"We don’t yet know why this individual did what he did," Obama told reporters. "It’s fair to say that anybody who does this has a sickness in their minds, regardless of what they think their motivations might be."
"But we are not the only country on Earth that has people with mental illnesses or want to do harm to other people," the president added. "We are the only advanced country on Earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months.”
Peace between neighbors
Peace between kindred
Peace between lovers,
In love of the King of life.
Peace between person and person,
Peace between wife and husband,
Peace between woman and children,
The peace of Christ above all peace.
Bless, O Christ, my face,
Let my face bless every thing;
Bless, O Christ, my eye,
Let mine eye bless all it sees.
--from the Carmina Gadelica
O Christ, son of the living God, have mercy upon u.
Thou that sites at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us;
And deliver us for thy Name's sake.
AMEN.
O Christ, when thou didst open thine eyes on this fair earth, the angels greeted thee as the Prince of Peace and besought us to be of good will toward one another; but thy triumph is delayed and we are weary of war.
SAVE US AND HELP US, O LORD AND MASTER.
O Christ, the very earth groans with pain as the feet of armed men march across thy mangled form.
SAVE US AND HELP US, O LORD AND MASTER.
O Christ, may the Church, whom thou didst love into life; not fail thee in her witness for the things for which thou didst live and die.
TEACH US TO DO THY HOLY WILL, O LORD AND MASTER.
O Christ, the people who are called by thy Name are separated from each other in thought and life; still our tumults, take away our vain imaginings, and grant to thy people at this time the courage to proclaim the gospel of forgiveness, and faithfully to maintain the ministry of reconciliation.
TEACH US TO DO THY HOLY WILL, O LORD AND MASTER
O Christ, come to us in our sore need and save us;
O God, plead thine own cause and give us help, for vain is the help of man.
SAVE US AND HELP US, O LORD AND MASTER.
O Christ of God, by thy birth in the stable, save us and help us;
By thy toil at the carpenter's bench, save us and help us;
By thy sinless life, save us and help us;
By thy cross and passion, save us and help us.
SAVE US AND HELP US, O LORD AND MASTER.
I don't know any prayers for mass shootings. These prayers, from the Carmina Gadelica and the E&R Hymnal, will have to do. In this tradition of prayer, a prayer for the victims of mass shootings seems necessary, though.
Thank you. Given the event and these most appropriate prayers, peace be with you.
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