“Surrender in Empire” by Mike Roe
Author: Mike Roe
When our worlds come crashing down,
let us feel You there.
When homes are taken by fire,
let us feel You there.
When economic powers keep us from owning a home of our own,
let us feel You there.
When people and places that could be homes shut us out,
let us feel You there.
When we feel we're failing at capitalism,
let us feel You there.
When the Empire around us feels turned against its people,
let us feel You there.
When fearing others' judgments makes us do Empire's work for it,
let us feel You there.
So teach us the hard surrender.
When tempted to judge allies and friends,
let us surrender to Love.
When we guard our hearts, too afraid to honestly search them,
let us surrender to Love.
When we fear the rejection of people who need Love too,
let us surrender to Love.
When we fear our neighbor and fight alone,
let us surrender to Love.
When we love our neighbor and fight together,
let us surrender to Love.
When it's time to resist Empire,
let us surrender to Love.
Empire cannot stand Love. Let Love be our resistance. Let Love be our surrender.
About
"Surrender in Empire," a litany, is a communal prayer for the moments when those who hold power and the structures they dominate fail us. It is a call to make Love our resistance.
Featured in: The Lighter Weight of Being
The Lighter Weight of Being is the culminating multimedia and interactive event for the 2025 - 2026 Resilient Artist cohort.
