Prayers for Peace in a Fractured World
A Selection of prayers for those who are suffering through oppression or natural disaster throughout the world, together with verses and quotes that seem relevant.
Many struggle to see God when faced with natural disaster or the cruelty of other human beings. But God is always there in the hands of those who offer help and sustainance - whether offered by those of faith or no faith, forall love has its source in him.
'The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.'
Psalm 34:18
'Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence
of death. When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD,
supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought
joy to my soul.'
Psalm 94:17-19
For boys and girls
whose childhood
has been stolen
in the cause of war
prostitution
slavery
and greed
bring restoration
healing
family
love
Lord of heaven and earth
of all nations and peoples
all faiths and no faith
reveal yourself
to those who are suffering,
reveal yourself
to all who are refugees,
reveal yourself
to those who are powerful,
reveal yourself
to all who are powerless,
reveal yourself
to ordinary people
in their everyday lives,
that this world
might reflect your love
and your glory.
Bless the hands
that bring wholeness
to lives blighted by sickness.
Bless the saints who
in sad and desperate places
bring a sense of hopefulness.
Bless the Christians
facing daily opposition
showing a faithful witness.
Bless the generosity
of the rich and powerful
for the gift of thoughtfulness.
Bless the peacemakers
working in conditions
that are often hazardous.
Bless the politicians
whether good or bad
for decisions affecting all of us.
Bless our words and actions
as we carry your light
into places shrouded in darkness.
Bless your children
whoever they might be
with the warmth of your love and grace.
By your Word were all things created
By your Word were all things given
That all might live in your garden
Eat the fruit of the land
Drink your living water
Grow in strength and wisdom
Husband and wife
Brother and sister
Mother and child
A: God of Peace
B: Sow seeds of hope in barren lands
By your Word love was established
In the beauty of each created thing
That all might look to the mountains
And in their majesty find you.
In fertile fields and valleys
Crops and flocks would be tended
Vineyards planted
Communities grown
Laughter heard
A: God of Peace
B: Sow seeds of hope in barren lands
By your Word humankind was given
The gift of true freedom
Lived within the safety of your love
And chose independence.
By man's word are established
Ruler and slave
Rich and poor
Full and starving
Weak and strong
By man's word are established
Corruption and abuse
Oppression and torture
Selfishness and greed
Within your garden
Watered by your tears
A: God of Peace
B: Sow seeds of hope in barren lands
We pray for lives lost
families torn apart
lost and lonely
homeless
hungry
afraid
We pray for factories
destroyed in an instant
for machinery
shattered
livelihoods
ruined
We pray for rescuers
finding survivors
alongside bodies
courageous
undaunted
hopeful
We pray for recovery
in the years to come
for restoration
generosity
healing
closure
I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
(Psalm 57:9,10 NIV)
For all whose image of your creation
is marred by pain and suffering
A: Your kingdom come
B: Your will be done
For those who wake each morning
to shellfire and destruction
A: Your kingdom come
B: Your will be done
For children dispossessed of childhood
and transformed into soldiers
A: Your kingdom come
B: Your will be done
For orphans wandering lonely roads
to uncertain futures
A: Your kingdom come
B: Your will be done
For each persecuted family
carrying your Cross
A: Your kingdom come
B: Your will be done
When oppression
cruelty and fear
are all that is known
and suffering the daily experience
When famine
hunger and thirst
greet every morning
denying basic sustenance
How easy to say
there is no God
to turn aside
and label you an irrelevance
You who are
living water
bread of life
the one who offers deliverance
Who suffered
died and rose
bringing hope
that there is more to life than this
Bless all those
who in despair
and dark places
look to you for assurance
Bring comfort
peace and where
there is neither
bring to them abundance
There is silence in heaven
as the prayers of your saints
rise like the sweet incense
of a sacrificial offering
into your presence
(based on Rev 8:1-4)
Breathe love into lives ruled by fear
Soften hearts that are hardened by pride
Whisper gently to those bound by chains
Sow peace where conflict divides
God bless
the persecuted
and oppressed
God bless
the refugee
and dispossessed.
We pray
justice
for the falsely accused
freedom
for the wrongly imprisoned
healing
for the tortured or abused
care
for the orphan and widow
concern
for the refugee and dispossessed
and above all
forgiveness
for our emotional detachment.
May we weep as you weep
love as you love
and not be afraid to be angry
for the sake of your children
wherever they might be.
Shine Lord into the shadows of this world
and by the light of your people dispel the darkness
that this world might glimpse your grace
and seeing it might understand the difference.
We bring to you
the suicide bomber
strapping explosives to her chest
in Afghanistan
and the reasoning
behind an act that seems
almost inhuman.
We bring to you
the politician
who rejects the rule of law
for one of terror
who clings to power
through the cruel persuasion
of torture.
We bring to you
influential people
with the opportunity to make
a difference
and who fail
because of complicity
or weakness.
'God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.'
(Matthew 5:10 NLT)
Bless the hands
that bring wholeness
to lives blighted by sickness.
Bless the saints who
in sad and desperate places
bring a sense of hopefulness.
Bless the Christians
facing daily opposition
showing a faithful witness.
Bless the generosity
of the rich and powerful
for the gift of thoughtfulness.
Bless the peacemakers
working in conditions
that are often hazardous.
Bless the politicians
whether good or bad
for their decisions affect all of us.
Bless our words and actions
as we carry your light
into places shrouded in darkness.
Bless your children
whoever they might be
with the warmth of your love and grace.
If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations. If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities. If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbors. If there is to be peace between
neighbors,
There must be peace in the home. If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.
(Lao-Tse - 6th Century BCE)
God of Love, God of Peace
This fractured word
Cries out in pain
Burns deep into my soul
And challenges me
To make a difference
God of Love, God of Peace
God of this world
Scarred by grief and tears
Ignorance and fear
Soften hearts of stone
And begin with mine
God of Love, God of Peace
Create within me
A heart for people
A desire for change
For new beginnings
To start this day
'He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.'
(Micah 6:8 NIV)
For those involved in conflicts
The innocent
The guilty
The injured
Orphaned
Widowed
Dead
Politicians
Peacemakers
Relief workers
For those involved in conflicts
Bring comfort
Compassion
Sustenance
Repentance
Forgiveness
Healing
Tears
Love
And a peace that can endure
If we had a fraction of the faith in you that you have in us
Then this world would be transformed, Lord.
If we showed a fraction of the love that you show to us
Then this world would be transformed, Lord
If we possessed a fraction of the patience that you display with us
Then this world would be transformed, Lord.
If we shared just a portion of the blessings that we have received from
you
Then this world would be transformed, Lord.
If we showed as much trust in others as you have shown in us
Then this world would be transformed, Lord.
If we claimed just a fraction of the power you promised to your Church
Then this world would be transformed, Lord.
Transform us first, Lord, that we might transform this world
Through your love and your power.
'Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.'
(James 3:18 NIV)
Bless those who are peacemakers
From all creeds and cultures
All who bring no other agenda
Than to see neighbour and stranger
Live together as one community
A: Bless the peacemakers
B: Strengthen and bless them
Bless those who are comforters
Shoulders to cry upon
A willing ear to listen
A present help in times
Of despair and hoplessness
A: Bless the comforters
B: Strengthen and bless them
Bless those who are healers
Of physical injury
And deeper hurts
Whose touch brings relief
From trauma and pain
Who brings compassion
A: Bless the healers
B: Strengthen and bless them
For children of all nations
forced through disease or hardship
to become mature beyond their years
and provide for the needs of family,
bless and empower them
and bring healing and compassion
to those for whom they care
This beautiful world
can be cruel
destroying life
and livelihood
in an instant,
challenging our faith
in a God who cares.
This beautiful world
is yours, Lord
created in love
gifted by grace.
Help us
understand it
care for it
protect it
and when disaster strikes
be there
if not in person
then in prayer.
Prayers for peace from other sources
The following two texts are taken from the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle on the Gulf region:
O God, who art the unsearchable abyss of peace,
the ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings
and the bestower of affection,
who sendest peace to those that receive it;
Open to us this day the sea of thy love
and water us with plenteous streams
from the riches of thy grace
and from the most sweet springs of thy kindness.
Make us children of quietness and heirs of peace,
enkindle in us the fire of thy love;
sow in us thy fear;
strengthen our weakness by thy power;
bind us closely to thee and to each other
in our firm and indissoluble bond of unity:
Syrian Clementine Liturgy (in: For all God’s people; p. 73)
Litany for Iraq
For lasting peace in this ancient land
– From you, O Lord.
For wisdom and compassion for all in authority
– From you, O Lord.
For comfort for families separated or bereaved
– From you, O Lord.
For the release of captives
– From you, O Lord.
For safety and security for minority communities.
– From you, O Lord.
For refreshment for the weary and healing for the sick
– From you, O Lord.
For continuing faithfulness of the ancient churches of this land
– From you, O Lord.
For tenacity of spirit for small Christian groups
– From you, O Lord.
For the mutual enrichment and support of those of different Christian
traditions
– From you, O Lord.
You, Lord of all, we confess;
You, Lord Jesus, we glorify;
For you are the life of our bodies
And you are the Saviour of our souls.
The response in the litany and this hymn both come from the Chaldean liturgy.
The ancient hymn celebrates Christ the source of resurrection in all situations
of death and deprivation. (in: With All God’s People, p. 21, 22)
O bless this people, Lord,
who seek their own face under the mask and can hardly recognize it.
O bless this people that breaks its bond
And with them, all the peoples of Europe,
All the peoples of Asia,
All the peoples of America
Who sweat blood and sufferings.
And see, in the midst of these millions of waves,
The sea swell of the heads of my people.
And grant to their warm hands that they may clasp
The earth in a girdle of brotherly hands
Beneath the rainbow of thy peace.
By Leopold Sedar Senghor (a french poet and essayist, president of Senegal, west Africa in the 1960s)
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy 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;
and 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.
(attributed to, but not by Saint Francis of Assisi)
