At the East Anglia District Synod Meeting on Saturday 2nd April, Rev. Joan Pell shared a prayer called Make Me a Channel of Disturbance. Several requests have been received for this prayer. So here it is! It is widely available on the web, and is usually listed as ‘Author Unknown’ with some listing Sir Francis Drake as the author.
Lord, make me a channel of disturbance.
Where there is apathy, let me provoke;
Where there is compliance, let me bring questioning;
Where there is silence, may I be a voice.
Where there is too much comfort and too little action, grant disruption;
Where there are doors closed and hearts locked,
Grant the willingness to listen.
When laws dictate and pain is overlooked…
When tradition speaks louder than need…
Grant that I may seek rather to do justice than to talk about it;
Disturb us, O Lord.
To be with, as well as for, the alienated;
To love the unlovable as well as the lovely;
Lord, make me a channel of disturbance.