Sad, Tired and Angry
Gun Violence Prayer
A Prayer in the Face of
Gun 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 know
that
the sadness
I feel
is
your
sadness.
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’m 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 any way.
Help me
see in these feelings
as the way that
you move me
to act.
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.
Turn
my sadness
into compassion.
Turn
my tiredness
into advocacy.
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.
James Martin S.J.
A Prayer to End Gun Violence
From; the Social Justice
Resource Center
Thank you for The Prayer
in the Face of Gun Violence
http://www.loaloachristiannetwork.com/
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