Posted by
On January 8, 2011, Gabrielle Giffords, a Democratic member of the U.S. Congress, was shot in the head outside a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona, while holding a public event. Six other people at the gathering, including a judge and a nine-year-old girl, were killed by the shooter.
And so we pray this news:
We pray for the healing of Gabrielle Giffords
and the family and friends of the
the six people who died yesterday
in Tucson, Arizona, that they may know
the love and support of many strangers
across the land and around the world.
We are saddened by this example of
domestic terrorism, which is a sign
of the violent polarization of the nation.
We lament the toxic state of public
discourse as exemplified recently
by popular television pundits,
talk-show radio hosts, and politicians.
Their "targeting" of opponents
has fanned the flames of anger,
frustration, and bigotry among
the people, including some who
are tempted to resort to violence
to bring about change.
We acknowledge that we are a
violent country and the time
has come for us to walk the path
of peace, honest and open dialogue,
and respect for diversity of opinion.
We ask for forgiveness and help as
we try not to water the seeds of
violence that we all carry in our
hearts and consciousness.
Hear O God the cry beneath the
violent act of the shooter.
May this terrible incident become a
teaching moment for the nation.
Words do matter, and we must be
very careful what we say.
Give us the strength and the determination
to "guard our mouth" as Christian monks advise,
to practice "right speech" as the Buddhists advise,
and to replace the hostile imagination with
the compassionate imagination.
Amen.
— Frederic Brussat
Next Post: A Prayer for Our Sufi Brothers and Sisters in Pakistan