INTERNET FLOODS WITH PRAYERS
AFTER CONNECTICUT SHOOTING

Many prayers from many people have filled the Internet in the aftermath of the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Three of these, in particular, caught my attention.

The first is from my spiritual colleague Marianne Williamson, who posted:

For those who bear tonight the unbearable burden
of unimaginable grief,
who in their agony yell at the forces of fate…
For those who moan and those who faint,
for those who rage and those who pray,
we moan and pray along with you.
For tonight, those were our children too.
Dear God, May a legion of angels come upon these parents.
Bring to them an otherworldly touch,
an otherworldly comfort,

an otherworldly sense that their children are well —
that they are safe with God
and shall be with them always.
Give to those who grieve what no mortal can give…
the touch of Your Hand upon their heart.
May all touched by this darkness
be Lit by Your grace.
Please wipe away all tears, dear God.
as only You can do.
Amen

— Marianne Williamson – www.marianne.com

And this, from Rabbi Rachel Barenblat, Congregation Beth Israel, North Adams, Mass.:

God, let me cry on Your shoulder.

Rock me like a colicky baby.
Promise me You won’t forget

each of Your perfect reflections
killed today. Promise me
You won’t let me forget, either.

I’m hollow, stricken like a bell.
Make of my emptiness a channel
for Your boundless compassion.

Soothe the children who witnessed
things no child should see,
the teachers who tried to protect them

but couldn’t, the parents
who are torn apart with grief,
who will never kiss their beloveds again.

Strengthen the hands and hearts
of Your servants tasked with caring
for those wounded in body and spirit.

Help us to find meaning
in the tiny lights we kindle tonight.
Help us to trust

that our reserves of hope
and healing are enough
to carry us through.

We are Your hands: put us to work.
Ignite in us the unquenchable yearning
to reshape our world

so that violence against children
never happens again, anywhere.
We are Your grieving heart.

And finaly, this from spiritual teacher Matt Kahn…

May the tragedies faced today invite us deeper into a space of vulnerability, where we are able to help all of those affected by today’s events know how deeply they are loved in the wake of such an unimaginable series of losses. May we courageously pick up the pieces of shattered innocence and transform together as never before. There is no justification for what has occurred, and yet, it leaves us no other option but to step forward in our own evolution and dare to be as loving, considerate, and compassionate with others as we’d dare to be in the final moments of this precious lifetime.

May we hold our children and loved ones close and invite all members in our cosmic family to join together and allow such a day to reignite a fire of eternal grace that illuminates the power of unity consciousness in every cell of our being. While there is no conceptual explanation for today, it cannot overshadow the insurmountable fact that love is the only answer to carry us through any unimaginable breakdown into every miraculous breakthrough.

May we celebrate the lives of those who have passed, and find it within our hearts to cherish their soul’s journey that has abruptly reminded us to embrace every gift in our lives. As we continue to live, not knowing when the time will come to say goodbye, we offer ourselves the opportunity to allow our greatness to shine and to embrace each breath as if it’s our last. For those who have survived the unfolding of today, may we express the power of our absolute potential, and celebrate the fact that nothing from the past had the ability to destroy us. Meanwhile, every moment has somehow led us here to assist in the healing of those who are still finding their way home.

Through our words, actions, prayers, and choices, may we surrender into full alignment with the light of love, and open our hearts for the well-being of all. May we embrace our highest values and offer them in service for the transformation of our planet. As the world looks on, may our choices from this moment forward inspire humanity to give generously and love without limits. Many of us have been preparing for a global shift and as it stands, it is the suppressed shadow within the human condition that has come to unite every heart and deliver this species into the bittersweet redemption of our long-awaited destiny. It is now time for a planet of intentional minds, fearless hearts, and conscious communities to emerge and deliver Earth into a Golden Age of higher consciousness that no amount of unresolved pain can ever prevent.

No matter where our journey leads us from this moment forward, let us always remember what a day like this inspires us to be. May all souls be blessed.”

– Matt Kahn — www.TrueDivineNature.com

To which I say:  Amen, and amen.