A Prayer the Day After

A note: Below I am not advocating for a particular party or answer, or condemnation of a political or group. Yes I have opinions on what could be done now to help, as well as what we need to address long-term. But that's not this prayer, My prayer is one of the deepest longing for us to sit down, grieve together , share, and discern and attack with love anything and everything that has been a factor in yesterday's shooting and other mass casualty acts of violence.
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It is the day after O God. A day of anger and immediate drawing of lines because we cannot handle our grief.
Our thoughts and prayers ARE with the victims.
The families with one less member than yesterday. The runs running terrified from the school for their life and the parents running towards it hoping it's not their child.
The first responders who will carry images with them for the rest of their lives that no one should have to carry, who had to take another human life, who will question what if they had only done "this" or not done "that" if it could have been prevented.
The teachers and staff who ask the same, and wonder if their desire to teach and expand the lives of these little ones overides their desire to quit so that they are safe.
The school, the community that now has this hole that was shattered as the violence unfolded, as well as the empty places at dinner this night.
Those wounded as the now must face pain that is physical, emotional, even spiritual.
Those who have relived their own experience of being part of a mass shooting.
Those who we have not even thought of whose lives are now in disarray and wonder how to gather all the pieces together again.
They have our thoughts and prayers of love, comfort, and hopes for healing what can be heald.
They have our prayers of grief, pain, anger, and shame.
But that's not the only ones who are in our thoughts and prayers. They are with how many times all that has been offered or attempted is "thoughts and prayers." Do you even hear those?
We would ask you to fix this, show us how to repair this but we think we know your answer. You've already shown us- so demand we just do it. The answer is love.
Love that gets down in the dirt and the grime and the gore and stays there until a way out is found.
Love that is willing to sacrifice our tightly held beleifs, stories we've told ourselves, fears we've ingrained, no matter how painful that may be.
Love that throws away political agendas and knee-jerk reactions, that abolishes media stunts and soundbites and Tweets that will be used later in campaign offered to win later votes rather than attempt to save one life.
Love that recognizes that this isn't a problem that can be solved by one simple act of legislation, but will persevere until the so many tentacles feeding are cut off and elimated.
Love that allows us to look at each other and see nothing but an beloved child of yours, a beloved sibling of ours, and want nothing but abundance of life and joy for them.
Love that works towards protecting and uplifting the most vulnerable until there are no more to protect or lift up. Love that will worki through differences of opinions and beliefs for their benefit, not ours.
Oh Lord, yes, let us offer our thoughts and prayers- but let them be filled with your words, not our own. May our response be filled with your words and actions, not are own. Shower your love upon us, surround us with such love that we have no choice but to find ways to live out of the ways of that love with others.
For you promise us that salvation is not only for after death, it is that grace upon grace is available now, that the life you offer is a life of abundance and joy. Show us how to say yes to you O God. Make the only response possible be "Yes".
Amen

Prayer for Transfiguration Sunday 2022

 Apologies for late post. Thought I had done this Sunday.

Most Holy and Loving God, we hear how Peter, James and John recognized your glory and presence in your beloved Son, Jesus. Renew in us the recognition of your glorious love and presence alive in the world and with us today.

We can easily miss that you are here, already working for good of all, for we become overcome by the places of pain we witness, as well as experience ourselves.

We see it in the Ukraine, as  Russian forces invade. We know that this is just the most visible place where violence and acts of death and destruction are being waged. Mournfully we recognize that this is but one area where armies fight, and leaders seek to expand their power and influence at the expense of the lives of others. In Myanmar government planes execute airstrikes as war continues after a military coupe, civil war continues in Syria, and North Korea again is attempting to intimidate with missile tests- and if only in these places, these wars would be too many. Too often war and acts of war are seen as solutions to problems, or ways to gain more land, power, influence. We pray for peace in these places we named, and wherever acts of violence are inflicted. 

Yet it isn’t just with weapons that we have found ways to inflict violence. We commit acts of violence against the earth, abusing, using and destroying your creation in pursuit of progress or profit. As we grapple with the effects our ongoing disregard has on us and others, grant us the humility and perseverance to live in a different way, one that honors the gift of creation instead of desecrating it.

These past weeks have also brought us verdicts in the cases arising from the killing of Ahmaud Arbery , and George Floyd, cases that highlight how far we still need to go to end hatred and fear based on the shade of skin of another. Transfigure our hearts to reveal a love that seeks reconciliation over revenge or retribution, a reconciliation that can only come about with the telling of the truth of wrongs committed, fears felt, and humanity diminished as it seeks your justice for all your children.  

Equip us to cherish your glory present in each of us, in every human being, and in the wonder of your creation, in the same way Peter was awed by your presence in Jesus. For if we can, how could we live in ways that diminish the lives of others and of this world?

We pray all this in Jesus name. Amen.