Prayer of the People, 6 March 2022
Heavenly Father,
The way of Jesus and your vision of humanity is constantly being warred against. You said your ancient foe comes only to kill, steal and destroy. Against such darkness we will not despair: We ask that by your Spirit your glory would be shown in us — Christ Jesus — the hope of glory.
We join with others today to consider again the terrible cost of war and peace. We consider the lives of men and women who have been taken. In view of current conflicts we realize how the easily lessons of old conflicts are forgotten. We are drawn with the Psalmist to ask, “How long Lord, How long?”
—Join with me in a moment of silence.—
Have mercy on us Lord. The chaos of violence, when one will is set against another will, the exertion of power — can be so intoxicating that we are collectively strung out and willingly abandon your call to love our enemies. Sensitize our conscience against every demonizing word, that we may not neglect our shared humanity or the promise of your image in each person.
Have mercy on us Lord. In the face of war, even if it is war on the other side of the world, we feel helpless to effect great change. It seems as if meaning is being sucked into a great void. So we look to you. We will be still and know that you alone are God. The pathway of your purposes eludes us in the fog of war. So we wait on you.
Lord have mercy. As citizens of your Kingdom grant to us wisdom from heaven for it is “first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” Animate us with courage to see as you see and to love our neighbours for you have said, “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”
Oh Lord have mercy, we hardly know what this means! So we pray as you have taught us:
(Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer)
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.