A Prayer from Pope Francis

Let us pray with one heart and one soul:

Lord come to our aid, grant us peace,

teach us peace,

guide our steps in the way of peace.

 

Open our eyes and our hearts

and give us the courage to say:

"Never again war."

 

May the weapons be stopped:

they will never lead to peace,

and may the conflict not widen!

Enough! Enough!, brothers!

 

May the hostages be freed,

including the elderly and the children.

 

Every human being,

Christian, Jewish, Muslim,

of any people or religion,

every human being is sacred,

is precious in the eyes of God,

and has the right to live in peace.

 

Let us not lose hope:

let us pray and work tirelessly 

so that the sense of humanity

may prevail over hardness of heart.

 

In Jesus name.

 

Amen

A Prayer from CAFOD

Christ, Prince of peace,

hear our prayer and lament,

for our suffering sisters and brothers.

Our hearts are heavy 

as we witness lives torn apart,

as we see the faces of frightened children

and hear the please those without water or food.

 

We pray for the dead and the grieving,

for the injured and afraid.

We pray for courage and perseverance,

for those working for healing and to bring aid.

We pray for world leaders,

that they may strive for a just and lasting peace.

 

God of new beginnings,

in your ways are compassion and hope.

Open our hearts to dialogue and understanding.

Lead us all to answer your call

to become peacemakers

today, and all the days of our lives.

 

Amen

A prayer from Jerusalem

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 prayer for 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 honour as your children, for to all of us, you are our Heavenly father.

 

In Jesus name we pray.

 

Amen