Thank you so much, Diana...I would recommend MOMS DEMAND ACTION and GAYS AGAINST GUNS, as two worthwhile organizations. Go to their meetings, get involved in their public demonstrations as well as seen and unseen actions. And keep calling and bugging your representatives, particularly if you live in red and/or swing states. Let's pray and act - pray and act. Namaste~ Blessings, Rev. Kat
Please include Columbine in this litany. 12 students and a teacher murdered in the “first” mass shooting. April 1999. My son was in the fifth grade. I was preparing to enter my teacher credential program; I am now completing my 22nd year in the classroom. My parenting life and my professional life have run a parallel course to these tragic episodes. Please also include prayers of courage and strength for teachers and their families, for all families with school age children. Merely showing up to school has become a great act of faith. Please also hold in our hearts and send peace to those communities who experience gun violence on a daily basis. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray.
Thank you for sharing the Litany, Diana. I am a Christian, an American, and I am also sick of the meaningless-sounding "thoughts and prayers" after each travesty like this one. Someone needs to DO something. But centering on that prayer for a few minutes was helpful. Surely God grieves, too. I long for His kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven.
I am struck by the power and determination of a sub set of our population who are passionate about determining if woman are allowed to terminate a pregnancy -- ie, declaring that process Murder. However, as more and more and more and more in our country are murdered by irrational - possibly sick people holding guns, that is just fine. I find that dichotomy really difficult.
I have seen this Litany before, after other mass shootings, but I had never read about the time frame of when it began. So imagine my reaction when in your first paragraph you say this Bishops’ group began the litany after the mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, CA- where I live. Borderline Bar and Grill is 3 miles from my house, the shooter lived 3 blocks away and we had church, neighborhood or university connections to 4 of the victims killed and several more of the injured. The night of the shooting was “College Night”, which meant young people under 21 were allowed in so the place was filled with kids barely into their adulthood. The shooter chose that night for a reason. The combination of attendees and victims being “townies” as well as students at Pepperdine University, where my husband is a professor, meant that this tragedy affected us in every sphere of life. The same is true for 3 other families on our street, whose kids were good friends with those in attendance and with 2 of the victims. One family in our neighborhood have a son who was at both the Las Vegas concert massacre and the Borderline shooting and he helped people escape during both of them. How do you move past that? Until it happens to your town, you can’t imagine what it feels like. It is a club no town wants to a part of.
The chronicle of the Bishop’s prayer is horrifying in its violence and length. I sent it on to my rector who sent it to the whole congregation along with an invitation to join a protest march and “write-in” this Sunday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio
Yet another tragedy. Children and their teachers and carers should NEVER have this happen to them. It is inexplicable to the rest of the world that a so-called 'Christian' country can allow these things to happen because of lax gun laws. I am an Australian, and one massacre here was enough to change our laws to make sensible limits on guns. I'm sure that the 'right to bear arms' meant something quite different several centuries ago. Children should never, ever be the victims who pay the price. I grieve for the children, their families, and their community. I pray that the wider community will at last make the necessary changes to gun laws.
This afternoon I wrote to Mike Braun and Todd Young, senators from my state of Indiana, and Mitch McConnell, again! How long before someone says "enough is enough"? Not sure they'll get the message, but I had to do something.
As a Presbyterian pastor near retirement, after pandemic and the craziness sweeping nation and globe, this provides a handle, a place to position oneself. Yes, a profound change in policy, law, heart, and soul is required. Yet I SO much appreciate the insightful, inspired, strategy (for lack of better word) to root this response in risky prayer that names the truth and invokes God's presence. The policy statement and political action area also necessary. Policies and laws have to change. But this risky prayer is at the heart of what people of faith can authentically and actually do today, this Sunday.
I am going straight to the core of the problem with my reaction. Be Kind. Don't flip off a rude driver. Hold a door open for someone. Assist someone who needs and desires it. Slow down speech, thinking, acting. Act more peaceful by being more peaceful.
From Canada -we do not understand why the 2nd Amendment has not been repealed (except of course that the NRA would be quite likely to advocate violence should that occur). We have had our own violent attacks here in Canada, and they are becoming more common despite gun control. Prayer and political action need to be allied. If I were in the US I would expect to see large public protests and rallies in every city in the country.. But it won't happen.
i said very loud not again yesterday and needed this prayer to plunge me into deep reflection and searching spiritually. the huge lists of the dead was mindblowing. thank you for sharing this Ted Johnstone
Thank you so much, Diana...I would recommend MOMS DEMAND ACTION and GAYS AGAINST GUNS, as two worthwhile organizations. Go to their meetings, get involved in their public demonstrations as well as seen and unseen actions. And keep calling and bugging your representatives, particularly if you live in red and/or swing states. Let's pray and act - pray and act. Namaste~ Blessings, Rev. Kat
Please include Columbine in this litany. 12 students and a teacher murdered in the “first” mass shooting. April 1999. My son was in the fifth grade. I was preparing to enter my teacher credential program; I am now completing my 22nd year in the classroom. My parenting life and my professional life have run a parallel course to these tragic episodes. Please also include prayers of courage and strength for teachers and their families, for all families with school age children. Merely showing up to school has become a great act of faith. Please also hold in our hearts and send peace to those communities who experience gun violence on a daily basis. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray.
Thank you for sharing the Litany, Diana. I am a Christian, an American, and I am also sick of the meaningless-sounding "thoughts and prayers" after each travesty like this one. Someone needs to DO something. But centering on that prayer for a few minutes was helpful. Surely God grieves, too. I long for His kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven.
I am struck by the power and determination of a sub set of our population who are passionate about determining if woman are allowed to terminate a pregnancy -- ie, declaring that process Murder. However, as more and more and more and more in our country are murdered by irrational - possibly sick people holding guns, that is just fine. I find that dichotomy really difficult.
I am devastated and needed a place to be today.
I have seen this Litany before, after other mass shootings, but I had never read about the time frame of when it began. So imagine my reaction when in your first paragraph you say this Bishops’ group began the litany after the mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, CA- where I live. Borderline Bar and Grill is 3 miles from my house, the shooter lived 3 blocks away and we had church, neighborhood or university connections to 4 of the victims killed and several more of the injured. The night of the shooting was “College Night”, which meant young people under 21 were allowed in so the place was filled with kids barely into their adulthood. The shooter chose that night for a reason. The combination of attendees and victims being “townies” as well as students at Pepperdine University, where my husband is a professor, meant that this tragedy affected us in every sphere of life. The same is true for 3 other families on our street, whose kids were good friends with those in attendance and with 2 of the victims. One family in our neighborhood have a son who was at both the Las Vegas concert massacre and the Borderline shooting and he helped people escape during both of them. How do you move past that? Until it happens to your town, you can’t imagine what it feels like. It is a club no town wants to a part of.
The chronicle of the Bishop’s prayer is horrifying in its violence and length. I sent it on to my rector who sent it to the whole congregation along with an invitation to join a protest march and “write-in” this Sunday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio
Sorry - I just saw the post about VT and Columbine
How about the shooting at Virgina Tech 32 dead plus shooter. Thanks
Yet another tragedy. Children and their teachers and carers should NEVER have this happen to them. It is inexplicable to the rest of the world that a so-called 'Christian' country can allow these things to happen because of lax gun laws. I am an Australian, and one massacre here was enough to change our laws to make sensible limits on guns. I'm sure that the 'right to bear arms' meant something quite different several centuries ago. Children should never, ever be the victims who pay the price. I grieve for the children, their families, and their community. I pray that the wider community will at last make the necessary changes to gun laws.
This afternoon I wrote to Mike Braun and Todd Young, senators from my state of Indiana, and Mitch McConnell, again! How long before someone says "enough is enough"? Not sure they'll get the message, but I had to do something.
Continue prayers 🙏for all. And thank you for sharing this prayer Diana. Much appreciated. Diane
As a Presbyterian pastor near retirement, after pandemic and the craziness sweeping nation and globe, this provides a handle, a place to position oneself. Yes, a profound change in policy, law, heart, and soul is required. Yet I SO much appreciate the insightful, inspired, strategy (for lack of better word) to root this response in risky prayer that names the truth and invokes God's presence. The policy statement and political action area also necessary. Policies and laws have to change. But this risky prayer is at the heart of what people of faith can authentically and actually do today, this Sunday.
I am going straight to the core of the problem with my reaction. Be Kind. Don't flip off a rude driver. Hold a door open for someone. Assist someone who needs and desires it. Slow down speech, thinking, acting. Act more peaceful by being more peaceful.
From Canada -we do not understand why the 2nd Amendment has not been repealed (except of course that the NRA would be quite likely to advocate violence should that occur). We have had our own violent attacks here in Canada, and they are becoming more common despite gun control. Prayer and political action need to be allied. If I were in the US I would expect to see large public protests and rallies in every city in the country.. But it won't happen.
i said very loud not again yesterday and needed this prayer to plunge me into deep reflection and searching spiritually. the huge lists of the dead was mindblowing. thank you for sharing this Ted Johnstone