Prayer for Brother Roger

A ninety year old monk has been murdered. His name is Brother Roger, and he created the Taize community in France. Many have been there on spiritual pilgrimage, and many more have sung some of the songs created for worship there. The Taize community, like Brother Roger himself, is dedicated to spirit-filled worship and international, ecumenical spiritual formation.

Click here to read the story of his murder. Click here to read my brother-in-law's story from Taize, which is very moving. Click here to visit the Taize website.

It is a sad, sad story. This is my prayer at the time of this tragic loss:

God of life and peace,
Hear my prayer.
Recieve Brother Roger into your heavenly embrace.
I only knew him through the music,
yet he was a brother to me.
Now there is eternal music, surrounded
by his dear sisters and brothers for whom he cared so deeply.
May we all be granted a glimpse
of the vision he now sees with newly opened eyes.
May we all hear but a fleeting strain
of the divine chorus in which he now sings.
May we all feel but a meager wisp
of the refreshing breeze of your spirit in which Roger now dwells.
Thank you for Brother Roger,
and for allowing us to share for a while
in all that he did on this earth.
In Christ,
Amen