My heart is burdened by the conflict that has erupted in the Middle East this week, as well as the ongoing wars across the globe that often go unnoticed. I grieve for the hidden oppression and violence that rarely reaches our news feeds. I lament the pain of war, death, and loss in a world that God deeply loves and this weighs heavily on my spirit when I read the headlines. During these days of war and rumors of war, I find help and solace in my book of prayers, for words often fail me. Let me share a few lines of prayer from “Every Moment Holy, Volume 2” that I have been praying this week:
“Break the chains of death that plague this world. O Lord, hasten the day! Accelerate the moment when bombs and bullets no longer serve a purpose, when the tools of violence and the strategies of war are forever buried beneath the joyful flourishing of humanity in an age of enduring peace. Expedite the day when we no longer endure loss or harm, when we are spared from numbing news and the sudden shock of widespread death or senseless killing. Act swiftly, O Christ!”
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Susie Grade 