Prayer For Violence
Almighty God,
I come before you,
once again,
after another shooting.
I am sad, God.
So I ask You
to receive into your loving care the souls of those who were killed,
to care for those who were wounded or hurt in any way,
to console the family members and friends of those who died or were wounded,
to strengthen the hands of the rescue workers, medical professionals and caregivers.
I pray too for the shooter, as I must as a Christian.
All this makes me inexpressibly sad, God. But I know that the sadness I feel is your sadness.
It is the same sadness your son expressed when he wept over the death of his friend Lazarus.
I am tired, God.
I'm tired of the unwillingness to see this as an important issue.
I'm tired of those in power who work to prevent any real change.
I'm tired of those who say that gun violence can't be reduced.
All this makes me tired.
But I know that the tiredness I feel is your tiredness.
It's the same tiredness that Jesus felt after his own struggles
against injustice that led him to fall asleep on the boat with his disciples.
I am angry, God.
I am angry at the seeming powerlessness of our community to prevent this.
I'm angry at the selfish financial interests who block change.
I'm angry that these shootings happen at all. But I know that this anger is your anger
It's the same anger Jesus felt when he overturned the tables in the Temple,
angry that anyone would be taken advantage of in anyway.
Help me see in these emotions your own desire for change.
Help me see in these feelings your moving me to act.
Help me see in these reactions your pushing me to do something.
Because I know this is the way you move people to action.
And I know that you desire action.
For Jesus did not stand by while people were being hurt.
He plunged into their lives.
So help me to answer these questions:
How can I help?
How can I fight against gun violence?
How can I urge my political leaders to enact change?
How can I help people understand that this is an issue about life?
I am sad over the loss of life,
tired of excuses for the loss of life,
and angry that we are paralyzed by the loss of life.
So
Turn my sadness into compassion.
Turn my tiredness into advocacy.
Turn my paralysis into the freedom to act.
Help me
to be compassionate
to advocate
and to act,
as your son did,
Almighty God.
Lord, we are bewildered.
More violence? Another mess of blood and debris on the screen?
We haven't yet recovered from the last.
Some of us are paralyzed with fear.
We hear about bombs and guns and death, and our throats close up in terror.
We fear for our own lives, for the lives of our children and our children's children.
We don't know what has happened to the world we thought we knew.
We who fear confess our fear and ask for your forgiveness.
Fill us with your love, for your perfect love casts out fear.
You are with us. Your rod and your staffthey comfort us.
And we pray for the people whose lives are truly endangered,
who have more cause to fear.
Would you make safe havens for them?
Would you lead them out of the valley of the shadow of death
and into places of light and life?
Some of us are incensed with hatred.
The wars and rumors of war incite us to start our own.
Our instinct is to be overcome by evil, to take vengeance into our own hands.
We who hate confess our hate and ask for your forgiveness.
Warm our hearts with compassion and help us pursue peace.
Grant us your wisdom as we seek your kingdom
by turning our cheek and walking another mile.
And we pray for the people whose hatred has led to death.
As you did with the apostle Paul, would you encounter them on the road?
Would you, with your very presence,
transform threats and murder into lives lived for you?
Some of us just feel numb.
The rising death tolls spin past our eyes, but our hearts no longer read them.
Years of images of violence have dulled our senses.
Another incident? We don't even flinch anymore.
We who are numb confess our numbness and ask for your forgiveness.
Sharpen our senses. Cause us to care,
even if that means feeling the pain of heartbreaking sadness.
Teach us empathy. Help us weep with those who weep.
And we pray for the people who weep.
Would you be their consolation?
You know the pain of betrayal, of abandonment, of death.
Would you heal wounds of all kinds?
Would you alsosomedaygive them cause to laugh?
On that day, we will laugh with those who laugh.
Lord of all, gather us upyour creatures, your world
and bring an end to the violence.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Amen.
Lord, in our shock and confusion, we come before you.
In our grief and despair in the midst of hate,
in our sense of helplessness in the face of violence,
we lean on you.
For the families of those who have been killed we pray.
For the shootershelp us to pray, Lord.
For the communities that have lost memberstheir anger, grief, fearwe pray.
For the churches striving to be your light in darkness beyond our comprehension, we pray.
In the face of hatred, may we claim love, Lord.
May we love those far off and those near.
May we love those who are strangers and those who are friends.
May we love those who we agree with and understand,
and even more so, Lord, those who we consider to be our enemies.
Kyrie Eleison. Lord, have mercy.
Heal our sin-sick souls.
Make these wounds whole, Lord.
O almighty and merciful God, Lord of the universe and of history. All that You have created is good and your compassion for the mistakes of mankind knows no limits.
We come to You today to ask You to keep in peace the world and its people, to keep far away from it the devastating wave of terrorism, to restore friendship and instill in the hearts of your creatures the gift of trust and of readiness to forgive.
O Giver of life, we pray to You also for all those who have died as victims of brutal terrorist attacks. Grant them their eternal reward. May they intercede for the world that is torn apart by conflicts and disagreements.
O Jesus, Prince of Peace, we pray to You for the ones who have been wounded in these acts of inhuman violence: children and young people, old people and innocent people accidentally involved in evil. Heal their bodies and hearts; console them with Your strength and, at the same time, take away any hatred and a desire for revenge.
Holy Spirit Consoler, visit the families of the victims of terrorism, families that suffer through no fault of their own. Wrap them in the mantle of Your divine mercy. Make them find again in You and in themselves the strength and courage to continue to be brothers and sisters for others, above all for immigrants, giving witness to Your love by their lives.
Touch the hearts of terrorists so that they may recognize the evil of their actions and may turn to the way of peace and goodness, of respect for the life and for the dignity of every human being, regardless of religion, origin, wealth or poverty.
O God, Eternal Father, in Your mercy hear our prayer which we raise up to You amidst the deafening noise and desperation of the world. We turn to You with great hope, full of trust in
Your infinite Mercy. Made strong by the examples of the blessed martyrs of Per, Zbigniew and Michael, who have rendered courageous testimony to the Gospel, to the point of offering their blood, we entrust ourselves to the intercession of Your Most Holy Mother. We ask for the gift of peace and of the elimination from our midst of the sore of terrorism.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord God, crime is on the increase within our city and our country.
From the depths of our hearts we pray that you will comfort, heal, and bless all victims of crime.
We ask that you protect all people from the evil of crime and violence.
We pray especially for life-changing conversion for all criminals and the violent
remove all evil form their hearts,
fill them with your goodness and love
that they may cease their evil works
and that our city and land be free from the
scourge of crime and violence.
We pray also for the grace to purge ourselves of all violence
in our own thoughts and actions,
in our family life,
in our friendships,
in relationships with others
Lord, I personal commit to refrain from violent acts or words
To settle conflicts.
I further swear to teach others, especially our youth,
that violence is too quick an answer
that produces irreparable, life-long
and threatening results.
Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you that through your death on the cross you disarmed the powers of evil.
Help us, we pray you, to enter into your victory and to stand in your authority against all evil.
Send forth your light and your truth, O Lord.
Bring to light the deeds of darkness and let plans of violence and murder be revealed.
By the power of your Holy Spirit convict those who have allowed their minds to be dominated by evil.
Lead them, O Lord, to true repentance that they may receive your new life and rejoice in your forgiving love.
Amen.
Loving God, you are the author and sustainer of our lives. You know the anguish of the sorrowful, you are attentive to the prayers of the brokenhearted. Hear your people who cry out to you in their need; strengthen their hope in your lasting goodness.
We pray today for those who have died because of violence, of terrorism. Draw them to yourself; let your face shine upon them. May they be greeted with choirs of angels and experience your eternal peace and joy.
Be near to all those who have been touched by violence: those who have been hurt, lost their loved ones or lost their sense of security. Be for them a steady comfort and safe resting place.
Soften the hearts and steady of the minds of those who would do violence to others. May hate be replaced with love, violence with peace and darkness with your light.
Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ,
You told the women of Jerusalem not to weep for you
but to weep for themselves.
Be with women who suffer violence in their homes,
As they weep for their sons caught up in the violence.
Be with the women who live in domestic violence,
Who have learnt not to weep for their own pains,
Who have suffered so long they are numb.
Strengthen your Church in its care and support
Of all who are in pain.
Help us to be sensitive and caring
For you are the Lord who suffers and serves.