Our hearts break and are horrified by the sickening attack on those celebrating Bastille Day when a terrorist took the lives of so many and injured scores. Once again, we were reminded in a year filled with attacks of terror and hate, how cruel we can be to each other as humans on this earth. While we grieve and stand united in prayer and solidarity with those in the city of Nice, the country of France, and countries around the world that suffer these violent acts, and also know that this is likely not to be the last, we also are called prayer and reflection, if only to express our grief to God. The lament below from the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is designed to do just that. To be an aid to express our grief and sorrow at a time such as this.
God, whose presence we yearn toward in the stillness after our shaken, broken voices and the fires of violence fall silent: we have no words left.
The words others have said: “horrific” “worst” “unspeakable” “impossible”
have been spoken so many times that we can no longer hear them.
Our hearts have broken so often, we cannot feel.
Our hope has been tried, and, we confess in sorrow,
has been found wanting.
There has been too much terror, and not enough answers
too many lost lives with too little time to grieve them all
too much violation of the ordinary and not enough glimpse of the holy to hold us fast.
But You, oh God: beyond our words, beneath our hope:
be the creative breath that orders our chaos
the mercy and justice that compels us to action
the Love that is stronger than death.
We ask you again, for we have nowhere else to turn—
Hold us fast, when we cannot hold on any longer.
Walk with us through the valley of the shadow
Turn us away from despair, that we may not grow weary in well-doing
Triune God, grant us liberté, égalité, fraternité:
…the liberty of your love that conquers fear and evil
…the mind of your Son, who did not consider equality with You a thing to be exploited, but emptied himself
…the fraternity of your Spirit, beyond our divisions, to bind us together as one family in your kindom of mercy and peace. Amen.
The Rev. Dr. Laurie A Kraus
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