Tender End of Life Vidui
A confessional prayer at the end of life, from This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. Here are more memorial and yizkor prayers, including meditations…
Read articleFor Those Who Die Young
Ten. Ten dead young people are dead who shouldn’t be. A hiking tragedy in the land I love, in the canyons that I hike, led by…
Read articleOn the Day of My Death
In recent weeks, several individuals have asked for prayers for the experience dying. This is one of two new prayers in response to those requests. It’s…
Read articleAfter a Sudden Death
This is a prayer of grief and loss after the sudden death of a dear one. See also: “Angel of Rest,” “Birthday No More” and “Hard…
Read articleTravel after an Unexpected Death
This is a prayer to be said upon traveling to attend a funeral after an unexpected death. The blank line is for inserting the name of the…
Read articleDeath of a Horrible Relative
When family members die, we strive to remember the best moments of their lives. We must also recognize the complexity of mourning when a person has…
Read articleFor the People of Italy (Prayer after the Earthquake)
Here are two prayers after an earthquake struck Italy today: one for the people and one for first responders. They were originally written days after an earthquake hit Haiti in…
Read articleBlessings Now a River: A Meditation on Death
This is a difficult meditation on facing death. It’s blunt yet loving in its message, but not necessarily for someone who’s suffered a recent loss. Then…
Read articleBirthday, No More
Here’s a prayer to be said on the birthday of a deceased loved one. My sense of sorrow and loss return on the birth dates of my dad Jack…
Read articleHard Mournings
This is a prayer about the rhythm of mourning. Those first days – perhaps months or more – are often reminders of sorrow, emptiness and loneliness,…
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