Prayer for those who mourn and seek peace – Matthew 5: 1 -13
Matthew 5: 1 -12
5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.
5:2 And he began to speak and taught them, saying:
5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
5:11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
5:12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Gracious and loving God,
We mourn. We grieve the loss of life in Minneapolis.
Our hearts are broken for families torn apart by deportation,
for children left without parents,
and for the trauma inflicted on those dragged to the ground
simply because of an accent or the color of their skin.
In the midst of our mourning and our broken hearts,
you call us blessed.
You overturn the world’s wisdom,
giving your kingdom to the lowly
and to those who are pure in heart.
Give us a deep hunger and thirst for justice,
and perseverance in the work of peace,
so that through our words and our actions
the world may see the love of Jesus Christ
and hear your call to justice, hope, and peace.
Amen.
