A Prayer For Peace
Lord, thou has been our dwelling-place in all generations; before the mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
We come to thee in a day of confusion and anguish; in a time when terror walks at night about the Earth and destruction wastes at noonday.
Nevertheless, we are not dismayed or as those who have no hope. For we know that we and our fellows throughout the world grope in darkness because we have trusted in our own wisdom and now it has been turned into foolishness. We are stricken because we have not lived, according to thy laws. We are impotent to do even the good that we would, because we have relied upon our own strength. Even while we fathom the secrets of the physical universe and exercise power almost akin to thine, people and nations are wasting their heritage and destroying themselves, because we have forgotten that without love all this is nothing, and have not sought first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
Now we confess that without thee we are nothing, and in so confessing receive the blessed assurance that with thee all things are possible.
Grant to us and all people that we may become again as little children willing and able to receive thy truth for our guidance. Remove all barriers of self-centeredness, self-will, and fear which prevent us from submitting and committing our wills to thine.
Pour out thy spirit upon thy church in order that its divisions may be healed; that it may proclaim the everlasting gospel of love to the world with a single voice and with new power; and that in the name of Christ it may take the weapons of the flesh out of the hands of its sons, forbid war, and proclaim the peace of Christ to the nations.
And incline the peoples everywhere and those who are in authority over them to heed this call, that they may at last enter into the heritage which thou hast prepared for them, beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning hooks, and learn war no more.
And unto thee, Eternal Father, who hast promised, Behold, I make all things new, shall be praise and dominion, now and ever more, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who taught us when we pray to say:
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.