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 Fifth Sunday in Easter - May 15, 2022

Holy One you radiate such love that it not only shines upon us but emanates through us. As you provide us a place of rest, you not only shelter us from the troubles and worries of life and the world, you form us to become bearers of that love into the world. Even if we resist or protest, you will continue to shower your love on those we would have turned our backs upon, or judged as not yet worthy, even dangerous to the communities of love that you are building. Thank you for your love for us that never ends, and that nothing we do can hinder you from offering your love as freely and abundantly as you do.

You show us where that love is evident now, even when there is real pain, hurt, and even evil, inviting us to live within that love. Continue to help us to recognize that love, and move towards it, rather than becoming discouraged. Keep us from abandoning hope. Prevent us from deciding that we will acquiesce to “the way things are”, resigning ourselves to that it isn’t worth the effort to try, or deciding that such wrongs and divisive ways are the only the way for us to get ahead.

When it is hard for us to see where we or others abide in your love, where it is still the light radiating that you will not allow to be overcome, open our hearts to recognize your presence there. Whether it be in places far away such as the Ukraine or closer to us such as The Top Friendly Market in Buffalo, or Chippewa Falls, remind us that such love isn’t for a moment, but will last until all live within its breadth so that such violence never occurs again.

Show us where your love is within the gift of Creation itself, how you call us to love the environment in similar manner to how we are to love all people- caring for its needs, welcoming its gifts, and repairing the harm we do.

As we pass the horrid milestone of one million CoVID deaths in this country, show us how we can love each other in this time as Jesus is loving us.

Wherever there are those hurting, injured, and ill in body, in mind, or in spirit, reveal your love at work there. Strengthen and give peace to those who are going through these times, as well as those who love and care for them.

As people grieve the loved ones lost recently or long ago, those who mourn losses of relationships, hopes, dreams, security, and all that may be lost, comfort them O God. Hold them in your love, providing safe places for all that they may feel, so that once again they can begin to see the glimmers of hope and joy that you and life still offer.

We pray this all in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Prayer for Easter Sunday, 2022

 

God, what can we offer to you in prayer that could be worthy of what you have done? You have brought sun out of darkness, refusing to let death have the final word, even when we bring that death on ourselves.

For you wrought resurrection this morning, creating new life from the ashes of hope, and bringing grace to places of shame and regret. You declare that no matter how hard we or others try, nothing can separate your children from your love. Your actions reveal that nothing will prevent the coming of your reign of reconciliation, your ways of true justice, and provide us liberation from death in all its forms.

Enable us to express our gratitude by following the Risen One, even now at loose in this world.  That we may follow Jesus into the places of poverty, hunger, violence, hurt, and hate, no matter if they be close to home or in places far away.

Help us to embrace the truth that even where there is pain, there is still your love and care. The reality of  Christ weeping with us even while bringing us to places of comfort, hope, and life.   

Reveal for all the people, places, and times it seems that despair is unending, pain and illness unrelenting, hunger and poverty insurmountable, where Jesus is already present, and where we are called to join him there.

Destroy the barriers we erect during those times we feel that what we have done or what we have failed t do keeps us trapped, isolated, permanently separated from You and from others, so that we can live in your reign of grace upon grace and reconciliation.

You have brought life out death, hope out of the ashes of despair this day, and continue to each day until your reign of love fully encompasses each person. With our gratitude may we join the Risen One wherever we hear his call to come, follow him.  In Jesus name. Amen.  

Pastoral Prayer for the 6th Sunday in Lent

 

How often we act in the same way as the older son in Jesus; parable, O God, refusing to enter fully join you in joy because of the company you keep. How grateful we are that when we do, you stand with us, loving us as we are unable to love others, until we too can join joyfully saying“the dead are now alive, the lost have been found!” Until we recognize that we are just as lost as others, and that you are just as eager to welcome us home.

We recognize that there are so many people, so many places, where people don’t feel welcomed even in the own homes, where they are experiencing lack due to no fault of their own. Here us now as offer these simple prayers for them and for us:

    Peace in Ukraine and all places violence exists,

    Enough for those who are hungry for anything from food to your justice,

    Gratitude for the beauty of your creation and remorse for how many times             we’ve neglected it,

    For all hurting, in body, mind or Spirit, as well as those grieving losses of any         kind, whether recent or long ago.We offer these prayers to your compassionate care, seeking your Spirit so that we can be part of your care.

We lift all these prayers, as well as the unspoken ones of our hearts and minds in the name of Jesus. Amen.