A Prayer before Worship: Lament for the violence in Uvalde, TX, Laguna Woods, CA, and Buffalo, NY.

I shared this prayer this monring as worship started. I add my prayer that I will never need to offer such a prayer again.

Loving and compassionate God, over these last ten days we have seen lives and communities shattered by mass shootings;  in a grocery store in Buffalo, NY, attempted  in a Church in Laguna Woods, CA,  and Tuesday at an Elementary School in Uvalde, TX. There were 31 people killed. 31 more people to remember this Memorial Day Weekend, 19 of the under the age of 11. We lift them up this morning by name.

 

Margus D. Morrison, 52, of Buffalo

Andre Mackniel, 53, of Auburn, New York

Aaron Salter, 55, of Lockport, New York

Geraldine Talley, 62, of Buffalo

Celestine Chaney, 65, of Buffalo

Heyward Patterson, 67, of Buffalo

Katherine Massey, 72, of Buffalo

Pearl Young, 77, of Buffalo

Ruth Whitfield, 86, of Buffalo

Dr. John Cheng

Makenna Lee Elrod, 10

 Layla Salazar, 11

 Maranda Mathis, 11

 Nevaeh Bravo, 10

 Jose Manuel Flores Jr., 10

 Xavier Lopez, 10

Tess Marie Mata, 10

Rojelio Torres, 10

Eliahna “Ellie” Amyah Garcia, 9

Eliahna A. Torres, 10

Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10

Jackie Cazares, 9

Uziyah Garcia

Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10

Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, 10

Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10

Irma Garcia, 48

Eva Mireles, 44

Amerie Jo Garza, 10

Alexandria “Lexi” Aniyah Rubio, 10

Alithia Ramirez, 10

 

We weep with the families and friends of these victims, and with all others who also died in those days from acts of violence that we never heard about. And we know you wept before we even knew.

Why do these lists grow O God?  What is it about who we are, what we do or don’t do that seems to be increasing the frequency and the deadliness of these attacks? What must we change O God, where and how must we change?

For this is too much- too many times breaking news has brought us reports of another one. Too many have grown numb or cynical when they happen, sure that anything will change. There are too many people who believe that this is just the way it is, the way of the world, and all we can do is live with it. There are too many whose hearts are broken each time, who are now missing a loved one at their table, or celebrating their birthday, holding their child, all those little moments that mean so much to us. Those small moments that make life so beautiful and deepen our connections with each other and with you.

Your love will need to undergird our efforts to successfully stem this, O God.  We will need humility to know there will not be just one solution. For this has pervaded our society so long and so deeply that it will take actions in many areas to untangle all that leads to such horrendous violence. It will take time. Only you can provide us the love to refrain from well-rehearsed comments and responses that lead us nowhere, and the humility to accept many of those solutions already proposed may be needed together. There are other actions we will need to take up that you will raise up if only we would let go of our biases and agenda. Only you can provide us the grace to release our anger to make room for solutions. Only you can release us from our numbness, our cynicism, and our fears. Only you can keep us from our certainty, and our pride so we can talk with each other, discern where we should go next, and do so for the good of all.

Today we lift to your care those who died, those who EMS and police and medical personnel who now must live with the images of these events, the loved ones and friends who are left behind, the injured, and those through out our nation whose heart is broken by these last 10 days. Grant us the honesty to repent where we have been complicit through action or inaction. We long for the day when these tragedies are so rare that when one does occur, we must struggle to recall if another one has happened in our lifetime. Bring us to that day O God, bring about that day.

Bring us to that day when you no longer have to the first one to weep when this violence happens.

We pray this in the name of the one called the Prince of Peace. Amen.  

Sixth Sunday in Easter- a Prayer for Memorial Day

 

Gracious God, we remember with gratitude and humility this weekend all who have died while serving on behalf of others.  We lift up all those who have laid down their life in hopes of serving country, neighbor, stranger or friend.

May the memory of those who gave their lives inspire us to emulate their self-sacrifice and service through your call to be peacemakers, justice bearers, reconcilers on your behalf.  

As we remember those killed in acts of war, we pray for the end to all wars, so that swords may be beat into plowshares, and bombs and tanks and guns gather dust.

Yet war still exists, acts of violence and death performed in the hopes of “winning” through the loss of life.  We lift up anywhere in the world where acts of war reign, or where the threat of war overshadows everyday life. 

As you call us to be instruments of your reconciling grace and mercy, fill us with the Spirit’s power so we take up your call.

For we long for the  Memorial Day when  there will no longer be  names to add to the roles of those who died in service of their country.

We long for, we reach for, the day we actually do live as you have always intended- in loving unity as your diverse yet loving family.

We pray this in the name of the one known as the Prince of Peace. Amen.    

 

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.