I never thought in terms of fear. I thought in terms of justice.” -Emma Tenayuca

Daily Scripture Readings

Sunday: Revelation 22.3-5 “Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and all people will worship; they will see God’s face, and God’s name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Monday Isaiah 43. 1-3 “But now thus says the Lord, the One who created you as my children, the One who formed you, my people: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One, your Savior. I give your old oppressors as your ransom, wealthy empires I will give in exchange for you.”
Tuesday Isaiah 43. 4-8 “Because you are precious in my sight and honored and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north,’“Give them up,’ and to the south, ‘Do not withhold; bring my children from far away, from the end of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.’ Bring forth the people who are blind yet have eyes, who are deaf yet have ears!”

Wednesday Isaiah 43. 9-12 “Let all the nations gather together, and let the peoples assemble. Who among them declared this and foretold to us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to justify them, and let them hear and say, ‘It is true’ You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. I am the one who declared and saved and proclaimed, not some strange god among you; you are my witnesses, says the Lord, and I am God.”
Thursday Isaiah 43. 13-15 “Indeed, since that day I am God; there is no one who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can hinder it? Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I will send to Babylon and break down all the bars, and the shouting of the Chaldeans will be turned to lamentation. I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”

Friday Isaiah 43. 16-19 “Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down; they cannot rise; they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Saturday Isaiah 43. 20-21 “The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.”

Music: Latine Heritage Month Playlist

Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Sergio Mendes and more are lifting us as we climb through this season of storms in the Caribbean and uprisings around the world.

Listen to the Latine Heritage Month Playlist on Apple Music

View the video version of the Playlist on YouTube

Meditation: Prayers for Renewal

To the one who gives water in the wilderness – we need you now. We need you to give the water of freedom in the wilderness of tyranny. We need the divine rivers of life to make streams in the desert. You have told us in your scriptures that you will give drink to your chosen people, the people whom you formed for yourself so that we might declare your praise.

But it has been hard to declare praises amidst such sadness and strife. Come to us and heal us, help us to heal one another and send the powerful Holy Spirit when we feel left all alone with no choice but to heal ourselves. 

Our prayer for Latine Heritage Month is a final, swift end to colonizing cowardice everywhere. And this is also our promise. By the work and the imagination of the Almighty. We need you, Lord. We need your hope and your energy. In Puerto Rico, in Dominica, in Bermuda, in Turks and Caicos, in Florida and in Mississippi, in Georgia and in Iran. 

Puerto Rico and Mississippi are connected in crisis right now, Oh God, show up, bring a remedy. Do a miracle, and let them commune in rejoicing. We are so thankful for the beauty of African descent among the Latin and Hispanic diasporas. We pray that our wildest dreams will be worthy of our ancestors, that the world we leave our future generations will make them rise up and call us blessed. 

Lord, we pray in solidarity and power to the Uprisings in Iran. We are horrified and deeply grieved by the death of Mahsa Amini. She is your precious daughter. We pray for her friends and loved ones, all of her mourners - that they would find your embrace surrounds them as they weep and as they work. 

We believe in you, O God, though we struggle and stumble through every season. We feel so fragile so often. No matter how we talk ourselves into pushing forward and making the right decision, it feels like some attack on any facet of our planned path.

But we cling to this promise, that we are precious in your sight, and honored. When we need to hear “I love you”, help us to remember you have already said it. You have rescued us already, O God. You have given us the power we need for revolution. You sacrifice empires in exchange for the life of your people. 

You have told us not to fear. We will cling to the truth that you are with us. 

Promise us the future. Deliver us from colonizers. Gather our offspring from the east, and from the west, Bless the revolution in Iran. Restrain the storms in the seas. Restore the water in Jackson, MS. Recover the losses from floods and storms across the country this summer. Return banned books to our schools and libraries. Bring victory for radical Black political power. Amplify the culture, art, identities, representation and beauty of Latine peoples. Say to every place that has oppressed us, ’“Give them up, ‘Do not withhold; bring my children from far away, from the end of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Amen. Ashé.

Resources

Learn more and celebrate Latine Heritage Month: Info Page

More Afro-Latino Heroes Needed: Article

Puerto Rico: How to Help via NPR

Hurricane Fiona’s impact through Caribbean: Tracker Page

About The Murder of Mahsa Amini: Article

History: Background of Iran’s Morality Laws: Article

Internet restrictions and surveillance in Iran; Article

Artwork: Nelson Makamo, Afro Latin artists:: Roberto Domingo, Yelaine Rodriguez