Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Prayer of Hope and Peace after Boston Bombings


Dearest God

When senseless violence, hatred, and the promulgation of fear crash innocent lives, we collectively cry out in our shared humanity, “Why God, Why!?”

In the aftermath of yet another confusingly violent and disgustingly purposeless torrent of inhumanity and evil, help us to stay focused, O God.

Help us, as a people to resist the evil temptation that wishes to return evil with more evil.

Help us to seek your Justice rather than the temporary course of mere revenge.

Help us to reach out in prayer to all those affected—from the lives disrupted by the bombings to the lives so distorted in fear and hatred that they would choose to cause such evil to be unleashed on innocent lives.

Help us, O God, to rise above the anger and hurt of such senseless violence and remember our shared humanity that, seeking the peace that passes all understanding, we may live in your love rather than our very legitimate fear, hatred, and disgust.

Help us, we pray, to be laborers for your peace this day and be the presence of your Son to all who cry out in anguish because of such unspeakable evil.

God, you have said that perfect love casts out all fear, so today, let us live out of that love and be the people you have called and created us to be that fear may succumb to your loving grace and peace.

In Jesus’ Name

AMEN!

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