The awful event in Boston, and the suffering of many due to the unjust harm and disregard of others’ welfare, freedom, safety, and freedom conscience, makes me want to share some prayers I wrote some years ago
Loving and merciful God, to rob any person or society of justice, security, and freedom of conscience is sin against Your divine purpose. Freedom is Your gift to each person as vehicle to faith and charity that lead to eternal union with You. Free choice is Your gift to each person as vehicle to faith and charity that lead to eternal union with You.
Many people are denied freedom of conscience, choice or movement by family, situation, society or government, or by the inhuman actions of individuals. Some are denied life itself. Some are persecuted by injustice due to selfishness, greed, or desire for power. Many are oppressed by others’ attitudes confining them in definitions that deny all but some obvious or mistaken appearance of behaviour or character or circumstance.
Sometimes people are persecuted, by neuroses, by addictions, by excessive scruples, by mistaken convictions, or by consequences of sinful choices. Pardon and free us to love each other and ourselves humbly and kindly, so that no one is persecuted by unlove. Free us from fearful or angry reactions to others’ unjust or unkind judgements or actions. Give us wisdom, conversion and respect for others.
Heal us from excess guilt by our trust in Your mercy so that our frailties and temptations do not persecute us but are reminders of Your mercy. Deliver us from anxiety, depression, unbelief and self-condemnation. Free us from simply giving lip service to the individual preciousness of each person before You. Free us of our lack of trust, of hope, of prayerfulness, of self-giving, and of self-discipline, so that we can live gospel lives.
Grant us to understand that whatever oppresses us, Your love redeems and sanctifies us. Make us mutual instruments of peace, happiness, service and worship, so that we fulfil Your eternal dream of us. Give us the perfect freedom of Your love, so that in our persecutions, internal or external, we are made whole and holy. Thank You that no matter what persecution or barrier oppresses us, You offer freedom and peace of love and faith.
Our God please protect us from oppression of conscience and from all inhuman and unChristian attacks upon our the spiritual and temporal welfare.
