Prayers for victims of bomb blasts

God of grace and peace,
we pray for the city of Brussels
and the people of Belgium.

Help and heal the wounded,
receive the dying into your embrace,
and comfort those who mourn.

Strengthen rescue and relief workers
who protect and provide for others 
in the midst of crisis and chaos. 

Give leaders the wisdom and determination
to understand the causes of hatred
and prevent it from gaining force.

Put an end to all violence and war,
and restrain the impulse
to use injustice to seek justice. 

Continue to pour out your mercy
upon the victims of violence in Bangladesh;
Istanbul, Turkey; Peshawar, Pakistan;
and all the places we forget or ignore. 

Surround us all with your grace
and bring peace to our weary world.
This we pray in Jesus’ name.

Gradye Parsons
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly 

Heath Rada
Moderator of the 221st General Assembly (2014) 

Tony De La Rosa
Interim Executive Director, Presbyterian Mission Agency