The Prayer Thread is a collection of teachings and practical prompts to help as we learn to pray in community. This text was originally delivered on August 29, 2025 as a short teaching at our online weekly prayer sit.
Because prayer is relational, it is stronger than tragedy.
I remember the first life experience that taught me about this pattern. When I was a junior in high school, flooding took over the Main Street in our town and shut down businesses and schools. For weeks, we all worked together to save the town from a natural disaster. Just a few years later, a tornado took out about 1/4 of the residences in town. Once again, the community worked together to recover and rebuild. At a young age, I observed the pattern.
Unfortunately, tragedy happens repeatedly, so in the human family, we have too many paradoxical opportunities to observe this pattern of prayer as stronger than tragedy. Some tragedies are natural. Some tragic events are caused by humans directly. All tragedy results in harm. Yet humans always come together stronger after tragedy.
Often, especially after violent human made tragedies, people offer condolences and prayers. Some say that “prayers are not enough; that actions are needed.” It is not helpful to separate prayers from actions. Most of the community meals in my town that supported victims and volunteers during the floods and tornado were served in churches. Prayer includes the meals made for victims. Prayer includes the calls and texts sent to check in on each other. Prayer includes the changes we make when systems show us how broken they are. Prayer includes the anguished cry of the person who just lost a beloved. Prayer includes the tears of lament that we shed because we just can’t fathom the pain and sorrow. Prayer includes the deep sighs we take when we are exhausted from helping. Prayer includes the light of hope we see as the community gathers to support. Prayer includes the strength we feel as we rebuild and heal from tragedy.
Because prayer is relational it is inclusive. Because prayer is relational, its web of interconnection is always stronger tragedy.
May our prayers be strong when our hearts are broken open!
