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 Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Let us pray,

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

Heavenly Father, we come before you with heavy hearts, praying for the nations ravaged by war and conflict. We see the suffering of innocent people, the destruction of homes and communities, and the deep pain that has taken root. In your infinite mercy, we plead for an end to the violence and bloodshed. Guide the leaders of these nations towards wisdom and compassion, that they may choose dialogue over aggression and seek peaceful solutions. Comfort those who grieve, heal the wounded, and provide refuge for those displaced. May your spirit of peace descend upon these war-torn lands, bringing hope and reconciliation to all who are hurting. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Amen

The Prayer for Peace this week is “No Wars will Stop us Singing” A song written for World Peace Day, I think, in 2005  https://youtu.be/XyMuDNtcqqk?si=phOV_UeSPW1p9Yl3

The Prayer for Peace this week is “Light a Candle for Peace” and can be found at  https://youtu.be/8B8vuFngtrU?si=xKdklmKeo-jJpNsY

The Prayer for Peace this week is from the Jakarta Philharmonic Children’s Choir –  https://youtu.be/klgg0LUvDNQ?si=6cHuwp8gMBhNqPUe

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)

See a sung prayer on the weekly news page

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)

Blessing for Peace 22/12/2024

As the fever of day calms towards twilight
May all that is strained in us come to ease.
We pray for all who suffered violence today,
May an unexpected serenity surprise them.
For those who risk their lives each day for peace,
May their hearts glimpse providence at the heart of history.
That those who make riches from violence and war
Might hear in their dreams the cries of the lost.
That we might see through our fear of each other
A new vision to heal our fatal attraction to aggression.
That those who enjoy the privilege of peace
Might not forget their tormented brothers and sisters.
That the wolf might lie down with the lamb,
That our swords be beaten into ploughshares
And no hurt or harm be done
Anywhere along the holy mountain.

by John O’Donohue

God of Peace,

Thank you for your Christmas gift of peace, for the birth and life of the nonviolent Jesus, and all the blessings of peace, hope and love he offers us all.

Year after year, we continue to reject those blessings and offerings of peace, but you keep giving them to us. Everywhere we look, we see violence, war, greed, guns, drones, killings, injustice, nuclear weapons and catastrophic climate change. Even within us, we cling to violence and the old paradigms of war. It seems we are dead set on rejecting your life-giving invitations to peace.

Yet you keep coming into our lives and offering the gift of peace. You still invite us to the vision of peace on earth. You still point out the possibilities of disarmament in our hearts, our communities and among nations. You still call us to become, like Jesus, people of loving nonviolence.

Thank you for being a peaceful, nonviolent God. Thank you for blessing peacemakers, justice-seekers, the poor, the mournful, the meek, the pure of heart and children. Thank you for all the ways you work to end war, hunger, poverty and injustice. Thank you for making the sun rise on the good and the bad, and the rain to fall on the just and the unjust.

Thank you for showing us the way forward through the life, death and resurrection of the nonviolent Jesus. As we celebrate his birth and life, give us new strength and energy to carry on his work of peace and nonviolence, that we might become his faithful disciples, apostles, companions and friends, that we might grow up and act like your beloved sons and daughters.

Inspire us to lay down our weapons, put away our guns, dismantle our bombs, ground our drones, abolish our nuclear weapons, feed the hungry, care for the poor and sick, liberate the oppressed and welcome your good news. Help us to learn your wisdom of peace and nonviolence before it’s too late. Break our hard hearts of stone and give us soft hearts of flesh to show compassion to one another. Stir our spirits to change the world so more and more people might live with justice, peace and dignity.

This Christmas, we thank you for the hope you offer in Jesus and his way of Gospel nonviolence. Through his example and inspiration, help us to welcome your Christmas gift of peace on earth, that we might take heart and rejoice once more.  Amen.

John Dear