Prayers after a death by suicide
…”Faith leaders play a key role in supporting mental health and preventing the tragedy of suicide. Spiritual and religious leaders of all faiths have a long-standing tradition of advising and guiding people through the full arc of life—from birth to death. These leaders are important sources of hope and strength for their congregants, counsel for those in crisis, and comfort and support in the aftermath of a suicide attempt or death. Following a suicide death, it is the faith leader who, at a memorial service or funeral, has a platform to encourage help-seeking by those at risk and remind all to be alert to the risk of suicide in their community.”
produced by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
Let there be no whispering, no secrets here:
Our hearts are broken.
_____ took his/her own life.
And even though it might appear
that s/he died by his/her own hand,
no one does this without great, coercing pain,
inner suffering that seems to have no end,
even though we wish
s/he knew that no agony is forever.
Source of compassion, help us to cry out loud,
to hold each other gently,
to live with unanswerable questions,
normal feelings of anger and guilt,
and this gaping hole of loss.
Help us to reach out to others who are suffering,
to show them our love, to say the kind word,
and that this is not a choice we condone
or is worth imitation.
It is hard to see the divine image in the lives of those who suffer.
The sun sets and rises.
We put one foot in front of the other.
We hold our hearts in our hands.
We lift them up to You, God of eternal peace,
and to each other.
Help us live each day.
by Rabbi Joseph Meszler (2013)
God of mercy and compassion,
we beseech you to comfort us at this time of sadness and mourning.
Our beloved one has departed and we do not know why
but we love them and ask that you grant them and us your love and peace.
We thank you for their life and for being part of ours
and though we yearn for them to be amongst us, we know that they truly have not left us.
In our hearts Lord, you know we are hurting and in pain,
but with your guiding hand, we will come to accept their passing.
Dearest Father, grant them eternal rest and peace, and love them as we did,
keeping them close to your heart until we will all be reunited in your Kingdom.
Watch over us, protect us, heal us, and love us.
This we ask you each and every day.
Amen.
‘Prayer for those Bereaved by Suicide’ at Clerical Whispers blog
God of hope,
we come to you in shock and grief and confusion of heart.
Help us to find peace in the knowledge
of your loving mercy to all your children,
and give us light to guide us out of our darkness
into the assurance of your love,
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Merciful God,
hear the cries of our grief,
for you know the anguish of our hearts.
It is beyond our understanding
and more than we can bear.
Source: Funeral Helper
Your Holy Spirit prays for us even when we do not know how to pray.
Send your Spirit to comfort us in our need and loss, and help us to commend (their name)
to your merciful care;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Source: Book of Common Worship Daily Prayer
Lord, we pray for those have died by suicide
They are with you now, Lord,
Embrace them, with your love.
And let their love continue to shine down upon us.
Amen.
Adapted from ‘A Prayer for Suicide Angels, Suicide Survivors, and the Suicidal’
by Kevin Caruso at Suicide.org
