Prayers and Liturgy

Blessed are you peacemakers,
who say no to war as a means to peace.

Blessed are you peacemakers,
who are committed to disarm weapons of mass destruction.

Blessed are you peacemakers,
who wage peace at heroic personal cost.

Blessed are you peacemakers,
who challenge and confront judges, courts & prisons.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
who help those who are hurting.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
who befriend perfect strangers.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
who open doors for acting justly,
loving tenderly and walking humbly with God
and all people of good will.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
who welcome, encourage and inspire.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
who offer hope and healing.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
who care and comfort.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
who help find answers.

We come to you, God Creator.
You are the source of life and beauty and power.
Your son Jesus is the way of faith and hope and love.
Your Spirit is the fire of love, the fount of wisdom, the bond of unity.
You call us at all times to be people of the beatitudes,
Witnesses to the Gospel of peace and love and forgiveness.
You call us at this time, when war and rumours of war,
weigh heavily on the peoples the Middle East.
Their lives are already broken by suffering and violence.

We renew our acceptance of your call.

We promise to work:
To bring the light of the Gospel to those living in darkness,
To bring the hope of the Gospel to those living in despair,
To bring the healing of the Gospel to the lonely,
the disadvantaged, the marginalized,
And to bring the peace of the Gospel to a divided world.
Amen.

Thank you loving God
For the gift of life
For this wonderful world which
we all share
For the joy of love and friendship
For the challenge of helping to build
your kingdom.

Strengthen
My determination to work for a world
of peace and justice
My conviction that, whatever our
nationality or race,
we are all global citizens,
one in Christ
My courage to challenge the
powerful with the values of the Gospel
My commitment to find nonviolent
ways of resolving conflict
- personal, local, national and international
My efforts to forgive injuries and to love those I find it hard to love.

We confess that in our lives we do not
Always choose the way of peace.
We spread gossip which fans the flame of hatred.
We are ready to make any sacrifices when Caesar demands -
but few when God invites.
We worship the false god of security and nationalism
We hold out our hand in friendship -
But keep a weapon in the other behind our back

We have divided your body of people
Into those we trust and those we do not.
Huge problems challenge us in the world -
But our greed, fear and selfishness prevent
us from uniting to solve them

Lord, we pray for your help,
Your forgiveness and your
Reconciling power in our lives.

O God, you are the source of life and peace.
Praised be your name forever.
We know it is you who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.
Hear our prayer in this time of crisis.
Your power changes hearts
Muslims, Christians and Jews remember, and profoundly affirm,
That they are followers of the one God,
Children of Abraham, brothers and sisters;
Enemies begin to speak to one another;
those who were estranged join hands in friendship;
nations seek the way of peace together.
Strengthen our resolve to give witness to these
truths by the way we live.

Give to us:
Understanding that puts an end to strife;
Mercy that quenches hatred, and
Forgiveness that overcomes vengeance.

Empower all people to live in your law of love

Amen.

Lord, make me an instrument of your Peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.