God, have you forgotten them?
Those aboard the plane from Barcelona?
Those young and old,
Women, men, children?
So many children and teenagers!
Were you not with them?
Did you not shelter and protect them?

We know:
There are accidents. There are fatal accidents. There is violence.
But when it happens we are stunned – horrified.
We doubt your kindness – your justice.
But yet we come to you. Where else should we go?

With sadness in the heart and with anger. And with fright.
And we still ask of you: Do not forget the dead!
Take them by the hand! – do not leave them alone.
For their families and friends we ask of you:
Hold them when they pass away in pain.
Also for those who saw such terrible things at the crash site, we ask of you:
Strengthen them.

God, be with us.
In our anger. In our doubts. In our care. In our grief.
Lord, have mercy!

(Pastor Doris Joachim-Storch, who spontaneously wrote this Kyrie prayer for all communities a few hours after the crash. It was part of the funeral for Andy.)