 described what he saw and then we would have prayer and he would always say in these words when we got to the top of the bridge down below we saw this sea of blue Alabama state troopers all in blue uniform and behind the state troopers where the sheriff's posse on horseback and we continued to walk no one saying word and we came within hearing distance of the state troopers and this major identified himself and said our major John Clow of the Alabama state troopers this is an unlawful march you will not be allowed to continue I'll give you three minutes to disperse and go back to your church Jose William said major give us a moment to pray and before they could pass word back for people troopers all these men putting on their gas masks with nightsticks horses and releasing the tear gas and then John Lewis said I was hit in the head by a state trooper with a night stick the gospel according to John Lewis let us pray in this season of Len this season of reflection on your darling son our Lord Jesus Christ suffering unto death we return in pause to remember the lives of those who also suffered in an early linen season 58 years ago with this very place not only the birthplace of America's democracy but also the Calvary of America's democracy as Christ offered his flesh for the sins of the world upon Calvary Hill these foot soldiers upon this hill at the top of this bridge offered their flesh for the sins of America and for America's original sin of racism enslavement and disenfranchisement Lord bless those who've returned the Calvary without an ounce of fear bless those who return to live again the trauma bloody Sunday Lord we give thanks to them and we give thanks for you for never leaving us and never forsaking us Lord you said your son Jesus to be a living these foot soldiers to be also living ransom living reparations for America move us all now to repair this place to repair the city of Selma to repair those harmed by the tornado and to bring this city the life it deserves Lord make this the day we never leave Selma behind Lord make this the day Selma and everything Selma could be and everything Selma deserves to be remains with us and remains in our hearts make this the day we decide to never stop until Selma is rebuilt until Selma is restored until Selma is repaired and until Selma is resurrected and until Selma has her own Easter as one of our sacred and holy ground Lord bless all the organizers of the Selma Brits crossing Jubilee but especially bless the founders your children hank and pyro Lord bless all the elected officials a black congresswoman that those who bloody these foot soldiers never meant to be yet you made her so Lord in the city that once would not allow the ever dream of high office and hill Reverend Jesse Jackson from the crown of his head to the souls of his people bless the most powerful elected official in the world for the witness today the truth in your word the truth that the government would be on your shoulders on the shoulders of who suffered like Christ in Selma no Selma shoulders no Jimmy Carter no Selma shoulders Selma shoulders no Barack Obama no Selma shoulders no Kamala Harris and no Selma shoulders Lord no Joe Biden Lord continue to guide this president speed in order his step here in the name of democracy during the season of lift 58 years ago Lord we invoke the name of the first to give his life for America during this season of Lent 253 years ago this very day our ancestor Christmas addicts what is upon they hold these ancestors shoulders their sturdy shoulders we all now stand and it is their eternal vigilance we pray Lord you will make us worthy to emulate make us eternally vigilant to fulfill full voting rights amidst those who would suppress us in gerrymandering us make us unafraid to teach and remember our history while those would have us not make us unafraid to say the word reparation make us worthy Lord to continue to serve to continue to pray to continue to walk together not get wary on this bridge leading on to that great camp meeting in the promised land we offer this prayer in the name of the one who like us was poor in the name of the one who like us was displaced without a home in the name of the one who like us was duped and scorned in the name of the one who like us had no citizenship in the name of the one who like us was hunted and pursued by the authorities in the name of the one who like Amar Arbery whose brothers here today was hunted and pursued by vigilante in the name of the one who like us suffered and died but also who like us was a revolutionary and who like us rose again. It is in the matchless name of Jesus. We pray and all of God's people said,