A Prayer in the wake of Viloence at our Military Bases

In the wake of recent violence at the Naval Station Norfolk & Fort Hood
(and the daily violence on our streets)…

Adapted from a prayer by the Suffragan Bishop for Federal Ministries:

O God of mercy, you sustain us with your grace as we live in a world which seems to abound in violence, often violence we have visited upon one another. Sadly predictable and all too commonplace, this violence is expressed in many settings: at a sprawling Army post, on an urban street, aboard a Navy ship, in rural communities, and even in our schools and families. This day our hearts are particularly heavy as we mourn the recent and violent loss of life in our country. We pray with you to deliver us from the ongoing harm and damage that we do to one another. Guide our hearts and minds in the paths of peace so that the greatest instrument we use with our brothers and sisters is the love of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.