How do we pray for peace from half a world away?

How can words salve and soothe real wounds,

Assuage real fears, Wipe tears from real eyes?

God of endless compassion, transform our prayers

From words into bridges, that span the distances

Between us, uniting our hearts in yours.

Every time we turn our keys in a lock,

May we remember all who are losing their homes.

Every time we step into our cars,

May we remember all who are having to flee.

Every time we embrace our children,

May we remember all who are trying to shield theirs from war.

May our besieged sisters and brothers

Be drawn into the arms of the suffering Christ,

And may our cry be heard as one voice,

Ringing out from every corner of the earth:

God of endless mercy, grant us peace.

Amen.  (Cameron Bellm)

This week, a blessing for you all.

A Franciscan Christmas

Blessing for Justice and Peace

May God bless you with discomfort…

at easy answers, hard hearts,

half-truths, and superficial relationships.

May God bless you so that you may live

from deep within your heart

where God’s Spirit dwells.

May God bless you with anger…

at injustice, oppression,

and exploitation of people.

May God bless you so that you may

work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears…

to shed for those who suffer from pain,

rejection, starvation and war.

May God bless you so that you

may reach out your hand

to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with

enough foolishness

to believe that you can make a difference

in this world, in your neighbourhood,

so that you will courageously try

what you don’t think you can do, but,

in Jesus Christ you’ll have all the strength necessary.

May God bless you to fearlessly

speak out about injustice,

unjust laws, corrupt politicians,

unjust and cruel treatment of prisoners,

and senseless wars,

genocides, starvations, and poverty that is so pervasive.

May God bless you that you remember

we are all called

to continue God’s redemptive work

of love and healing

in God’s place, in and through God’s name,

in God’s Spirit, continually creating

and breathing new life and grace

into everything and everyone we touch.

Source: “Troubadour: A Missionary Magazine,” published by the

Franciscan Missionary Society

Prayer for Peace 30/11/2025

We are moulded, each one of us,
in the image of God,
and within our souls there is a fingerprint
none can erase.
We pray for those who have no regard
for anyone but self,
who put no value on human life.
For nations and individuals who abuse and kill.
We are not called to be judge or jury,
but we are called to be agents of change,
and if the butterfly that flaps its wings
should be our attitude to others
then so be it, Lord,
and may the hurricane this generates
somewhere within the world
reach into the hearts and souls of those
for whom we pray, and reveal to them
how precious are those
for whom they have no love,
and how precious are they
who now bring tears to the eyes of God.

©John Birch

Dear God, I come before You today with a heavy heart, burdened by the unrest in the world. I seek Your divine intervention to bring peace to every corner of the earth. Please calm the hearts of those in power, and replace the spirit of hatred and violence with understanding and love. May Your peace reign in every nation, and may conflicts be resolved with wisdom and compassion. Protect the innocent and bring an end to the suffering caused by war. Amen

Prayer for Peace 16/11/2025

Our Prayer for Peace this week is a Song of Peace which you can listen to on https://youtu.be/0CuvFMwrEN0?si=W6-xoXClrzWdlSvg or just pray the words below.

SONG OF PEACE

1. This is my song, O Spirit of all nations,

A song of peace for lands afar and mine.

This is my home, the country where my heart is;

here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;

but other hearts in other lands are beating

with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine

2. My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,

and sunlight beams on clover leaf and pine.

But other lands have sunlight too and clover,

and skies are everywhere as blue as mine.

O hear my song, thou Spirit of all nations;

a song of peace for their land and for mine.

3. May truth and freedom come to every nation;

May peace abound where strife has raged so long;

That each may seek to love and build together,

A world united, righting every wrong;

A world united in its love for freedom,

Proclaiming peace together in one song.

Music: Jean Sibelius.

Words: from Lloyd Stone (amended) verses 1 and 2. 1934.

Georgia Harkness; Verse 3: 1939

Light a candle, as a visible sign of the light of Christ, who is the light of the

world.

Take a deep breath. Feel the breath of God that has given you life.

Centre yourself and pray…

Our Father, We humbly come before You, seeking peace in a world marred by violence.
Heal the hearts of those who are hurt and guide us towards understanding and compassion.
May Your love dispel hatred and bring unity among all people.
Grant strength to those who work for justice, and let Your light shine in the darkest places.
Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, who are called the Prince of Peace,
who are yourself our peace and reconciliation,
who so often said, “Peace to you,” grant us peace.

Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice,
and brotherly love.
Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace.

Enlighten our rulers that they may
guarantee and defend the great gift of peace.
May all peoples on the earth
become as brothers and sisters.
May longed for peace blossom forth
and reign always over us all.

– Pope John Paul II

Loving God, we seek Your divine intervention to heal the wounds of the world. We pray for leaders to make wise decisions that promote peace and justice. Strengthen the resolve of peacemakers and bring hope to those living in conflict. Let Your love and compassion prevail. Amen

(prayerlife.com)

Lord God,
No one is a stranger to you
And no one is ever far from your loving care.
In your kindness, watch over refugees and victims of war,
Those separated from their loved ones, 
Young people who are lost,
And those who have left home or who have run away from home.
Bring them back safely to the place where they long to be,
And help us always to show your kindness
to strangers and to all in need.

– Author Unknown