We Pray for Peace

In light of the conflict in various parts of the world, we pray for peace in our hearts, homes, communities and world. We pray for all those who have been affected by violence and hunger and dispossession. We pray for all world leaders that they know what it is to work for the best for their communities. 

Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love,

you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters.

Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace;

enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister.

Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to

turn our weapons of war into implements of peace,

our trepidation into confident trust,

and our quarrelling into forgiveness.

Keep alive within us the flame of hope,

so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation.

In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words ‘division’, ‘hatred’ and ‘war’

be banished from the heart of every man and woman.

Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands.

Renew our hearts and minds, so that the words which always brings us together will be ‘brother and sister’, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!

Amen.

(An excerpt from Pope Francis’ Prayer for Peace, published in Australian Catholics)