Prayer for Orlando

By revjudegeiger

Spirit of Life, God of Many Names, Source of Love,

We gather this evening, in peace, in sorrow;

in grief, and in pain.

We bear witness once more to such a deep,

human loss for all our communities.

We mourn the death of 49 lesbian, and gay, bisexual and transgender people;

Bright souls with parents, and siblings;

some in the vibrant youth of their lives,

others who lived for decades, getting to see our nation,

too slowly turn toward equality for all,

and at least one – who was in great personal pain – who brought that tragic pain to bear upon so many others.

We bear witness to the parents who will no longer see their children come home; parents who will not get the chance to celebrate their sons’ or daughter’s plans for marriage or for children of their own, for a long life denied them.

We have no words in the face of such loss….

Mother of Grace, we pray you write this grief into the tablets of our hearts,

so that we may no longer go into this world complicit with the quiet hates that embed our streets, and schools, offices and houses of worship.

As we have seen so much loss, teach us to hold tight to one another,

while we can, and live into this world with Your sacred trust; with respect and compassion; especially when it’s hard to find.

Move us out of inaction and complacency,

and use us to build the Beloved Community on this earth.

And turn us away from fear, and easy blame.

May our people not look to the actions of one man,

and blame the whole of his religion.

Ever teach us to question any lesson that ends in fear, or hatred;

that lifts up the differences over our common humanity,

that divides us and makes us forget we are all children of God.

We pray for a healing of the toxic masculinity that puts all of us at risk;

may we raise our boys into men whose hearts are stirred by justice and forbearance;

men who find strength in solidarity rather than in power,

who find self-acceptance in compassion rather than insecurity from fear.

Where we feel helpless before the enormity of it all,

remind us that our work in raising families and communities grounded in Spirit and centered in love,

is the very work that each of our faith’s call us to do.

We are the hands of the Holy on earth,

and may we ever reach those hands out to one another,

in times of loss and in times of celebration,

building and rebuilding our world.

Let there be peace on earth,

and let it begin with me.