Archbishop prays for "a powerful, united coalition which puts first the interests of the poor"

A prayer offered at the beginning of a memorial service for the late Ahmed Kathrada in St George's Cathedral, Cape Town:

Loving and compassionate God of the Universe, Triune God, Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer,

Whose arm bends the arc of justice towards the poor and the oppressed,

 and whose ear is ever inclined to the cry of those who are burdened under the weight of injustice,

We thank you for the gift of Ahmed KATHRADA, whose life was spent ensuring that justice was realised for those on the margins, whose heart was radically open to the cries of the disadvantaged and who tirelessly worked to lift the yoke of oppression,

We thank you that in the course of history you raise up women and men of profound conscience, who challenge our complacency, lift our vision, disturb our peace and turn our eyes to the places of suffering. People who in looking at our country today, say, No! Not here! Never again!

Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer:

Thank you that such lives remind us that the proud will be scattered, the mighty pulled down from their thrones and the rich and greedy sent empty away!

Thank you for the renewed outpouring of energy and activism in response to Uncle Kathy's passing and to the events of the past week.

We pray for those who march and those who organise in the pursuit of justice, equal opportunity and a better life for all in our nation,

Strengthen, we pray, the resolve of those who struggle for clean government, especially for the thousands of honest civil servants who work for the good of all.

Empower us to challenge the skewed racial ordering of our economy and the obscene inequality which it produces, not by indulging the rapacious greed of a few politically-connected individuals, but by building a new, fairer  society which distributes wealth more equitably for all.

And at this time, help the different interest groups and elements of our society which are committed to these ideals to find one another in a powerful, united coalition which puts first the interests of the poor.

Amen