The bullets ripped their flesh,
and tear our souls, Lord God.

Flashing from nowhere,
unseen, unforeseen, perhaps unforeseeable,
lives of promise ended,
others mangled by hot steel
and the shrapnel lodged in hearts too stunned to cry.

How long, O Lord? How long?

And for the shooter, Lord,
Forgive.
What break in heart, or mind, or flesh
moved, possessed, demanded him
to stalk these down like prey?
We cringe,
paralyzed before the mystery
of evil.
We open our mouths,
and join the silence of the disbelieving.

Hear us, Lord.
(Silence)

Heal us, Lord.
(Silence)

Grant them,
and us,
your peace.
Amen.

••••••

Taylor Burton-Edwards (tburtonedwards@gbod.org) is the Director of Worship Resources for the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church.

"A Prayer in the Face of a Rampage Shooting" Copyright © 2007 The General Board of Discipleship. This resource may not be reproduced for sale under any circumstances, nor republished on any website or in any other electronic medium without advance written permission. Any local church or United Methodist agency may reprint any or all of this page as long as the following copyright notice appears:
"Copyright © 2007 The General Board of Discipleship. Used with permission."