O God, Our Hearts Were Shattered

O God

our hearts were shat­tered

On that hor­ren­dous day;

We heard the news and ga­thered

To grieve and then to pray.

We cried to you and won­dered

Where did the vio­lence start?

The world as we had known it

Had just been torn apart.

We heard of those who peri­shed—

Of he­roes’ sac­ri­fice.

We paused again to cher­ish

The gifts of love and life.

We wor­ried for the fu­ture;

We hugged our loved ones then.

We cried

Can peace be found here?

We can’t let terr­or win!

Some sought to an­swer ter­ror

The on­ly way they knew—

With an­ger to­ward the strang­er

And calls for ven­geance

too.

Yet this is not your an­swer

Nor what you would cre­ate.

May we live to­ward a fu­ture

Where love will con­quer hate.

God

give us faith and wis­dom

To be your heal­ing hands;

Give op­en minds that lis­ten

To truth from all your lands.

Give strength to work for jus­tice;

Grant love that casts out fear.

Then peace and not de­struct­ion

Will be the vic­tor here.