Folks who go to Mass in a Catholic church (or services in the Episcopal church), participate in an ancient cry for mercy.  We call it the Kyrie.

Whether the words are spoken or sung, they contain an earthy, simple plea for help. The words keep sneaking into my mind when I see and hear the heartbreaking accounts of the weather turned savage in our southern and midwestern states.

Who wouldn’t feel the acute pain of the victims on viewing the destruction of their homes and the loss of life from this week’s storms?

What can one say? Maybe this:

“Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.”

Translated from Greek (not Latin), the words mean “Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.”

Here they are as sung in Gregorian chant by some Benedictine monks.