A Concord Pastor Comments: NIGHT PRAYER: Monday 6/23

I went back into my Advent archives searching for this prayer for peace which I've tweaked for the news of the last few days...

Let us pray for peace...

Let us pray for an end to terrorism and war,
   violence and bloodshed...

Let us pray for peace in Ukraine and Russia,
   Israel, Palestine, Iran, Afghanistan,
   Burkina Faso, the Sahel, Haiti,
   the Central African Republic, Somalia,
   the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
   Sudan, Syria and all the other places
   where the poor are victims of our lust for power...

Let us pray for the wisdom

to speak before raising a fist,

to negotiate before launching attacks,

   to reconcile conflicts for the common good,
   to prize life above all other cause or concern,
   to forgive one another as we want to be forgiven...

Let us pray for the safe return of those in harm's way,
far from home, family and friends...

Let us pray for the peace

that flows from the rule of law...

Let us pray for the will to work together

with any and all

until justice and peace shall meet and kiss...

Let us pray for peace at our nation's borders
and at the borders of nations around the world...

Let us pray for legislation

to end the violence of mass shootings...

Let us pray for racial peace and harmony
all around he world...

Let us pray for world leaders

who selflessly hunger for global peace...

Let us pray

for a bipartisan political peace in America...

Let us pray for our enemies...

Let us pray for truth and trust

in negotiations...

Let us pray for peace in the Church,

among those divided

by theological, political and liturgical differences...

Let us pray for healing peace

in the hearts, minds and souls

of those abused by the Church and her leaders...

Let us pray for the unity of all who believe in Christ...

Let us pray for peace and understanding
   between the people of different faiths...

Let us pray for an end to the wars we wage
   in our own families and neighborhoods,
       at work, at school and in our parishes...

Let us pray for the peace and safety
   of all who live with domestic violence...

Let us pray for those we make our personal enemies
   - and those who make enemies of us...

Let us pray for an end to the wars we fight
with ourselves, within ourselves...

Let us pray for healing peace in the minds and hearts
of all who live with anxiety, fear and depression...

Let us pray that we follow

paths of diplomacy,

high-minded highways

and roads of reason

to lead us to peace...

Let us pray for that peace

we cannot give or make for ourselves,

the peace that comes from God alone...

Let us pray for peace...

Protect us, Lord, while we're awake
and watch over us while we sleep
that awake, we might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Tonight's song is an Advent song, pleading for the coming of Emmanuel (God with us). Praying for the presence of God among us is not something limited by liturgical seasons! The accompanying visual is fascinating...

Peace by Dan Loewen

If a video doesn't appear below, click here!