Te Runanga Whaiti o Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa has offered the following prayer, inviting whanau to pray for our Muslim whanau who lost their lives in the terror attack, Friday 15 March, in Christchurch.
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He Inoi Mo Otautahi
E te Atua ora tonu, te Kaihanga o te ao, he nui whakaharahara ngā mahi o au ringa, he whakamiharo hoki au tikanga.
Eternal God, Creator of the universe, great and wonderful are your works, wondrous are your ways.
Ka inoi matau
mō era i kohurutia i a ratau e inoi ana;
nga tangata i katohia e te kino me te tutu.
Awhinatia matau kia whakamatauria ai i arohaina ratau,
a, ka hoki wairua ratau ki te aroha.
We pray
for those who died while praying;
those whose lives have been cut short by hatred and violence.
Help us to affirm that they are loved,
and to know that to love they return.
Murua o matau hara; matau e takahi nei i tenei ao nau i hanga.
Murua o matau hara; matau e tuku nei i te kino kia puawai
ahakoa na te mahi hakune,
ahakoa na te mahi houtete,
te nohopuku ranei.
Forgive our violation of your creation.
Forgive us when we allow hatred to grow
through our own deliberate fault,
through our inaction,
or through our silence.
Homai ki a matau, me o matau rangatira, nga ahuatanga o te hunga whaikaha;
kia maioha tetahi ki tetahi, a-kupu, a-ringa hoki,
kia whakahaeretia te mana me te humārika,
kia manawanui ki te hohou i te rongo me te tika mo nga tangata katoa.
Grant to us all, and our leaders, attributes of the strong:
mutual respect in words and deeds,
restraint in the exercise of power,
and the will for peace and justice for all.
A, ki a ratau e noho pani ana;
homai te manawaroa kia ora tonu,
te kaha ki te hiki ano i te tumanako,
te whakapono ki te whakapuaki i te mamae
te hautoa ki te whakaora i te kino,
me te aroha ki te whakaki i nga wahi tuhera kau.
And to those who remain,
grant them endurance to survive,
strength to rebuild,
faith to mourn,
courage to heal,
and devotion to each other to fill the empty spaces.
Kia matau ai ka arohaina ratau,
ka puritia hoki ratau i roto i te aroha.
May they know they are loved,
grant that we may hold them in that love.
E te Atua ora tonu, te Kaihanga o te ao, kororia ki a koe. Amine.
Eternal God, Creator of the universe, glory to you. Amen.