O Mercy where are you? Why so much danger and damage, so much devastation, so many deaths? Abiding Love, where do you abide now in the midst of all this fearful horror? One storm and bout of violent upheaval after another has brought us low, has hurt us terribly, has us weeping and wailing and wondering how we carry on, where we begin, what we can do for those who yet live and for those who have lost family, friends, work, home, school. In our anger and grief, Mercy, lead us not into blame and recrimination, but into helping one another any way we can. Lead us, Love Beyond Imagining, into what needs to be done, into generosity of spirit and of resources, of labor and of kindness, of healing and comfort and refuge. When we ask "where is Abiding Love?", when our neighbors ask where mercy is, let our actions be evidence of your presence through and within us. Let us be actors for grace, for goodness, for blessing those who hurt, and if we are in that number, to wash our grief with serving others hurting too. Out of disaster, let us rebuild with greater love and mercy than we have known before. May we be bearers of hope to all. Amen.
Prayer isn't all we can do. If you are moved to and able to give, here are some excellent organizations responding to devastation in various places around the world:
Red Cross: Tornadoes Across U.S. South
Unitarian Universalist Association & Unitarian Uuniversalist Service Committee Appeal for Japan
Medecins San Frontieres & Côte d’Ivoire
Thank you for being a person who cares enough to stop and pray and offer mercy and love!
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