A Prayer for Peace
It is with heavy hearts that we absorb the violence taking place in the Holy Land.
We encourage you to pray.
Use the litany below or words of your own.
Pray on your own at home or work.
Pray together with your family or friends.
Light a candle.
Let your soul speak, weep, rage, ache, yearn, hope.
Stand beside, with, and for all those who suffer and grieve, and those denied dignity or justice, and those who seek a way to peace.
We encourage you to reach out to your Jewish or Palestinian friends and neighbors who may be especially troubled.
The Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for personal prayer.
For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. - Romans 8:26
A LITANY FOR THE RESTORATION OF PEACE IN THE HOLY LAND
God of peace, we pray for the people of Palestine and Israel in these perilous and dangerous times.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
For all who are fearful for the safety of their loved ones and themselves, we pray that the assurance of unfailing love, even in the midst of danger, settles upon them. Shelter them from despair and protect them from harm.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
For all who are wounded, we pray they find healing.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
For all who have died, we pray they find rest.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
For all who grieve, we pray they find comfort.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
For leaders on all sides, we pray for a renewed will to lay down arms, for the strength to put the grievances and wrongs suffered by their people to rest, and for the conviction to embrace a path of reconciliation and peace that preserves the rights and dignity of all of your children.
God of mercy, help us to remember there is no border that can separate us from your great love and protection, no stone that can sound the well of your deep mercy.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God of justice, we pray with hopeful hearts that your beloved children of the Holy Land will be spared a future of sustained violence and unrest and that a recognition of the humanity of all people will prevail.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
O God of all justice and peace we cry out to you in the midst of the pain and trauma of violence and fear which prevails in the Holy Land.
Be with those who need you in these days of suffering; we pray for the people of all faiths - Jews, Muslims, and Christians and for all people of the land.
While we pray to you, O Lord, for an end to violence and the establishment of peace, we also call for you to bring justice and equity to the peoples. Guide us into your kingdom where all people are treated with dignity and honor as your children, for, to all of us, you are our Heavenly Father.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.
This Litany was composed in 2021 by the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the concluding Collect was composed by Archbishop Hosam of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.