Prayers of the People, OT13B

Our hearts are broken, God!
We lament the loss
of human decency,
of kindness to the stranger among us,
of care for the children,
of due process,
and of hope for the future.
We lament the ways in which
the mighty have fallen,
the gentle have been destroyed,
the beloved have been tortured,
and the others have been marginalized.
Hear our cries, O merciful God,
for those whose voices have been stifled,
for those whose finances determine their fate,
for those whose choices have inflicted pain,
and those whose leadership is corrupted.
Hold your grieving world in your loving arms
and offer comfort and strength.
Restore to us the hope of salvation, we pray.
Be present in your people everywhere
through the power of your Spirit,
that the redeeming love of Christ
might open hearts
and turn the tide.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.