Kyrie Whispers

There is no absence of sorrow and grief these days.
And so, last night,
I walked out onto the darkness
With nothing but Kyrie Eleison on my lips.

Kyrie for this neighbor I do not know:
Whose sorrows may have been as deep as mine at one time,
Who feels that prayers are not enough,
And a Kyrie for my own despair,
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison

Kyrie for friends:
Struggling with parents with Alzheimers,
Longing for a son who is moving to another continent,
Grieving the loss of a spouse,
Saddened by a hostile congregation,
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison

Kyrie for my country:
Boston victims, the witnesses, the first responders,
Mourners of Sandy Hook victims who still grieve,
Those who perpetuate fear and anger
Those whose hate speech incites such violence
Those who believe that guns will keep them safe,
Peacemakers who struggle against the tide,
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison

Kyrie for our whole world
Innocents who are killed by our drone attacks,
People dying from hunger,
The one feeling so desolate right now, holding a gun to his head
And for the one who will find his body,
Bullies, warring nations, fanatics,
A planet - our planet - dying by our own greed and consumption,
For enemies and friends - all the same,
Kyrie again and again

Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison

I whisper, these words on my lips
With every step I take
Longing for you to make us whole again,
Aching for you to take away our darkness
Bringing light.

A Kyrie for us all