Praying for Peace

Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they

may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. — A Prayer for Peace Among the Nations, Book of Common Prayer p. 816

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — A Prayer for those Serving in the Armed Forces, Book of Common Prayer p.823

On Saturday in Corpus Christi during Diocesan Council, we awoke to the news of unfolding war in the Middle East. Our bishop paused our deliberations to offer prayers for peace and for those serving in the armed forces. I learned that a colleague was on pilgrimage in Israel and was sheltering in place. He and his group are now safely back, but they encouraged us to continue to pray for all in the region who are in harm’s way. Pausing for prayer, especially when we find ourselves in uncertain times, is an important act and reminds us of our interconnectedness. It is a time to be reminded of people who are in harm’s way who have little or no control of the circumstances in which they find themselves.

As things continue to unfold, it is unclear how long or what scale of involvement this war will entail for our country. As people of faith, a value we hold dear is God’s desire for peace and unity among all peoples. We may fear we will not see those days in our time, but it does not preclude us from praying for that vision. We know that God longs for us to experience a time of reconciliation and an ending of divisions. Conflict and war should only call us more deeply to pray for that vision to be realized.

I recall as a young elementary school child tying a yellow ribbon around our dogwood tree in hope for the release of the American hostages being held in Iran. All these years later, I still honor the hope that drew me to take that small act. I would not have called it a prayer at the time, but I think it was a way of honoring the way I wanted the world to be. As people of the good news, we are called to practice hope and pray for peace. These are challenging times to feel confident in these practices, but to cease praying or stop acting in hope is a much more despairing choice. This season of Lent is one when we are reminded of our own limits. Perhaps by acknowledging our sense of powerlessness, we can turn ourselves more fully toward the One who promises a peace that passes our understanding. May we pray to experience that peace within ourselves and throughout God’s world.

Peace, Beth +