Canon for Racial Reconciliation
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Tone 2
Ode I
Irmos: In the deep of old, the infinite power overwhelmed Pharaoh’s whole army, but the incarnate Word annihilated pernicious sin, exceedingly glorious is the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Because “the Stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner”, the disparate races are conjoined again. (Ps 118:22)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Even as Christ commanded us to love the Lord thy God “with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength”, so He also called us to “love thy neighbor as thyself” (Mark 12:30), (Mark 12:31).
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
The sum of humanity’s reconciliation to God is voiced in one acclamation. Theotokos. She who bears God.
Ode III
Irmos: By establishing me on the rock of faith, Thou hast enlarged my mouth over my enemies, and my spirit rejoices when I sing: There is none holy as our God, and none righteous beside Thee, O Lord.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the Noahic curse (Gen 9:26), we press “toward the mark for the prize of high calling of God in Christ Jesus”, by seeing the mark of God upon each face. (Phil 4:14)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Splintered by callous condemnation, Noah’s sons split the races in three. But the blood of the Second person of the Trinity filled the divide, restoring a common humanity in Christ.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
The Theotokos not only joined man to God but also began the process of reconciling man to man and race to race.
Sedalion, tone 4
O Lord, when You close all the loftily divisive and distracting worldly windows, bring us to the doors of repentance.
By the left door of remorse, let us bring our hearts, broken and humbled. By the right door of resolve, let us bring our minds wholly redirected by your Holy Spirit to the throne of Christ.
Bring us to that table where all may find a place.
For all the races of humanity can be found in your garden, where each of us is one of your beloved flowers.
Ode IV
Irmos: From a Virgin didst Thou come, not as an ambassador nor as an angel, but the very Lord himself incarnate, and didst save me the whole man. Wherefore I cry to Thee: Glory to Thy power O Lord.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the pain of his brother’s murder, St Dionysius applied the fruit of familial repentance. He applied the forgiving balm of Christ to the repentant soul of his brother’s murderer. He gave him the sacrament of absolution after the man sincerely confessed his sins.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The three Hypostases, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, regard the heart, not the might nor the melanin. Alas I will trust in Him Who has made all things, sees all things, hears all things and feels all things, great and small.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
O compassionately loving Mary, full of grace and mercy, teach us to love one another, even if love is not initially returned.
Ode V
Irmos: Thou who are the light of those lying in darkness, and the salvation of the despairing, O Christ my Savior, I rise early to pray to Thee, O King of Peace. Enlighten me with Thy radiance, for I know no other God beside Thee.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the mark of Cain, we strive to see past our neighbor’s specks and concentrate on our own remarkably large beams of sin that need unceasing prayer.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The consubstantial Trinity in God glorified seeks the restoration by adoption of all mankind. Yet all must come to the throne of grace by free will. How wonderful is our God.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Sweet Mother of the Merciful God, your raiment has threads from the four corners of the earth. All generations bless you.
Ode VI
Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, I appeal to the unfathomable abyss of Thy compassion: from corruption raise me up, O God.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the memories of being sold into slavery, Joseph acknowledged that it was God and not his apologetic brothers who “did send me before you to preserve life” (Gen 45:5). So also let us acknowledge the fulfillment of God’s ineffable will.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one in essence and undivided. Man, though created, has been granted everlasting salvation by partaking of the body and blood of Christ. Thus, is man reunited to God and to man.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice O Virgin, for He who made thy womb more spacious than the Heavens, has come to reconcile Man to God and Man to Man.
Kontakion, tone 4
For the weak, let us share strength. For the strong in Christ, let us forego condemnation. For the strong can bear the infirmities of weak in Christ; through Him all things can be done, for the Trinity alone is Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal.
Ode VII
Irmos: When the golden image was worshipped in the plain of Dura, thy three children despised the godless order, thrown into the fire, they were bedewed and sang: blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
As all races may build the bridge of reconciliation through a sharing of the fruits of repentance, so relationship is reformed. While the Prodigal Son can give the fruit of humility, the Big Brother can give the fruit of patience and forgiveness.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Putting behind the cries of betrayal, Christ carried forward his cross. By love and obedience, not by nails, did He remain on the cross, trampling death by death.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Putting behind the crucifying cries, the Holy Virgin endured pain worse than the travail of birth. By love, she gave birth to love. By faith, she went from strength to strength. By hope, she watched the Light of Light, slip into Hades and then soar back to the Heavens.
Ode VIII
Irmos: O ye works, praise the Lord God, who descended into the fiery furnace with the Hebrew children and changed the flame into dew, and supremely exalt Him unto all ages.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the memories of Israel, Daniel kept his sight on God, though he was a stranger in a strange land.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Even as repentance is more than being sorry, so racial reconciliation is more than having the oppressor offer an apology. The fruit of repentance may vary in form and fashion. The Prophet David would offer a psalm. St Zaccheus would offer a four fold restoration. St John Maximovitch would offer his fasting and an orphanage. St Menas would offer his martyr’s blood. St Luke would offer his icons and healing counsel. St Herman would leave familiar surroundings and bring Orthodoxy to America. St Thais would offer her thankful, heartfelt and tearful prayers. St Moses would offer his humble bag of spilling sand.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
O Joy of All Who Sorrow, sanctify us by your intercession before your Son and our Saviour. For He, who sat upon your arm, is strong and mighty, True God of True God. Help us to reunite together in love, patient co-suffering and unspeakable joy.
Ode IX
Irmos: God the Word, who came forth from God, and who by ineffable wisdom came to renew Adam after his grievous fall to corruption through eating, and who ineffably took flesh from the Holy Virgin for our sake, Him do we the faithful with one accord magnify with hymns.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the sorrow of racial division, let us see the good and commonality of one another in Christ. For the garment of gladness is the same.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Let God be glorified from above and from united voices below. Let those with much share so there would be none with little. Let the daily loaves that the Lord sends be split generously, so that the races will no longer be prone to splitting.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Yea, Holy Mother, Awesome Reconciler who cannot be put to shame, help us to heal our wounds of race, class, gender and nationality with the binding balm of the all-embracing Christ, who shall come again with glory, and whose manifold united kingdom will have no end.
Dismissal
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen +