A Prayer for Sangwon

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by Mike Kersten, HS Humanities Teacher

Prayer is an important practice in many spiritual traditions around the world. The exact mechanics and purpose can vary, but generally speaking, prayer is a way to connect with the spiritual world, express our feelings, and seek some alignment of the heart, body, and mind with a higher power.

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We are often unsure about how to pray, especially when our circumstances overwhelm our ability to understand them. As the Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Romans 8:26)

As our community continues to grieve and hope for our dear colleague and high school humanities teacher, Sangwon Suh, who remains in a coma following a head injury last July, we offer this prayer for him, his wife Ashley, and their two children DongGun and Arin. We know that these words are insufficient, yet believe that the act of praying for them can move us to greater love, action, solidarity, and a peace that surpasses understanding. Let us pray:

Dear God of Healing and Love,

Our hearts break with Yours for our beloved brother Sangwon Suh. We are struggling to discern purpose in the uncertainty of his situation.

Thinking about Sangwon’s condition and the challenges facing the Suh family hurts…

Please come alongside us to guide us through the pain. Please move our hearts and hands to support and love.

Please heal Sangwon physically. Please heal the emotional and spiritual wounds inflicted by his absence among us.

Please give endurance, hope, strength, patience, and wisdom to Ashley. Please give peace, direction, community, care, and support to DongGun and Arin.

May we experience peace in the mystery of Your grace and love, which conquers all. May we be agents of this peace in the lives of those around us, each and every day.

We pray these things in Your holy name.

Amen.

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