An American Prayer | On the Third Sunday Following a Killing Spree

III. 

Almighty and everliving God,

If it be Thy will that we 

ought in all good conscience to change anything

in thought, word, or deed

to prevent the evil or the mad from

misusing these Thy gifts of semi-automatic 

sports rifles bearing

frangible ammunition in

high capacity magazines to

snuff the wick of life from

children and other noncombatants, 

grant us a sign--

clear and convincing--

that we may with one mind and heart agree

to forego a portion of our marginal profits and

endure some diminution at the margins

of our precious personal freedom.

So we do now wait on Thee,

pledging that should some sign issue 

unmistakably from Thy hand,

we will lay this matter to rest

even as we have so recently

laid to rest the bodies of 

those we grieve this day.