Prayer for Beloved Souls of Pulse Nightclub

close up of hand holding candle - crowd in the background holding many candles

Eicha. Eicha. Eicha.
How? How? How?
Weeping and lament and outrage
Again and again and again.
Ayeka? Ayeka? Ayeka?
Where are you?
Where are You, yes You, with a capital Y?
Where can we find Your sukkah of peace?
For those who wish only to love
And be loved, and be love.

Eicha.
Ayeka
?
Where are you, my child?
I am hiding
in a bathroom stall.
I am playing dead now.
I am bleeding.
I am not alone.
I am gone.
I am with You now.
In Your sukkah of peace.

Eicha. Eicha. Eicha.
Ayeka? Ayeka?

You breathed us into being
Out of love and into love
And there are those
Who would deny
Your holy sparks
Pulsing through
Each being.
Hear us, Adonai
And hold us.
Hold all those who weep
For Brothers, Sisters,
Mothers, Fathers,
Sons, Daughters,
Lovers, Friends,
Gone.
Beautiful queer bodies,
Beautiful brown bodies,
Who came to dance,
Who came to love,
Who came to be free,
49 beautiful souls in search
of sanctuary.

Eicha. Eicha. Eicha.

Envelop them, O God,
In your unending love.
Help us,
Dear God,
We who are still here.
Help us
To weep,
To remember,
To honor them.
Help us
To love all of your children,
Those still here
And those
Whose blood
Cries out from this
Earth we call home.

Help us to mourn.
Eicha.
And help us to heal –
One breath at a time
One heartbeat at a time
One hug at a time.
And when it is time,
Call out to us –
Ayeka?
Where are you?
Help us to act together
For their sake,
For Your sake,
For our own.

Eicha.

Ayeka?

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