Day 30 - Let Us Pray

The reality of his seeing caused me to begin to see.

-James Baldwin, “On the Painter Beauford Delaney,” 1965


Baldwin wrote that his beloved friend and mentor Beauford Delaney taught him to begin to see. The same is true of Baldwin and us - we begin to see because he teaches us to see. In this time of #BlackLivesMatter, we must learn to train our eyes onto the things Baldwin teaches us to see. 

We look back, learning from history. 
We look out, facing the beautiful and terrible realities of contemporary life. 
We look forward, as Baldwin did, imagining a better future forged in honesty, laughter, and love. 


Give us new voices

like Baldwin's

to call for revolution.

Give us new hearts

like Baldwin's

to love with holy passion.

Give us new spirits

like Baldwin's

to pray without ceasing.

Amen.