Lament for New Zealand Shooting

March 18th, 2019 | April Karli

The Lament prayer from our Liturgy on March 17, 2019 in response to the shootings at mosques in New Zealand.

Lord, in sadness and grief, we come before you.
We feel hopeless in the face of hatred and violence,
We despair over the brokenness in our world
But we choose love, in all of this we choose love.
And so we turn to you in prayer.

For the 50 of our Muslim brothers and sisters who lost their breath of life this week
Lord, have mercy

For Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand who have lost members of their community
Lord, have mercy

For the families left behind; mothers, fathers, daughters and sons
Christ, have mercy

For their anger and grief, pain and fear
Christ, have mercy

For those twisted by violence and hatred
Triune God, intercede

For the 28 year old, white nationalist man, whose mind has been twisted by violence and hatred
Triune God, intercede

For the churches and mosques, striving to be a light in the darkness, beyond our comprehension.
Spirit, empower us

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 disagree with and pray to understand that we are bound by something deeper than our beliefs.

Kyrie Eleison.
Lord, have mercy.

Heal this sickness in our blood
By their wounds, make them whole.

We pray these things by grace of God
With the love of the Son
And in the power of the Holy Spirit!
Amen