We will not be diminished in our faith by a culture of “thoughts and prayers.” We are a people praying for the courage and wisdom to act.

a blessing for when violence is done in the name of Jesus

Jesus we are furious.
we are trembling.
we are outraged,
that murderous acts of violence
are committed in Your Name.

Lord God, come and set things right,
starting right here, right now.

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.
the voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
psalm 29:4 KJV

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.
say unto God,
o how wonderful art thou in thy works,
through the greatness of thy power
shall thine enemies be found liars unto thee.
psalm 66:3 (1662 Coverdale)

blessed are we who say, God,
You saw it,
the banner of the holy name of Jesus
exploited and as good as trampled on,
even while it was being held high
over acts of blind fury and deadly violence--
the day that lawmaking stopped
and lawlessness and chaos broke through.

God, you saw the sparks that set all this in motion:
infamy disguised as righteous anger,
lies dressed as truth,
cowardice posing as courage,
cunning disguised as boldness,
sedition resting comfortably
like a parasite within a host
that remains unaware that its very essence
is being drained away.
God, blessed are we who saw it too.
we saw it. and we know this wasn’t You.
for we have lately been to the manger.
we have seen You, our newborn King,
who came in love
“not to conquer other kings by earthly warfare,
but by his own death to subdue them to himself…
not that living he might fight,
but that dying he might triumph.”
(Fulgentius)
but God blessed are we when we say,
You are our mighty king, our refuge, our protector.
show us how to restore order
when chaos seems stronger.
let Your light penetrate the darkness utterly,
that freedom might be restored,
freedom in civil society,
and freedom within each of us
that we might have power
and wisdom and strength
to live by Your Spirit.

blessed are we who say God,
sustain us as we stand in the gap
between our present suffering and our future hope
show us how to preserve the good,
protect the vulnerable, feed the hungry,
and empower the true leaders among us
who desire to serve the common good.

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Then Simon Peter drew a sword
and slashed off the right ear of Malchus,
the high priest’s slave. But Jesus said to Peter,
“Put your sword back into its sheath.
Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering
the Father has given me?”
john 18:10-11

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