A Prayer for Holy Week

(in response to the terrorist attacks in Brussels, March 22, 2016)

Lord, so many of us will gather later this week
with the primary purpose of remembering
an act of violence.

And to that remembrance we regret we must add
so many more examples--
yea, even from
this week.

So as we gather
As we remember
As we grieve
Forgive us, once again,
for we know not what we do.

And Lord: remove from us
any vanity or shallow misbegotten reflection
which would prevent us from understanding
that you do not perpetrate violence
ever

and help us learn
and help us teach
that the killing bombing maiming hating
that still happens here
is killing bombing maiming hating
somehow done to
You

Amen.