Let No Soul Be Forgotten: Vigil Prayer Marking Two Years of COVID

כִּי־עִמְּךָ מְקוֹר חַיִּים בְּאוֹרְךָ נִרְאֶה־אוֹר

Ki imkha Mekor Hayyim, be-orkha nireh or
“For with You is the Source of Life. In Your light, we see light.” Psalm 36:10

El Maleh Rakhamim, God, full of Mercy,
Tonight as we mark two years of the COVID-19 pandemic,
As we honor the memories of the more than
1,996 souls who have died by COVID in Montgomery County,
14,160 in Maryland,
More than 954,000 in our country,
Nearly 6 million around the world.
May we let no soul be forgotten.
Be with us today, God of Mercy, as we remember,
Those who have died,
Those who have survived.

Let no soul be forgotten.
The Book of Proverbs teaches,
Ner Elohim Nishmat Adam,
“The human soul is the candle of God.”
May the light of each soul shine on.
May their loved ones be held and comforted.
May we see Your light reflected
In our tears of sorrow and our tears of joy.
May we be your eyes and your ears,
Your light and your love.

As we light these candles of remembrance,
Help us to see one another as you see us,
In all our dimensions and with compassion,
Help us to tune in to the cries and the prayers of our hearts,
And the hearts of our siblings, our neighbors, and of strangers,
Help us to tend to one another with love.
To fight for justice and to choose life.
Because each human being is made in Your image,
Each life, holy, irreplaceable, loved by an unending love.

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