Here’s my favorite thing about the original edition of Douglas Kaine McKelvey’s Every Moment Holy: the poetic yet earthy particularity of the liturgies. His work here is an encouragement to me, and I know it will support many over the years. In the meantime, as we face death and grief and loss that are with us until Christ returns, McKelvey has given us words to pray when we find no words.
However, the final section, "Liturgies for the Moment in Seasons of Grieving," includes many short prayers intended for memorization that are wonderful for centering one's thoughts on God's presence in suffering.Īs with the first volume, my complaint is: more! May a third volume commence, with a wider ecumenical reach. In the days of my suicidal ideation, I memorized and repeated Scripture and quotations that carried me through (shout out to Gerard Manley Hopkins, who Gets It™) and I would have used such a liturgy at that time. I really, really wish there was a liturgy here for that. There are two prayers for mourning suicide, but what's lacking is a prayer for those who are experiencing suicidal ideation/thoughts. I crave it now, as another officer-involved shooting traumatizes the community in which I live now. ("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. 2: Death, Grief, and Hope in the Rabbit Room Store.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. In one hand I grasp the burden of my grief,Īnd here, between the tension of the two,Ĭlick here to pre-order Every Moment Holy, Vol. So we, your children, are also at liberty Me again and again of your goodness, your With the advent of new joys, good friendships, To live with thanksgiving in what is, andīe at work gilding these long heartbreaks Give me courage, O Lord courage to live themįully, to love and to allow myself to be loved, So give me strength, O God, to feel this griefĭeeply, never to hide my heart from it. It is not real joy at all.įor the return of joy and hope, in the end My pain, so that I dull my capacity to experienceįor joy that denies sorrow is neither hard-won, Is okay when it isn’t, nor coddle and magnify Let me neither ignore my pain, pretending all Mired in yesterday’s hurts, that I miss entirely A Liturgy for Embracing Both Joy & Sorrowĭo not be distant, O Lord, lest I find this burdenĭo not be distant, O Lord, lest I become so Click here to view the audiobook on Amazon. 1, featuring readings by Fernando Ortega and Rebecca Reynolds. We hope you find hope and comfort in it.īefore we get to the liturgy, a special announcement: There is now an audiobook for Every Moment Holy, Vol.
At this point of the year, this particular liturgy feels especially appropriate. 2: Death, Grief, and Hope, which releases on February 19th, 2021. We’re excited to share with you today a new liturgy from Every Moment Holy, Vol.
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