A Communal Lament

In response to incidents of violence, the Chapel has been holding periodic times of silence, prayer and lament. The communal lament below is being used at those times, in addition to other prayers and songs. You are invited to pray these words with us. When used with a group, the words in bold are the congregational responses.

We lament because children of God are dead, and we wish it were not so.

Come thou long expected Jesus,

Set thy people free;

We cry out over blood spilled in vain,

Come thou long expected Jesus,

Set thy people free;

We mourn the loss of futures,

Come thou long expected Jesus,

Set thy people free;

We despair over our inability to imagine another way than violence,

Come thou long expected Jesus,

Set thy people free;

We lament being caught in webs of racism both past and present,

Come thou long expected Jesus,

Set thy people free;

We weep because we are not simply strangers who are different, but we are estranged,

Come thou long expected Jesus,

Set thy people free;

We lament that sin is so deep within us all,
Come thou long expected Jesus,

Set thy people free;

We ache because the problems are deeper than we can grasp, and they feel beyond our control,

Come thou long expected Jesus,

Set thy people free;

We mourn because hatred is woven into our shared lives, and we rarely recognize it,

Come thou long expected Jesus,

Set thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. Amen