Lord Have Mercy, Christ Have Mercy

It's been a rough week.

Actually, it's been rough for a while.

• Another school shooting.

• Stabbings on public transit.

• Assassinations of public figures.

How do we worship in such dark times in which we live?

Simple: We cry, "Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy."

A Missing Part of Modern Worship

I've highlighted the absence of lament in worship in a previous post, but I want to circle back on where the modern evangelical church has been and where it can go in a related regard.

"Positivity" permeates nearly every component of modern worship services—and this is not a bad thing. In fact, it's good to song of hope, redemption, and victory.

Where we tend to fall short is when we avoid the negatives, like the consequences of our sin or the effects of death, destruction, and injustice (all a result of sin, too); we lose the bigger picture of how and where the gospel is meant to work.

And in the "sacred dialogue" of our congregational worship, we're meant to voice the negatives as an appeal to God for mercy.

But, which words can we use?

Enter: The Kyrie

Fortunately, there's been a phrase used all throughout Christian worship that captures this appeal: the kyrie.

The kyrie (pronounced "kee-ree-ay") is an ancient prayer that dates back to the 4th century in early Christian litanies (a list of sacred pleas/petitions) and has been used in almost every faction of Christendom. The full phrase in biblical Greek is this:

Kyrie eleison. [Lord have mercy.]

Christe eleison. [Christ have mercy.]

Kyrie eleison. [Lord have mercy.]

Typically, each phrase is sung three times, and you'll mostly see it used in "high church" services, such as the Ordinary Mass, Eastern Orthodox rites, and Protestant denominations like Methodism, Presbyterianism, and Lutheranism.

It has its roots in 11 different biblical passages, where the Lord is called upon to extend mercy to those whom have asked for it:

• Psalm 6:2

• Psalm 9:13

• Psalm 31:9

• Psalm 86:3

• Psalm 123:3

• Matthew 15:22

• Matthew 17:15

• Matthew 20:30

• Mark 10:46 (uses Jesus' name instead of "lord")

• Luke 17:13 (uses Greek word for "master," instead of "lord")

• Luke 18:9–14

The common thread in these passages is a plea for compassion from God: forgiveness for sins committed, relief from struggles, and mercy from the judgment due to us. And that's the key: the plural "us." Not just the individual, but creation as a whole.

Resurgence and Reflection

Like I said, much modern, evangelical worship music doesn't communicate petitions to God through a lens of receiving mercy from Him; we mostly focus on the relief, strength, and power we receive from God, rather than a clear understanding of His mercies being freely given.

But, there's a movement that is changing this. One song that comes to mind is "Lord Have Mercy (For What We Have Done)," by Matt Papa. Released in 2019, this song highlights the collective fallen nature of God's people, their shortcomings, and their desperate desire to become right with Him again.

Particularly, the first verse recounts our action and inaction, known and unknown sin, envy, pride, willful ignorance—every "thought, word, and deed" falls short of God's command for us. To me, it's an apt summary of what we see unfolding in the world today, particularly in Western society and American sociopolitical landscapes.

As I reflected on the latest tragedies to happen here in the US, the phrase, "Lord have mercy," kept coming to mind. With each headline, re-post, and update, it was the same phrase: "Lord have mercy." It's led me to pen a personal liturgy that I hope will connect with you and point to a mercy that transcends, yet still encompasses the here and now:

O Lord,

For those whom have lost their lives, innocence, and agency:

Lord, have mercy on them.

For those who contend with sickness and death in their mind, body, and spirit:

Lord, have mercy on them.

For those who commit the unthinkable, or are faced with impossible choices to make:

Lord, have mercy on them.

For those who remain unmoving in the face of evil, by choice or not:

Lord, have mercy on them.

For us who have failed Your command to love our neighbor:

Lord, have mercy on us.

For us who strive to follow You, yet remain constrained by the shackles of sin:

Lord, have mercy on us.

For us who seek Your goodness and for all to know You:

Lord, have mercy on us.

Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.

Be blessed 👊✌️