Posted on 04/16/2007 12:39:57 PM PDT by Knitting A Conundrum
Lord, on this day when so many people are affected by the loss of life, the loss of their loved ones, the vision of the evil that men do, we ask you for your mercy. Bring your healing to those who have been so harmed by this, students, teachers, parents, friends, loved ones, law enforcement officers, and all who are touched by this tragedy.
Teach us Lord, to love, to forgive, and to walk in your light, and when we fail, be with us, and pick us up out of the mire we slip into, and bring those so hurt into your peace.
In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
Please join me, if you will, in praying for those whose lives have been touched by the tragedy at Virginia Tech, and for our nation as we react to it, and all those who have been touched by the tragedies of mid-April: Waco, the Murrah Building, Columbine, and all who will flash back to the disasters in their own lives because of this.
Amen
O merciful Father, who has taught us in your holy Word that you do not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men: Look with pity on the sorrows of your servants for whom our prayers are offered. Remember them, O Lord, in mercy, nourish their souls with patience, comfort them with a sense of your goodness, lift up your countenance on them, and give them peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
I join in your earnest prayer.
Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and let my cry come unto thee,
and hear the voice of your children,
all those burdened
with death unexpected,
the dead, the dying, the survivors,
the blood of victims
here,
then,
throughout time
since Abel’s blood first cried to you.
II
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
For the hardness of our heart
Forgive us, O Lord.
For the passing of our wrongs down to our children,
Forgive us, O Lord.
For the celebration of the death of our enemies,
Forgive us, O Lord.
For choosing to nurse our hate rather than be reconciled with our neighbor,
Forgive us O Lord.
III
Words.
Words were spoken,
and soon,
reality is warped into the image
cast by words.
The words were spoken
twisting peace into hate,
twisting plowshares into swords.
Where are the words
to ease the pain
of a woman who has lost her child?
In the anger of hate,
is she real
or just a counter?
Where are the words
to fill the heart
of a husband who lost his wife?
Is his loss
justified
by the blow against some image of enemy?
Where are the words
to fill the lives
of the newly bereaved?
Are their shattered lives
able to heal
the twisting of others’ hearts?
IV
Dear Lord,
This day, let me commend to you
all those killed
in hatred,
whether by sword,
stone,
scapel,
poison,
bullet,
bomb.
This day I commend to you
victims chosen
to terrorize the surviving,
children,
beloveds,
friends,
coworkers,
strangers.
Teach us, O Lord, to break the chains
that try to drag us down into the pit
one word at a time
one refusal to hate at a time,
one reaching out to those in need at a time,
one willingness to walk in your steps at a time.
Amen.
Amen
Prayers sent
Domine, exaudi orationem meam.
Hear our prayer, O Lord,
And let our cry come unto thee.
The day of tears,
the day of ashes,
the day trembling seizes us,
clamor meus ad te veniat.
the hand of Cain upon his brother
Memorare, O pie Jesu, Domine,
Clamouring in a wailing of tears,
and blood and pain,
anger and angst,
pain,
the cry of despair,
how our cry comes to thee,
Lacrimosa die alla,
every day,
the day of tears,
ashes,
ex favilla,
dust,
at our hand,
the all too willing tool of darkness.
Miserare nobis.
Oh God,our refuge and our strength;look with favor upon Thy people who cry to Thee,and through the intercession of the Most Immaculate Virgin Mary,St. Joseph her most chaste spouse,the holy apostles Peter and Paul and all the angels and saints,hear the prayers which we pour forth for the conversion of sinners and strength and courage for your people on earth so that we may do Your will as we react to this tragic event in Virginia.
Lord Jesus, our Redeemer, You willingly gave Yourself up to death so that all people might be saved and pass from death into a new life. Listen to our prayers; look with love on Your people who mourn and pray for their beloved departed ones, snatched away this dark day. Lord Jesus, You alone are holy and compassionate; forgive these your children their sins.
By dying You opened the gates of life for those who believe in You; do not let Your children be parted from You, but by Your glorious power give them light, joy, and peace in heaven where You live for ever and ever. Amen.
O Lord,
there are moments that we don’t understand
the chaos you present us with,
the darkness of the road ahead,
the pain and the suffering and grief.
In those moments when I want to scream out “Why me?”
let me hear your voice say “Why not you?”
and teach me the right questions to ask,
how to be salt and light even when the darkness surrounds me,
how to say, “Where does it hurt?”,
and “What can I do?”
and the hardest thing of all, “Help!”
May I this day, and always,
see Christ in those you put before me,
even when anger percolates through my heart
and I want to reach out and hit something,
even when tears touch my heart and eyes,
and I want to roll into a ball,
even when I have no answers,
except to remember you,
and the darkest of days,
and how you gave all.
O Lord,
teach me to love as you love,
this day and always,
Amen.
BTTT
Heartbroken prayers.
We commend to thee, O Lord, the soul of thy servants lost today; that now being dead to this world, they may live unto thee, and that in thy boundless goodness and pity thou mayest forgive them those sins which out of human weakness they have committed during their life on earth; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Out of the depths,
the darkness of sin,
the darkness of being separated,
the darkness of doubt,
of chosing self over God,
the depths of hubris,
I have cried to thee,
O Lord,
the last anchor I know of,
the first truth that I learned of,
the light I long for,
the truth I hunger for
he who I have slighted,
he who knows my every move,
he who knows,
he.
Lord, hear my voice,
you who hear all,
you who weep in the garden
for the weight of all our sin,
you, who offer your wrists up to the nails,
your back to the scourge,
your face to the mocking,
you hear me,
crying in the darkness,
when I think it is only me,
and it is always two,
you and I.
In the bitterness of my tears,
you awaken my heart,
change me!
In the sorrow of my shortcomings
when you show me my reality,
heal me!
In the darkness of my grieving,
when you let me know that I am but dust,
and you are reality,
hold me,
mold me,
and let me be
as you would have me to be,
transformed
by your love
a love big enough
to transform the whole world,
tear by tear.
Amen.
My heart enjoins the words of your beautiful prayers.
Amen.
Dies irae, dies illa
solvet saeclum in favilla,
teste David cum Sybilla.
Quantus tremor est futurus,
quando judex est venturus,
cuncta stricte discussurus.
Tuba mirum spargens sonum
per sepulchra regionum,
coget omnes ante thronum.
Mors stupebit et natura,
cum resurget creatura,
judicanti responsura.
Liber scriptus proferetur,
in quo totum continetur,
unde mundus judicetur.
Judex ergo cum sedebit,
quidquid latet apparebit,
nil inultum remanebit.
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
Quem patronum rogaturus,
cum vix justus sit securus?
Rex tremendae majestatis,
qui salvandos salvas gratis,
salva me, fons pietatis.
Recordare Jesu pie,
quod sum causa tuae viae,
ne me perdas illa die.
Quaerens me sedisti lassus,
redemisti crucem passus,
tantus labor non sit cassus.
Juste judex ultionis,
donum fac remissionis
ante diem rationis.
Ingemisco tanquam reus,
culpa rubet vultus meus,
supplicanti parce, Deus.
Qui Mariam absolvisti,
et latronem exaudisti,
mihi quoque spem dedisti.
Preces meae non sunt dignae,
sed tu, bonus, fac benigne,
ne perenni cremer igne.
Inter oves locum praesta,
et ab hoedis me sequestra,
statuens in parte dextra.
Confutatis maledictis,
flammis acribus addictis,
voca me cum benedictis.
Oro supplex et acclinis,
cor contritum quasi cinis,
gere curam mei finis.
Lacrimosa dies illa,
qua resurget ex favilla
judicandus homo reus -
Huic ergo parce, Deus.
Pie Jesu Domine,
dona eis requiem.
Amen.
Amen. May God bless all the families who are impacted by this horrible tragedy.
Joining in prayer....
8mm
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