A Prayer To The Borderless God

a meditation for Indigenous Peoples' Day

Photo by Toan Chu on Unsplash

O borderless, boundless God,
tell me, if You know:

what is this poisonous urge I have
to stake claim
to build fences
to defend
what is not mine?

why must I harm
what I do not understand?

why must I burn offerings
to my fear
of difference?

O God who breaks the walls
parts the sea
and rips the veil in two:

cast down the idol I have built
that tells me
my way is best.

confront me with the places
where the walls I’ve built
keep me imprisoned.

and show me how
I’ve crafted fences so high
that I can no longer
see
Your face.

Since the audience for this newsletter is all over the world across 33 countries (hello, world!), I try not to spend too much time on USA-specific holidays and observances, here. But today is Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and I felt that it would be appropriate to share the previously-written prayer above, along with a new reflection on this newish federal observance. 

A recent replacement to an older and more controversial celebration, Indigenous People’s Day is an ideal (if uncomfortable) time to reflect upon and grieve the ways we choose to harm others for the sake of our own advancement. The historical harm done to Indigenous people worldwide comes from a place deep within each human heart that still exists and must be fought and overcome daily. 

In October, while the veil is thinning and my ancestors are on my mind, I can’t ignore that my own family tree contains a legacy of this advancement. I have settlers, colonists, and pioneers in my background. Most were simple people just trying to make their way in the world, sure, but it was often to the detriment of others. I can respect their will to survive and honor their memory while also recognizing that their presence in this country meant suppression of the native people of this land. 

It’s a conundrum, but one I feel that I may not shy away from. 

In the end, what I feel is most important about today centers around looking deep within, to my own heart. Finding the seedlings of vices there that eventually grow into life-ruining forces. Greed, selfishness, and a desire to be right all find their logical conclusion in colonialism and violence. It is up to each of us to stop those forces from marching onward, and that begins within ourselves. We may not be able to control the arc of history, but we can often control the arc of our own choices in life. 

And so, I ask myself, on this day: what kind of ancestor do I want to be?

And I let the answer be my fervent prayer.

Discussion Question

It’s a heavy one, but if you’re brave enough, let’s not shy away from it: what kind of ancestor do YOU want to be? What traits do you want to be remembered for? What patterns do you want to build or break?

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