A Lament in the wake of the Bastille Day terror attack in Nice

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed….  2 Corinthians 4

God, whose presence we yearn toward in the stillness after our shaken, broken voices and the fires of violence fall silent: we have no words left.

The words others have said:  “horrific”  “worst”  “unspeakable” “impossible”

have been spoken so many times that we can no longer hear them.

Our hearts have broken so often, we cannot feel.

Our hope has been tried, and, we confess in sorrow,

has been found wanting.

There has been too much terror, and not enough answers

too many lost lives with too little time to grieve them all

too much violation of the ordinary and not enough glimpse of the holy to hold us fast.

But You, oh God: beyond our words, beneath our hope:

be the creative breath that orders our chaos

the mercy and justice that compels us to action

the Love that is stronger than death.

We ask you again, for we have nowhere else to turn—

Hold us fast, when we cannot hold on any longer.

Walk with us through the valley of the shadow

Turn us away from despair, that we may not grow weary in well-doing

Triune God, grant us liberté, égalité, fraternité:

    …the liberty of your love that conquers fear and evil

…the mind of your Son, who did not consider equality with You a thing to be exploited, but emptied himself

…the fraternity of your Spirit, beyond our divisions, to bind us together as one family in your kindom of mercy and peace.  Amen.

The Rev. Dr. Laurie A Kraus

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance