“A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loudly lamenting: it was Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they were no more.”

Here is the prayer, the lament, of every parent who sees their child go astray, or who loses a child to death.  St Monica is said to have won the conversion of her son from the Lord by her prayers, fasting and tears.  The Syriac father, St Ephrem points out in a hymn preserved in Armenian, what prayer and faith can do: “the prayer which held back the sun at Gibeon can hold back evil from us… Prayer shut up and fettered the mouths of lions inside the pit, so that the just Daniel was not harmed.  Prayer preserved the Three Children in the Furnace of fire…” 

My lord, hear my lament, hear my prayer for all those around me whom you love and who are leading lives that are governed not by you, that they may meet you and turn away from the path of death and into the Way of life, that they may desire Truth, seek real fulfilment, safety and peace in relationship with you, Lord, rather than temporary pleasure or reassurance from the ordinary ways of the world, that they may leave their pride behind as much as possible and become like little children before you.  For you are the Truth, the Way and the Life eternal and there is no other.  It is only through you that Heaven may be reached.  Lord, for your great love of each of us, hear our prayer and save those we care about, and all those around us.  Use us to speak to them, whether we know it or not.  Show them the way of the world and contrast it to Your Way, that they may see clearly which way to go. “Happy are those who mourn,” you say, “for they shall be comforted”.   Please comfort parents who contemplate the death of their child or children, and show them that in you is eternal life and happiness.  We ask all this in the name of your Sacrifice on the Cross, and in the name of the sacrifice of the Holy Innocents who died because of Herod's jealousy of you, and who are with you in Heaven by virtue of their Innocence and Your Holy Presence on earth.  They who were too young to know you in life can rejoice with you for ever in Heaven because you are the Lord of time and space.  You are the King of eternity.  You are the God of love and yours is the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.