God, we are broken.
Broken by violence,
broken by grief,
broken by confusion.
Our hearts are with people in _________
devastated by a terrible crime.
We are lamenting with those who have lost loved ones,
feeling for those who are traumatized,
wondering in disbelief.
We pray for the family of the person who committed the crime
as they mourn for him, and try to comprehend his deeds.
As we digest these events and read and see the news,
we have questions that haunt us;
Why would someone do this?
Why are lethal weapons so ready at hand?
How do we protect our children?
How should we respond?
We wonder about other troubled people
whose hands hover over guns,
whose thoughts stray to innocent victims.
God of love, help us embrace each other when terror strikes.
God of comfort, we need your advent here.
God of hope, be near us.
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.