Featured Image: Clouds over the Atlantic Ocean, by Taigo Fioreze, courtesy Wikimedia Commons here.
With Stanley Hauerwas, Walter Brueggemann, and others, I believe the church needs to recover the practice of lament. I speak in particular of my own context: predominantly white Mainline Protestant churches in America. Some traditions are more in the habit of expressing emotions – positive and negative – in the context of worship. This also varies geographically; across the globe, there are places where lament is practiced regularly. But I was excited to introduce this service to my congregation. This was the first instance we had taken sustained time to name and grieve Covid, among other devastating losses of the last couple of years.
We shared this the end of our May sermon series, which focused on faith and mental health. In that service, we concluded worship with a time of lament, prayer, & healing. I adapted this lament from New Community Church and added some elements reflecting recent world events. After the final prayer adapted from Henri Nouwen, the congregation was invited to light a candle and/or receive prayer and anointing at the altar rail. Please use this as you wish, but give credit to New Community Church if you do so.
Lord, you are our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
God you made all that is good and sustain it by your mercy; and yet, Gracious One, our world is not as you desired it to be. Holy Father, our earth groans from the devastation caused by disease and injustice, oppression and evil – from sin and its many manifestations.
Hear our cry, almighty God. Listen to our prayer. How long will we have to keep a supply of masks? How long until we feel something called ‘normal’? Our souls are weary from the strain of the life-altering unknowns.
From the depths of our pain and confusion, we cry out to you. From fearful hearts and anxious minds, we plead with you. Rescue us.
We lift up our eyes to you, Lord God, the one who sits enthroned in heaven. Revive us. Renew us. Hear us and heal us by the power of your Holy Spirit:
For all who have contracted the virus, for those who have recovered and those still healing:
Lord have mercy.
For the families and loved ones of the 998,000 Americans who died from this virus:
Lord have mercy.
For all who have been economically devastated, for those whose mental and spiritual resources have been strained to the breaking point:
Lord, have mercy.
We cry out for healing and restoration-
we cry out for comfort and peace
on all medical professionals and caretakers who exhausted themselves caring for the sick:
Lord, have mercy.
For weary parents and teachers, and students who have spent much of their lives behind masks and in front of screens:
Lord, have mercy.
For lost holidays and birthdays, for funerals and weddings we could not attend, for strained friendships and communities:
Lord, have mercy.
For the pain we carry over choices made, missed opportunities, and hurtful words given or received:
Lord, have mercy.
On all scientists and researchers striving to create vaccines and prevent future outbreaks:
Lord, have mercy.
On all leaders of institutions and governments, weary from difficult choices about safety, freedom, health, and well-being:
Lord, have mercy.
On all who have not contracted the virus:
Lord, have mercy.
On the most vulnerable of our society who have been isolated, unable to get the care or resources they need:
Lord, have mercy.
On all disciples of Jesus Christ whose energies and relationships have been strained through two years of uncertainty:
Lord, have mercy
For the people of the Ukraine, fighting for their lives and freedom, attacked by a nation that considers itself Christian
Lord, have mercy.
For our African-American neighbors, too often the target of hate, too frequently told to wait on justice:
Lord, have mercy.
We plead for a fresh outpouring of Your Spirit; we pray for your Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven; we pray for your church to be a refuge for the hopeless, a light in the darkness, and a beacon of grace in a world bent on violence:
Lord, have mercy.
God, your word is true. One day you will liberate creation from its bondage to decay and death.
Every life is sacred and precious in your sight. You are the God who sees us and redeems us.
Nothing can separate us from Your unfailing love and kindness: not illness of mind or body, not even death itself. You are our light as we walk through the deepest valleys. Help us to remember to celebrate the beautiful gifts you have given us even in times of hopelessness.
Good Shepherd of our souls, hear us as we pray the words you have given us in the 23rd Psalm:
[Revised Standard Version follows.]
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;
he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff,
they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil,
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever. Amen.
[After instructions are given:]
Vincent Van Gogh, thinking about the tides of the ocean, once said: “There is an ebb and flow, but the sea remains the sea.” The monk, teacher, and author Henri Nouwen wrote a beautiful prayer after hearing these words, which I thought was appropriate for this time of lament, prayer, and healing. Let us pray:
Dear Lord,
You are the sea. Although I experience many ups and downs in my emotions and often feel great shifts and changes in my inner life, you remain the same. Your sameness is not the sameness of a rock, but the sameness of a faithful lover. Out of your love I came to life, by your love I am sustained, and to your love I am always called back. There are days of sadness and days of joy; there are feelings of guilt and feelings of gratitude; there are moments of failure and moments of success; but all of them are embraced by your unwavering love. . . . O Lord, sea of love and goodness, let me not fear too much the storms and winds of my daily life, and let me know there is ebb and flow but the sea remains the sea.
Amen.