“LORD, OUR GOD …

                        We come to you in helplessness.

                        We have at this time

                                    no prophet, priest, prince, or leader.

                      You alone are our God … help us, who are alone  
                        and have no one to help us but you.

            WE ASK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF PRAYER …

                        May this lifting of our words, hands, and hearts,

                                    this acknowledgement of helplessness,

                        open us up to insight and strength beyond ourselves.

                        May it link us to all sincere hearts                         

                                    on both sides of this conflict.

                        May it become part of a conspiracy of compassion

                                    a prayer of many hearts and many places.

                        May it call us to be on your side

                                    rather than ask you to be on ours.

                        May it be a prayer that deeply respects those whose

                                    hearts are different than our own.

                        May it be a prayer embracing the feelings of all

                                    while discerning good from evil in that embrace.

            WE PRAY FOR AN END TO THIS WAR …

                        Let grace soften our hearts

                                    and the hearts of our leaders.

                        Lead them and us to the type of truth that sets us free

                                    beyond the tyranny of our greed

                                                and the structures that divide us.

                        Lead us to the type of love

                                                that makes both for charity and justice.

            WE PRAY FOR THE VICTIMS OF THIS WAR …

                        Help us to be in solidarity and displacement with

                                    all whose lives, dreams, and homes

                                                are being destroyed.

                        Receive into your embrace those who are dying

                                    give them the peace

                                                denied them in this life.

                        Touch with healing the wounded

                                    and look with pity on our mother, earth

                                                restore to her

                                                            the freshness of her virginity

                                                            and the fullness of her fertility.

            WE PRAY FOR A NEW ORDER …

                        May your kingdom come

                                    so that all people of sincere will

                                                become one community of heart.

                                    Breathe into us your spirit …

                                                     charity, joy

                                                            peace, patience

                                                            goodness, longsuffering

                                                            fidelity, mildness, chastity

                                                so that war among becomes unthinkable.

                        Give us what we in our helplessness

                                    cannot give ourselves and

                                                            help us in our helplessness

                                                            to remember that

                                                            the true weapons against war

                                                            are faith, prayer, fasting, and love.

            WE PRAY FOR COURAGE AND GUIDANCE …

                        Make this prayer more than privatized wishing

                                    turn our wishes to hope

                                    and let that hope confront the powers of war

                                                            so that

                                    our love will be more than sentiment

                                    our confrontation more than anger

                                    our anger more than self-righteousness

                                    and our righteousness that of your gospel.

            GIVE US PEACE …

                        Teach us that peace which surpasses our understanding

                                    which is not about winning or losing

                                    and power and effectiveness,

                                                but which comes when we

                                                            open our lives and our hearts

                                                                        to your invitation to …

                                                                        `RECEIVE AND GIVE THANKS

                                                                         BREAK AND SHARE’.”

                                                                                                                        AMEN.