Prayers for Peace in a time of War (1/many)
Prayer for a World Where Hope Seems Dim
By Larry Kehler, Mennonite Central Committee, Canada, 2009
Dear God, the world seems so dark and foreboding.
Where are the signs of hope?
What are you calling us to do?
Prayer for a World Where Hope Seems Dim
By Larry Kehler, Mennonite Central Committee, Canada, 2009
Dear God, the world seems so dark and foreboding.
Where are the signs of hope?
What are you calling us to do?
Wars, uprisings, displacements, hunger, poverty, and disease continue to claim victims by the millions around the world each year.
Our ears do not want to hear their stories and our eyes do not want to see their plight because the suffering and destruction is so massive and cruel
Our ears do not want to hear their stories and our eyes do not want to see their plight because the suffering and destruction is so massive and cruel
In our hearts and minds there is a desire to help somehow, but the crisis seem so overwhelming that we shake our heads in dismay and we wonder what the point is for us even to attempt to be witnesses for healing and hope in this hellish morass.
We beg with the song writer to open our eyes that we may see glimpses of truth you have for us.
Help us to follow the path of Jesus, the Suffering Servant. Give us the courage to be willing to walk the path of depression and pain...
Help us to follow the path of Jesus, the Suffering Servant. Give us the courage to be willing to walk the path of depression and pain...
with the victims of injustice here at home as well as abroad.
Help us 2 seek ways 2 light candles of hope, however small, through our words, our deeds, and our prayers, to encourage our sisters and brothers 2 hold onto the faith in spite of the pain and suffering they are facing.
Help us 2 seek ways 2 light candles of hope, however small, through our words, our deeds, and our prayers, to encourage our sisters and brothers 2 hold onto the faith in spite of the pain and suffering they are facing.
And help those of us who are among the fortunate ones, who have enough bread to eat, good health, and who live in relative peace, to open our heart to learn from our sisters and brothers who are living lives of grace & forgiveness in the horrid circumstances which surround them.
O God, help us to light one candle rather than to curse the darkness.
We pray this in the name of Jesus, who knows what being a light in this dark world is all about.
We pray this in the name of Jesus, who knows what being a light in this dark world is all about.
From Isaiah 2:
Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that we may walk the paths of the Most High.
And we shall beat our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into pruning hooks.
Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that we may walk the paths of the Most High.
And we shall beat our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into pruning hooks.
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation- neither shall they learn war any more. And none shall be afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has spoken.
from collection of du`as al-Hisn al-Hasin
(“The Mighty Fortress”) Completed during the siege of Damascus, 9 December 1389
O Allah, unite our hearts
and set aright our mutual affairs,
guide us in the path of peace.
(“The Mighty Fortress”) Completed during the siege of Damascus, 9 December 1389
O Allah, unite our hearts
and set aright our mutual affairs,
guide us in the path of peace.
Liberate us from darkness by Your light,
save us from enormities whether open or hidden.
save us from enormities whether open or hidden.
Bless us in our ears, eyes, hearts, spouses, and children.
Turn to us; truly you are Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
Turn to us; truly you are Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
Make us grateful for Your bounty and full of praise for it,
so that we may continue to receive it
and complete Your blessings upon us.
so that we may continue to receive it
and complete Your blessings upon us.
from Abdu’l-Bahá:
O my Lord, the lamps of guidance have gone out. The flames of passion are mounting high, and malevolence is ever gaining on the world.
O my Lord, the lamps of guidance have gone out. The flames of passion are mounting high, and malevolence is ever gaining on the world.
Malice and hate have overspread the face of the whole earth, and I find no souls except Thine own oppressed small band who are raising up this cry:
Make haste to love! Make haste to trust! Make haste to give! To guidance come!
Come ye for harmony! To behold the Star of Day! Come here for kindliness, for ease! Come here for amity and peace!
Come and cast down your weapons of wrath, till unity is won! Come and in the Lord's true path each one help each one.
Verily, with exceeding joy, with heart and soul, do these oppressed of Thine offer themselves up for all mankind in every land.
Thou seest them, O my Lord, weeping over the tears Thy people shed, mourning the grief of Thy children, condoling with humankind, suffering because of the calamities that beset all the denizens of the earth.
O my Lord, wing them with victory that they may soar upward to salvation, strengthen their loins in service to Thy people, and their backs in servitude to Thy Threshold of Holiness.
Verily Thou art the Generous, verily Thou art the Merciful! There is none other God save Thee, the Clement, the Pitiful, the Ancient of Days!
From St. Francis of Assisi:
Lord, make me an instrument
of Thy peace...
Lord, make me an instrument
of Thy peace...
Where there is hatred,
let me sow charity;
let me sow charity;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light; and Where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled, as to console;
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
From St. Teresa of Ávila:
May today there be peace within.
May today there be peace within.
May you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance.
It is there for each and every one of you.
Amen.
It is there for each and every one of you.
Amen.
From Swami Sivananda:
If anyone speaks ill of you, praise them always.
If anyone injures you, serve them nicely.
If anyone persecutes you, help them in all possible ways.
If anyone speaks ill of you, praise them always.
If anyone injures you, serve them nicely.
If anyone persecutes you, help them in all possible ways.
You will attain immense strength.
You will control anger and pride.
You will enjoy peace, poise and serenity.
You will become divine.
You will control anger and pride.
You will enjoy peace, poise and serenity.
You will become divine.
From John O'Donohue:
As the fever of the day calms toward twilight
May all that is strained in us come to ease.
We pray for all who suffered violence today,
May an unexpected serenity surprise them.
As the fever of the day calms toward twilight
May all that is strained in us come to ease.
We pray for all who suffered violence today,
May an unexpected serenity surprise them.
For those who risk their lives
each day for peace,
May their hearts glimpse providence
at the heart of history.
each day for peace,
May their hearts glimpse providence
at the heart of history.
That those who make riches
from violence and war
Might hear in their dreams
the cries of the lost.
from violence and war
Might hear in their dreams
the cries of the lost.
That we might see through
our fear of each other
A new vision to heal
our fatal attraction to aggression.
our fear of each other
A new vision to heal
our fatal attraction to aggression.
That those who enjoy
the privilege of peace
Might not forget their
tormented brothers and sisters
That the wolf might lie down
With the lamb,
the privilege of peace
Might not forget their
tormented brothers and sisters
That the wolf might lie down
With the lamb,
That our swords be beaten
Into plowshares
And no hurt or harm be done
Anywhere along the holy mountain.
Into plowshares
And no hurt or harm be done
Anywhere along the holy mountain.
From Rumi:
Do good to the people for the sake of God or for the peace of your own soul that you may always see what is pure and save your heart from the darkness of hate.
Do good to the people for the sake of God or for the peace of your own soul that you may always see what is pure and save your heart from the darkness of hate.
from @TheCHAUSA
Gracious God, we pray for all persons suffering from war.
May they be held in your loving care and protection and given the strength to endure great suffering and hardship. Transform the hearts and minds of all those who perpetuate violence and oppression.
Gracious God, we pray for all persons suffering from war.
May they be held in your loving care and protection and given the strength to endure great suffering and hardship. Transform the hearts and minds of all those who perpetuate violence and oppression.
Grant wisdom to world leaders in advancing efforts toward world peace; may they not be compromised by self-interest and blind indifference. We ask all this through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes & in the name of your Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.
Amen.
From Sister @joanchittister:
Great God, who has told us
“Vengeance is mine,”
save us from ourselves,
save us from the vengeance in our hearts
and the acid in our souls.
Great God, who has told us
“Vengeance is mine,”
save us from ourselves,
save us from the vengeance in our hearts
and the acid in our souls.
Save us from our desire to hurt as we have been hurt,
to punish as we have been punished,
to terrorize as we have been terrorized.
to punish as we have been punished,
to terrorize as we have been terrorized.
Give us the strength it takes
to listen rather than to judge,
to trust rather than to fear,
to try again and again
to make peace even when peace eludes us.
to listen rather than to judge,
to trust rather than to fear,
to try again and again
to make peace even when peace eludes us.
We ask, O God, for the grace
to be our best selves.
to be our best selves.
We ask for the vision
to be builders of the human community
rather than its destroyers.
We ask for the humility as a people
to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples.
to be builders of the human community
rather than its destroyers.
We ask for the humility as a people
to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples.
We ask for the love it takes
to bequeath to the children of the world to come
more than the failures of our own making.
We ask for the heart it takes
to care for all the peoples
of Afghanistan and Iraq, of Palestine and Israel
as well as for ourselves.
to bequeath to the children of the world to come
more than the failures of our own making.
We ask for the heart it takes
to care for all the peoples
of Afghanistan and Iraq, of Palestine and Israel
as well as for ourselves.
Give us the depth of soul, O God,
to constrain our might,
to resist the temptations of power
to refuse to attack the attackable,
to understand
that vengeance begets violence,
and to bring peace–not war–wherever we go.
to constrain our might,
to resist the temptations of power
to refuse to attack the attackable,
to understand
that vengeance begets violence,
and to bring peace–not war–wherever we go.
For You, O God, have been merciful to us.
For You, O God, have been patient with us.
For You, O God, have been gracious to us.
And so may we be merciful
and patient
and gracious
and trusting
with these others whom you also love.
For You, O God, have been patient with us.
For You, O God, have been gracious to us.
And so may we be merciful
and patient
and gracious
and trusting
with these others whom you also love.
This we ask through Jesus,
the one without vengeance in his heart.
This we ask forever and ever. Amen
the one without vengeance in his heart.
This we ask forever and ever. Amen
From @christianaid
Out of the depths we cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our voices!
Above the sound of rockets and the weeping of those bereaved,
hear our earnest prayers!
Out of the depths we cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear our voices!
Above the sound of rockets and the weeping of those bereaved,
hear our earnest prayers!
We look on in horror
at children killed,
homes and schools hit,
smoking rubble.
We listen in fear
to voices speaking defiance,
vowing revenge,
claiming violence as a solution.
at children killed,
homes and schools hit,
smoking rubble.
We listen in fear
to voices speaking defiance,
vowing revenge,
claiming violence as a solution.
We mourn with
all who have lost loved ones,
all who have fled the fighting,
all who will lie down in fear this night.
all who have lost loved ones,
all who have fled the fighting,
all who will lie down in fear this night.
We wait for the Lord, our souls wait,
and only in the Prince of Peace can we hope;
our souls wait for the Lord,
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch in fear for what destruction the morning’s light will show.
and only in the Prince of Peace can we hope;
our souls wait for the Lord,
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch in fear for what destruction the morning’s light will show.
O peoples of this troubled region,
may your angry voices be calmed,
may love drive out hatred,
may God’s peace settle upon you.
May God redeem all who call for further killing.
may your angry voices be calmed,
may love drive out hatred,
may God’s peace settle upon you.
May God redeem all who call for further killing.
May the horrors of these days give fresh determination to the peacemakers.
And may we see conflict here no more. Amen.
And may we see conflict here no more. Amen.
From the Cheyenne:
Let us know peace.
For as long as the moon shall rise,
For as long as the rivers shall flow,
For as long as the sun shall shine,
For as long as the grass shall grow,
Let us know peace
Let us know peace.
For as long as the moon shall rise,
For as long as the rivers shall flow,
For as long as the sun shall shine,
For as long as the grass shall grow,
Let us know peace
From the Deborean Psalter, "A Cree Prophecy":
When the earth is sick and dying,
There will come a tribe of people
From all races…
Who will put their faith in deeds,
Not words, and make the planet
Green again…
When the earth is sick and dying,
There will come a tribe of people
From all races…
Who will put their faith in deeds,
Not words, and make the planet
Green again…
From the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program:
God of justice and peace, love and life,
we confess that we are often overcome by the loud and persistent voices of fear and anger.
We do not hear the voice of Jesus, which seems but a whisper.
God of justice and peace, love and life,
we confess that we are often overcome by the loud and persistent voices of fear and anger.
We do not hear the voice of Jesus, which seems but a whisper.
Fear trumpets,
“Kill those whom you fear may kill you.
The strong shall inherit the earth and the rich shall forever rule the earth.”
Yet Jesus says,
“Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
“Kill those whom you fear may kill you.
The strong shall inherit the earth and the rich shall forever rule the earth.”
Yet Jesus says,
“Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
Anger proclaims,
“Those who live by the sword shall not only live, but flourish. Might makes right.”
But Jesus says,
“Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword shall die by the sword.”
“Those who live by the sword shall not only live, but flourish. Might makes right.”
But Jesus says,
“Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword shall die by the sword.”
Fear instructs us,
“Forgive no one. Those who wrong you are wrong; by forgiving them,
you excuse the wrong and only encourage them.”
Yet Jesus warns us,
“If you do not forgive people their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
“Forgive no one. Those who wrong you are wrong; by forgiving them,
you excuse the wrong and only encourage them.”
Yet Jesus warns us,
“If you do not forgive people their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Anger declares,
“Hate those who hate you; loving those who hate you
only encourages them to take further advantage of you.”
But Jesus asks,
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.”
“Hate those who hate you; loving those who hate you
only encourages them to take further advantage of you.”
But Jesus asks,
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.”
Fear shouts out,
“Show everyone how strong we are so they will be afraid to challenge us.
This is the way to prosper.”
Yet Jesus asks,
“What does it prosper people to gain the whole world and lose their life?”
“Show everyone how strong we are so they will be afraid to challenge us.
This is the way to prosper.”
Yet Jesus asks,
“What does it prosper people to gain the whole world and lose their life?”
The voices of anger and fear seem so strong,
the wisdom so alluring, the way so sensible and safe.
Still Jesus tells us that there is another way—
the way of peace and justice, the way of love and life.
the wisdom so alluring, the way so sensible and safe.
Still Jesus tells us that there is another way—
the way of peace and justice, the way of love and life.
When we lack the courage to seek your way, O God,
when fear and anger overwhelm our faith,
encourage and embolden us.
Open us, O God, that we may follow the Prince of Peace.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
when fear and anger overwhelm our faith,
encourage and embolden us.
Open us, O God, that we may follow the Prince of Peace.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
from David Tonghou Ngong:
Dear God, we hear of peace only as a faraway dream;
we long for it in our lives, in the lives of our families,
our friends, and our countries.
But with each passing day
the prospect for peace
seems to be increasingly tantalizing.
Dear God, we hear of peace only as a faraway dream;
we long for it in our lives, in the lives of our families,
our friends, and our countries.
But with each passing day
the prospect for peace
seems to be increasingly tantalizing.
Restlessness seems to be
the order of our present existence:
our inner restlessness rooted in various anxieties,
our societal restlessness rooted in
the evils that go on around us,
the restlessness of our world
plagued by conflicts of all sorts.
the order of our present existence:
our inner restlessness rooted in various anxieties,
our societal restlessness rooted in
the evils that go on around us,
the restlessness of our world
plagued by conflicts of all sorts.
Dear God, we hear of peace only as a dream;
a dream we would love to be part of,
a dream we long to have in our hearts, in our neighborhoods,
in our countries, and even in our churches.
a dream we would love to be part of,
a dream we long to have in our hearts, in our neighborhoods,
in our countries, and even in our churches.
We pray that we may experience that peace
that passes all understanding,
we pray, O God, that we may experience You,
the Peace of the world.
that passes all understanding,
we pray, O God, that we may experience You,
the Peace of the world.
Penetrate the grieving heart,
accompany the lonely one,
remember the forgotten,
reclaim the strayed,
make music out of the
disharmony of conflict and chaos.
accompany the lonely one,
remember the forgotten,
reclaim the strayed,
make music out of the
disharmony of conflict and chaos.
Let our restless hearts rest in you, O God.
This we pray in the name of the Christ,
who beckons us into the vision of Peace. Amen.
This we pray in the name of the Christ,
who beckons us into the vision of Peace. Amen.
From Pete Seeger (and others):
I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
Study war no more
I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
Study war no more
I ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
I ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
I ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
I'm gonna walk with that Prince of Peace
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
I'm gonna walk with that Prince of Peace
Down by the riverside
Study war no more
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
I'm gonna walk with that Prince of Peace
Down by the riverside
Study war no more
I ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
I ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more.
Ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
I ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more
Ain't gonna study war no more.
From @U2:
I can't believe the news today
I can't close my eyes and make it go away.
How long, how long must we sing this song?
How long, how long?
'Cos tonight
We can be as one, tonight.
I can't believe the news today
I can't close my eyes and make it go away.
How long, how long must we sing this song?
How long, how long?
'Cos tonight
We can be as one, tonight.
From St. John of the Cross:
O blessed Jesus,
give me stillness of soul in You.
Let Your mighty calmness reign in me.
Rule me, O King of Gentleness,
King of Peace.
O blessed Jesus,
give me stillness of soul in You.
Let Your mighty calmness reign in me.
Rule me, O King of Gentleness,
King of Peace.
