Prayer for the Nation - Prayer Resources

We're grateful to share the eloquent prayers of others.

Taken from the Alternative Opening prayer
Twenty-Fourth Sunday, Ordinary Time
The Sacramentary

Let us pray
(for the peace which is born of faith and hope)
Father in heaven, Creator of all,
look down upon your peope in their moments of need,
for you alone are the source of our peace.
Bring us to the dignity which
distinguishes the poor in spirit
and show us how great is the call to serve,
that we may share in the peace of Christ
who offered his life in the servece of all.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Gabe Huck
A Prayer after Deeds of Terror
September 2001

Lord and lover of humankind,
teach us to groan as you must groan,
sudden mourners, all of us.
Cry with us,
instruct us in the language of lamentation.

For wars we thought were far away
have snatched lives so near,
anonymous as our own, dear as our own.
And what shall we do, Lord,
with all our might?
What are we to do,
we who came to Jesus in baptism,
and are people of this nation?

In the horror of so much death,
tear open with us the gospel's hard truth:
Is this the hour to trample down violence,
to deny death any more lives,
to refuse the false safety of walls and weapons,
to beg of you, good Lord, the hardest courage
and so look anew at all that is amiss in our world?

Around the table of our assembly
we give you praise even in our lamentation,
and we hunger and greatly thirst:
for the body broken for all,
the blood poured out for the life of the world,
Jesus, who is Lord for ever and ever.

Amen.

Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Almighty God and loving Father:
Welcome into your loving embrace those who were killed yesterday.
Grant them eternal peace and light.
Encourage those who await rescue in body, soul and spirit.
Comfort and give strength to the families and friends of those who lost loved ones.
Be with and heal those who suffer pain.
Guide and strengthen those who care for the injured.
Grant patience and wisdom to those who have been called to restore order.
Create in us a pure heart so that we may bear witness to your presence in the face of our enemy.
In the midst of pain and suffering, let Your Spirit show us a way to forgiveness, remind us to love our enemy, and do good to those who harm us.
Protect us, keep us safe, especially from the weapons of hatred, grant us a willingness to forgive and hearts of tranquility and peace.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Diocese of Savannah

In our fear and doubt, we turn to you, O God, and seek your presence.
Welcome those who were killed into your loving embrace.
Give them eternal peace.
Comfort the families of those who lost loved ones.
Give them strength.
Be with those who have suffered pain.
Heal them.
Guide those who care for the injured.
Be their strength.
Lead our country through this grief.
Comfort us.
Bring justice to those responsible for this terror.
And do not abandon your people in their time of need.

We ask this through Christ, Our Lord.

Amen.

World Library Publications/ J.S. Paluch Company
(Prayer by Jerry Galipeau)

Let us pray.
O God of mercy and forgiveness,
We stand before you in pain, in fear, and in grief.
We know you desire good for your people, which is why we are stunned when we face the terror of today's magnitude.
We cry out to you with the word that we share with one another: "Why?"

In our fear and doubt, we still turn to you,
O God, and ask your presence.

Welcome those who were killed today
into your loving embrace.
Give them eternal peace.

Comfort the families of those who lost loved ones.
Give them strength.

Be with those who have suffered pain.
Heal them.

Guide those who care for the injured.
Be their strength.

Lead our country through this grief.
Comfort us.

Bring justice to those responsible for this terror.
And Almighty God,
we pray that you do not abandon your people in their time of need.

Amen.