A prayer for everyone who grieves – a prayer for us all

We pray, O God,

for everyone who knows grief

be grief recent and raw

or from long ago and seemingly buried,

be grief for a solitary reason

or a complex situation snarled from multiple causes,

be grief a dull ache of loss and longing

or a sharp, almost unbearable tearing,

We pray, O God,

for everyone who knows grief

and because impermanence and loss

are woven into the fabric of creation and life,

we pray for us all, even ourselves.

May we have the grace to grieve

in the ways that bring healing to us;

may we find the courage

to accept appropriate help as, grief-stricken,

we make our way through shadowed valleys.

May we restrain our judgements,

check our expectations,

and allow each person

the freedom and space

to grieve in their own fashion.

Grant each person

the strength to mourn

and the wisdom to rely on you

as they grieve.

We pray in the name of Jesus

who wept at the death of his friend.

Amen.