Prayer for Peace

My Lord, every day we hear news of violence and war. We witness aggression beyond words and cruelty that sickens the soul. Our hearts long for peace and bleed for those whose precious life is lost or marked forever in futile conflicts and useless fights. We are told peace is a utopia by those who adopt cynicism as a way of life and hide their own shattered dreams behind a scornful attitude. But our eyes look up to you and our soul seeks you in the darkness of the night. We dare to hope against all hope because we are yours and we know your love is stronger than death.

Lord God, our loving Father, to you we turn and we pray: bring comfort to a world in flames, heal the wounds of so many bodies and mend the spirit of so many broken hearts. Dry the tears of pain and bring tears of forgiveness in the eyes that are too dry to cry. Help the victims forgive their persecutors and teach the persecutors to seek the way of love, in which there is no terror and no judgement. We see that, sometimes, even the people who are meant to represent you are judgemental, prejudiced and unforgiving. Open their hearts and teach them that you are greater than their thoughts.

Help us all find our peace in you and teach us to reflect your unconditional love in all our thoughts, words and actions. Give us the strength not to pay evil with evil or hate with hate, but to love our enemies and find the hidden beauty in any human being. Help us cross the barriers that divide us and realize we are all your children. Make us love each other in faith and truth with an ever redeeming love.

AMEN