Rev. Dr. LeSette Wright

December 25, 2020 marks seven months since
George Floyd, Jr. was killed in police custody.

What will Christmas be like for his 6-year old daughter Gianna and the rest of their family? Will the voice of grief speak louder than the hope proclaimed by Christmas?

The truth is, everyday grief speaks; some days louder than others.  The holidays have a way of increasing the volume of griefs voice.  With this in mind, let’s create spaces in our lives for conversations and constructive outlets for our grief.  Let’s make it safe to grieve individually and communally.  Let’s nurture an atmosphere where the grieving process is normative and we choose to engage that process in a life giving, life sustaining way.

Gianna Floyd; from Gianna Floyd’s Instagram

This Christmas, how do we grieve alongside the families of George Floyd, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and the countless other families feeling the traumatically blaring absence of loved ones?

This Christmas, let’s commit to turning our pain and anger into power and action both individually and communally.  Let’s help one another by pledging and acting to develop lifestyles of anti-racism, love, justice, forgiveness, courage and hope.  Let’s proclaim, “I see you and you matter” through every thought nurtured, word spoken, message sent, action taken.

This holiday season, lets reach out to grieving individuals and families with a welcome to weep, a note of hope, a thoughtful donation, a gift of love, a prayer for peace, an invitation to reflect.

God, as we reflect on the birth of Christ, I pray that our humanity will be cultivated.  Teach us to love as we were born to love.  Be with Gianna Floyd as this is her first Christmas without her Daddy.  Comfort the Floyd family and all of us that feel the pain of grief during the holidays.  Help us to support one another and nurture a nation where love abounds and despair does not win, In Jesus Name, AMEN.