Dearest loving beautiful God,
Creator of all;
We give thanks for the allure and attractiveness of every single one of us.
We are created in your image, created in beauty and power and promise.
Help us to recognize with our minds,
and our hearts,
and our spirits,
what is truly gorgeous and glorious.
Open us to respond to the inner beauty that resides within,
resisting the myths of our superficial culture.
May we find within ourselves, confidence in our being.
May we understand that cosmetics do not define normalcy,
that aesthetics are an addition and not the core of who we are.
Help us, O God, to find beauty within ourselves.
Liberate us from the norms of what is desirable and attractive.
Shallow standards hold us captive,
by limiting imagination and connection
by reinforcing contemptible stereotypes and
detracting from our collective humanity.
Release us from the prisons of preference and privilege that condemn through physical appearance.
Let us love ourselves so that we may love our neighbours.
Attune us to all the forms of beauty in this wonderful world,
within and around us,
may we be your beloved and beautiful people.
In Christ we pray,
Amen.
Kenji Marui
This prayer was part of 40 Days of Engagement in Anti-Racism, which offers opportunities to delve deeply into anti-racism work. Read the em>stories and sign up for our em>newsletter to learn more.