International Leadership Team
Prayer for Peace in the Middle East
God of mercy and compassion,
of grace and reconciliation,
pour your power upon all your children in the Middle East:
Jews, Muslims and Christians,
Palestinians and Israelis.
Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair to hope,
oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation,
that violent encounters may be replaced by loving embraces,
and peace and justice could be experienced by all.
- Reverend Said Ailabouni
United States Province
Pope Francis’ Prayer for Peace
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain.
Now, 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!"; "With war everything is lost". Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.
Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness.
Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words "division", "hatred" and "war" be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be "brother", and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!
Amen.
ULAF Region
Lord Jesus, you wisely guide the history of your Church and of the nations;
now hear our prayer.
Our languages are confused, as they were in the tower of Babel.
We are children of the same Father whom you revealed to us,
yet we no longer know how to be brothers and sisters.
Hatred sows more fear and more death.
Give us the peace that your Gospel promises,
the peace that the world cannot give.
Teach us to build it as the fruit of Truth and Justice.
Listen to the pleas of Mary, our Mother, and send us your Holy Spirit
to reconcile hearts and peoples into a great family.
May the Kingdom of Love come to us and assure us in the certainty that you are with us until the end of time.
Amen.
Peace.
(Father Ignacio Larrañaga)
European Region
Lord our God,
We long for justice and peace, security and truth. Yet every day we hear news of violence, war and terror, we see images of hardship, destruction and horror.
Lord, our God, protect us from getting used to it and from shutting our eyes and our ears. Protect us from getting used to violence in language, on television, in traffic, in families and communities, at work.
From all the information and news, help us to filter out what is true and genuine and don't let us fall for false advertising and fake news.
Give us insight and creativity to find and take good steps towards non-violence that can be practiced again and again.
Help us to overcome fears and mistrust between peoples, to build trust and good relationships. Let peace grow in the hearts of all.
Don't let us give up when faced with a world in which the contrasts between the powerful and the powerless, between whites and blacks, between the fed and the hungry, between the free and the imprisoned, between the indifferent and the suffering threaten to become ever greater.
Lord, our God, let us never tire in our commitment to a peaceful, just world - a world as you want it to be.
St. Francis Province, North India
Heavenly Father, creator of the universe and giver of peace, we come together to pray for peace.
The flowing river evokes a sense of tranquillity and harmony. It represents an effortless progression of time and events, mirroring the smooth unfolding of peace in our lives.
Flowing water is highly adaptable and changes its course according to the landscape it encounters. Dear Lord, just as it finds its way around obstacles, we pray for the ability to navigate through challenges and conflicts with resilience and understanding.
Water sustains life and its flow is essential for the vitality of ecosystems. Let peace flow from us to all the suffering, abandoned, and disappointed, nurturing and giving life.
Flowing water has a calming effect on the mind and spirit. Grant this grace to all and bring about a sense of calm amidst the storms of life, and a serenity that soothes and uplifts the soul. Thank you for directing our thoughts, intentions, and energy toward the manifestation of peace.
May the vibrations of peace generated through our prayer, transform the world, foster empathy and compassion, and alleviate suffering.
Amen.
Assisi Province, South India
A Prayer for Peace
Lord Jesus Christ,
You are the true King of peace.
In you alone are found freedom.
Please free our world from conflict.
Bring unity to troubled nations.
Let your glorious peace reign in every heart.
Dispel all darkness and evil.
Protect the dignity of every human life.
Replace hatred with your love.
Give wisdom to world leaders.
Free them from selfish ambition.
Eliminate all violence and war.
Glorious Virgin Mary,
Please pray for peace.
Pray for unity amongst nations.
Pray for unity amongst all people.
Pray for the most vulnerable.
Pray for those suffering.
Pray for the fearful.
Pray for those most in need.
Pray for us all.
Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear our prayers.
Jesus, I trust in you!
Amen.