“Mother of Mercy, the cries of the world keep me awake at night.
I rise from my bed but I cannot locate the source of the wailing.
It is everywhere, Mother, coming from all directions, and my heart is shattered by the sheer intensity of suffering.”                                                                                                                          “Mother of God, She who hears the cries of the world”,
Mirabai Starr

You of boundless compassion, did you weep when your beloved Christa Pike, from the United States, was given two doses of lethal injection that failed to kill her? 

As you cradled her, soothing her wounds, you heard the alarming plan to live stream the execution of Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, also from the United States. How did we get to this place of barbaric violence? 

Show us the path to peace, we implore you. 

Great Comforter, did you hear the cries of terror from the migrants whose boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti? At least 139 people, including children, were swallowed by the sea, with more than 80 people still missing. You witnessed their tragic deaths and the anguish of those who survived.

Remind us that you connect us all to one another.
May the memories of those who died be for a blessing. 

What happened to the 11 sailors currently missing after the sinking of a vessel from a drone attack in the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria? You are with them as we await answers. How do we adequately prepare ourselves for the reality that drone attacks will be an ongoing threat? 

Lead us to speak out about the destruction that is around every corner. 

Creator of majestic spaces, You know the power and beauty that can take place when people gather. You watch as the people of France navigate the destruction by fire of their much-loved Marche des Enfants Rouges, which dates back to 1615. This market place offered a space infused with joy, exuberance, a variety of colors, textures, and flavors. Relationships were nurtured in this “holy space.” 

While restoration takes place, please invite us into creative “holy spaces” as we invest in our gathering time with one another. 

Mighty Justice Warrior, you call us to ensure that all human beings, particularly those on the margins, have their basic needs met. Are you alarmed when we create fanciful rationales for taking what is not ours, leaving others in desperate need? Residents of Indonesia’s Batam Island are protesting a three-month water shortage amid the island’s growing AI infrastructure boom. They are inspired by one another and the strength and wisdom you offer them. 

Slow us down…so that we might see the tragedies that are before us if we don’t stop our egregious behavior. 

“Give me the courage to follow the crumbs of heartbreak all the way home to the place where I can be of real service.
Let me dip my fingers into the dew of your compassion and scatter it now over the fevered brow of this world.”                                                                                  
“Mother of God, She who hears the cries of the world”,
Mirabai Starr