As the world reels from the recent terrorism against New Zealand mosques, we, once again offer these prayer resources for our readers. First, a prayer composed by our colleague at Twenty-Third Publications, Dan Connors, that is directly below.
Here also is a prayer service resource from master catechist Marc Cardaronella.
Catechist also recommends parish and school leaders to have this book handy, The Parish Emergency Kit, by Kathy Hendricks. – The Editor
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God of peace,
As hate builds on hate
and violence follows savage violence,
it is so easy to nd ourselves
weary or numb
or feeling helpless and afraid. “Never again” we say;
we say it so often that the words
get dry in our mouths;
and with every killing, every hateful word, it gets harder and harder to believe it.
Even your Church, the People of God
Is riven with anger and injustice, preying on each other
instead of praying with and for one another,
blaming each other for sins and evils
that live and thrive in every human heart.
God of Love,
Where can we turn but to you? Who, but you, can save us from ourselves?
Who, but you, can revive our spirits and all us with hope?
Do not delay, God!
We fear that time is running out.
Break through our walls of hate
and injustice and violence.
Help us change our hearts and quiet our minds.
Help us set a course of justice, not retribution, compassion,
not intolerance, solidarity, not division,
and hope instead of despair.
Help us to mourn all the victims and bring comfort and solace to their families.
Help us work for peace
in our families and our neighborhoods,
our country and our world.
Fill us with courage and compassion so that
we may be signs to the world that there is another way—
your way of peace and mercy and love.
O God,
Your Son, who gave his life for us, commanded us to love one another
and prayed to you that we all would be one.
Please! Answer your Son’s prayer now!
You are our hope, and our peace, and our Life.
Amen.
Dan Connors
Editorial Director (Retired), Twenty-Third Publications
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Image Credit: Chalabala /iStock photo 900894072
