O Lord our God, like the flag of the United States of America, our hearts are at half mast. We grieve with the families and friends of the seven heroic astronauts who lost their lives in the Columbia catastrophe.

We come to you, the Creator of the Universe, who loves us and who understands the pain we are feeling. We know that each of the seven who were in that shuttle understood the dangers of their mission. But they willingly and enthusiastically placed their lives on the line for the good of America and the world.

We pray that you will comfort their families. Give them courage and hope during these sad times. Comfort our nation. Give us new vision and purpose to lead the world to progress and peace.

Amen.