Mass Shootings: A Communal Prayer of Lament

This morning our church paused to pray for the victims and communities marred by the mass shootings this past weekend. While we were praying one of the kids in our community lit 33 candles to represent the 33 different people that were killed this week in Dayton, El Paso, and Gilroy. Below is the prayer we used. Unfortunately, the cities and numbers are editable, meaning this prayer can be (and will be) used multiple times in the future until this ends. Feel free to utilize (and edit as necessary) this prayer in your own communities. 

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Prayer of Lament for Mass Shootings

This prayer is a call and response. The words in italics are to be spoken by the congregation.

Our Father, 250 mass shootings in the United States of America in 216 days.

Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

For the people of Gilroy, of El Paso, of Dayton: for their grief, their anger, their loss, their fear; for the peace and lives that have been shattered.

Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

For the families wrecked with the loss of their children, their parents, their friends, their neighbors, their family.

Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

For the insidious evil that is white supremacy and white nationalism that has always been present within our country and continues unabated: Lord, come quickly. We pray for your victory and our repentance.

Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

For our collective, national addiction to anger, hatred, division, segregation, and weapons of war in the name of safety and security: help us beat our swords into plowshares; help us desire peace, unity, love, and reconciliation.

Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.

May our thoughts and prayers spurn us to a collective, national action that removes this scourge from our land.

Your Kingdom Come.

Your Kingdom Come.

Your Kingdom Come.

Your Kingdom Come.

Your Kingdom Come.

Amen, amen, and amen.