The prayers of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles are urgently invited for the people of Monterey Park, where ten people were killed and ten more wounded Saturday night at a ballroom on W. Garvey Ave. by a gunman who, as of this writing, was still at large.
The neighborhood had been in the midst of Lunar New Year celebrations. It is said to be among the worst acts of gun violence in Los Angeles County history.
Pray for the dead and their families and friends.
Pray for those who have been hurt and those who care for them.
Pray for police officers and investigators as they pursue the suspect. Pray even for him.
Pray for the people of St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church in Monterey Park as they gather for worship, especially members who may know some of the victims.
Pray that by the grace and wisdom of our God in Christ, we may devote ourselves anew to advocating for meaningful steps to reduce the risk of gun violence. Measures that would help just a little, saving just a few lives, would be gifts of incalculable value to each family spared the burden of mourning. Visit Episcopalians United Against Gun Violence.
Pray that, by the same grace, we may so embody the love of Christ as to be a comfort and example to those around us, those known to us and those not, who may be at risk of slipping into the shadows of fear, isolation, and hatred. In the contemplative spirit of the Year of the Rabbit, may each who yearns for peace and justice experience the joy of discovering the infinity of ways they can make peace and justice manifest.