Let the Shooting End
God, our hearts are broken with pain
at the senseless deaths caused by gun violence.
Families mourn, children live in fear,
and some in our nation respond by arming themselves with more guns with greater capacity to end life.
Our disconnection and alienation have caused some
to turn to guns for protection and safety.
We ask that you touch our hearts with your love,
heal our brokenness,
and turn us away from violence toward peace.
Help us to transform our own hearts
and to seek peaceful ways of resolving our differences.
Let our hands reach out and connect with
those who feel alone, those who live in fear,
and those suffering from mental illness.
Let our voices be raised
asking our legislators to enact gun laws to protect all
in our society, especially those most vulnerable.
Let our pens write messages demanding change
while also scripting words of hope and transformation.
We ask this in the name of the God
who desires that we live together in peace.
Amen.
“Bringing peace is central to the mission of Christ’s disciples. That peace is offered to all those men and women who long for peace amid the tragedies and violence that mark human history. The ‘house’ of which Jesus speaks is every family, community, country and continent, in all their diversity and history. It is first and foremost each individual person, without distinction or discrimination. But it is also our ‘common home’: the world in which God has placed us and which we are called to care for and cultivate.”
Source of quote: w2.vatican.va. “Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the Celebration of the 52nd World Day of Peace 1 January 2019”