Prayer for use on or near the Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.

I was looking for a prayer related to the Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. (April 19, 2015) that I could include in this coming Sunday's Prayers of the People and did not easily find anything, so I composed my own. I borrowed language and images from some of his more famous quotes as well a prayer of his in the PC(USA) Book of Common Worship. Feel free to use it and/or adapt is but please give me credit in writing or verbally if you do so.

God of peace and reconciliation,

we give thanks for the life, ministry and witness

of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Help us as a nation, as a church, and as individuals

to advance and enact his dream

of a nation where all people will not be judged by the color of their skin,

but by the content of their character.

Help us seize this time, this year, this day,

to do what is right,

and finally learn to live together as brothers and sisters,

so that we will not perish together as fools,

but make this old world a new world,

a world where your love, justice, and truth prevail. Amen.

© 2015 John Edward Harris