Rhythm & Respiration: Weeping with those who weep

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15

Nurses know what it means to weep with those who weep. Nurses recognize the reality of death, trauma, and the slow devastation of disease on bodies and minds. Nurses cognizant of spiritual things have felt the brush of angels’ wings while caring for persons in those final few moments. They have felt the tangible light of Love for the solitary soul as well as witness the rain following on the just and unjust.

Nurses are weeping with Haiti. We are weeping for the suffering of individuals, of families, of communities and a nation; we are weeping for our sisters and brothers, nurses, who have died, and our hearts go out to the surviving nurses and health care workers who are overwhelmed by the enormity of caring in the midst of such devastation.

Nurses, I ask you to join with me in a reflective act of prayer for Haiti …

We gather together to pray with the promise of hope for our world and for the people of Haiti as they cry out from this earthquake disaster. Let us hold in our hearts our sister and brother nurses and health care workers who are reaching out in their grief to care for their patients, their neighbors, their families. We hold in our hearts those who have died and those who are dying; those who are orphaned, widowed, made solitary with devastating suddenness. We thank you for each one who lived, breathed, loved, and walked this earth, who was brother, sister, mother, father, child to someone. In solidarity to those who must rebuild their lives, we invite the Lord into our presence, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen

We live on a planet that is always moving; from the fragrant pine trees swaying in the forests, to the crashing of ocean waves, to the deep earthy movement of the hidden places underground. The earth cries out along with us humans—we are part of a biosphere that can enable wonders or, by our lack of understanding, faith, and vision, destroy life. It is at times like this, in the very epicenter, in the aftermath of the raw power unleashed by the earth, that nurses and other health care workers are called to care, to be the healing hands of our Lord. In solidarity with these nurses and others you have raised to serve the people of Haiti at this time; we ask you to walk with them and raise up their hearts and hands and give them strength; and we pray in joyful anticipation of the time when you will create a new heaven and a new earth, when the sound of weeping will be heard no more, and when nurses’ work will be transformed by an inconceivable heavenly vision.

Amen

God of all creation, as we weep with our family in Haiti, console us. In this time of crisis, open our eyes to look beyond the disaster to see Christ in the faces of the people of Haiti and our sister/brother nurses caring for them. Be with all creation. Redeem us, o Lord. Strengthen us in solidarity with those living, dying, surviving, regrouping, serving in Haiti. All creation returns running to you in mourning. It is your grace that guides our grief into efforts to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, comfort the grieving, honor the dead, and speak out for justice. With your mercy, sustain us, oh Lord, as we continue our work as nurses, as advocates, as Christians seeking peace and justice.