We offer this Litany of Ashes, Stones, & Flowers for use especially on Memorial Day. If possible, incorporate the names of Americans and Iraqis who have been killed in the Iraq war. There should be a pot or basket of ashes, one of stones, & one of flowers, and a large bowl of water -- or a body of water (lake, river) -- at the place of the service.
[This litany was created by Rev. Patricia Pierce of Tabernacle United Church, Philadelphia, and Rabbi Arthur Waskow of The Shalom Center.]
Litany of Ashes, Stones, & Flowers
[We offer this service for use especially on Memorial Day. If possible, incorporate the names of Americans and Iraqis who have been killed in the Iraq war. There should be a pot or basket of ashes, one of stones, & one of flowers, and a large bowl of water -- or a body of water (lake, river) -- at the place of the service.]
One: For vibrant lives suddenly and shamelessly sacrificed we lift up the ashes of our loss, O Source of Life.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
For the lives that continue, haunted forever by the pain of absence, we lift up the ashes of our remorse, O Wellspring of Compassion.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
For the conflagration of flames and nightmare images forever seared into our memories we lift up the ashes of our pain, O Breathing Spirit of the World.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
For the charred visions of peace and the dry taste of fear we lift up the ashes of our grief, O Infinite.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
For all the deaths that have been justified by turning the love of God or country into fanatical arrogance, we lift up the ashes of our shame, O God.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
As we cast these ashes into the troubled water of our times, Transforming One, hear our plea that by your power they will make fertile the soil of our future and by your mercy nourish the seeds of peace.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
The people recite the names of the dead.
The people cast the ashes in silence into a body or bowl of water].
For the ways humanity pursues violence rather than understanding, we lift up the stones of our anger, O Breathing Spirit of the World.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
For the ways we allow national, religious and ethnic boundaries to circumscribe our compassion, we lift up the stones of our hardness, O Wellspring of Compassion.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
For our addiction to weapons and the ways of militarism we lift up the stones of our fear, O Source of Life.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
For the ways we cast blame and create enemies we lift up the stones of our self-righteousness, O God
[All: Hear our prayer.]
As we cast these stones into the troubled water of our times, Transforming One, hear our plea:
Just as water wears away the hardest of stones, so too may the power of your compassion soften the hardness of our hearts and draw us into a future of justice and peace.
The people recite the names of the dead.
The people cast the stones in silence into a body or bowl of water.
For sowing seeds of justice to blossom into harmony, we cast these flowers into the water, O Source of Peace.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
For seeing clearly the many rainbow colors of humanity and earth, we cast these flowers into the water, O Infinite.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
For calling us to life beyond our grieving, we cast these flowers into the water, O Breathing Spirit of the World.
[All: Hear our prayer.]
As we cast these flowers into the troubled water of our times, Transforming One, hear our plea:
Just as water births life in a desert and gives hope to the wounded, so too may the power of your nurturing renew our commitment to peace.
The people recite the names of the dead.
The people cast the flowers in silence into the body or bowl of water.
[This litany was created by Rev. Patricia Pierce of Tabernacle United Church, Philadelphia, and Rabbi Arthur Waskow of The Shalom Center.]