("A Liturgy for Grieving a Death Due to Violence" may be helpful for mourning yet another shooting, but it is written for someone whose loved one has died a violent death.) I deeply craved a prayer like that last summer, when one of the shootings of an unarmed Black man took place in the city where I grew up. While there are generalized prayers for the passing of a public figure, a national tragedy, and natural disaster, there isn't anything specific for racism. This book sorely lacked lament for racism in any form: personal, systemic, another national tragedy. Yet, again, I find Every Moment Holy lacking in perspectives outside whiteness. He also gives helpful notes for certain prayers (particularly those involving children) to tailor usage to specific situations. McKelvey consulted with many people who have walked through profound grief, who graciously offered feedback on the prayers. Broken relationships, especially, are covered in a few different ways. In my review of the first book, I wished for liturgies for "experiencing bitterness, for those who have been hurt by others, for broken relationships," and all of these are covered in different ways by this book. Ned Bustard's lovely illustrations are helpful for those who like visual supports in prayer, and I found many of them especially meaningful. The first volume was especially helpful in this. What's especially helpful here is that he writes liturgies responding to contemporary situations that our ancient liturgies could not specifically anticipate. McKelvey's goal is to supplement the rich resources we already have in formal liturgies. Some of them speak to my current situation: "Intercession for One Slowly Losing Function," "For a Time of Widespread Suffering." Others are ones I know I can turn to in the future: "To Begin a Family Gathering after a Loss," "To Welcome Another into My Grief." While volume I includes liturgies for rejoicing, volume II focuses on lament. Now that I have written this much about Every Moment Holy, I want to pray.In the second volume of Every Moment Holy, McKelvey has again gifted the church with words for the darkest times of life, especially those dealing with death. When I read the liturgy “For Those Flooded by Too Much Information,” McKelvey’s thoughtful words help enlarge my vocabulary so that my spontaneous prayers can be more meaningful.Įvery Moment Holy is graced throughout with Ned Bustard’s prints, turning a useful book into a work of art. But they also enrich it by broadening my language in prayer. They enrich it, obviously, by providing prayers on occasions I have run out of words. The thing I love about Every Moment Holy (and the two other resources I’ve mentioned) is how they enrich my prayer life. Lament Upon the Finishing of a Beloved Book Īnd that is only a small fraction of what is included. Nothing and no one is outside its gracious bounds.)įor Those Facing the Slow Loss of Memory įor Those Who Have Not Done Great Things for God The Lord taught us in Matthew 6 that all of life is to be enveloped by prayer. I suspect the first thought many believers will have when they first look through Every Moment Holy will be, “I never thought of praying about that.” McKelvey provides prayers, simple liturgies…įor Those Who Feel Awkward in Social Gatherings
Written by Douglas McKelvey and illustrated with linocut prints by Ned Bustard, the book is beautifully crafted, a creative resource for prayer deeply rooted in Christian grace, beautiful art and the truth of scripture. The Book of Common Prayer and The Valley of Vision are two I dearly love, and use often.Īnd now there is one more: Every Moment Holy.
Thankfully, too, collections of prayers composed over the centuries since Christ’s ascension come to my aid. So often I am unable to find the right words until I find the right psalm. The proof of that, of course, is the existence of the Psalms, a sacred collection of prayers for the people of God. Spontaneous prayer, it turns out, is both essential and insufficient. What do I ask for a friend whose suffering seems interminable? Or for the yard sale I am holding while my friend is being wheeled into an operating room? I pray but feel heart sick at stringing together tired Christian clichés-bless her bless him bless them bless everyone-how can something that is so true seem so lame? Sometimes I think that “bless”-such a glorious idea-has been reduced to the request of the mindlessly spontaneous. Mostly its because I have no idea what to say. More accurately, I find myself unable to find the right words to capture the reality I want and need to express. Still, I often run out of them at just the wrong moment.
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