A Prayer for Justice

“God grant that violence be overcome by the power of love,
that opposition give way to reconciliation
and that the desire to oppress be transformed
into the desire for forgiveness, justice and peace…

May peace be in our hearts
so that they are open to the action of God’s grace…

May all members of the family community,
especially children, the elderly, the weakest,
feel the warmth of this feast,
and may it extend subsequently to all the days in the year.

Amen.”

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• Attributed to Pope Benedict XVI and found at: https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/justice/

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A Prayer for Living the Gospel

“God of yesterday, today and tomorrow,
we call to mind your presence within us and around us.

Open our ears that we may hear your Word.
Open our hearts that we may understand your Word.
Open our mouths that we may speak your World.

Inspire us with the Gospel message,
that we may celebrate all that is life-giving,
restore hope where it has been lost,
and work to bring about change where it is needed.

May we live the Gospel with courage,
constancy and love.
May we be open to the challenge
of your call to true freedom.
May we be faithful to you in our daily choices and decisions.
May we make your love known
through our words and actions.

May the triune God reign in our hearts, now and forever.

Amen”

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• Found at: https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/justice/

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On This Day . . .

“Mend a quarrel
Search out a forgotten friend
Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust
Write a love letter
Share some treasures
Give a soft answer
Encourage youth

Manifest your loyalty in a word or deed
Keep a promise
Find the time
Forego a grudge
Forgive an enemy
Listen
Apologize if you were wrong

Try to understand
Flout envy
Examine your demands on others
Think first of someone else
Appreciate, be kind, be gentle
Laugh a little more.
Deserve confidence

Take up arms against malice
Decry complacency
Express your gratitude
Worship your God
Gladden the heart of a child
Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth

Speak your love
Speak it again
Speak it still again
Speak it still once again....
Amen.”

 ~Author Unknown

A Blessing on Social Interactions

“O God,
you visit the humble
and comfort us with the love of our friends.
Graciously bless our fellowship,
that through those in whom you dwell,
we may feel that you fave come to visit us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O God,
you show us signs of your presence.
Pour on us the Spirit of love,
that with the presence of our friends and coworkers
we may be blessed by your bountiful grace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

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• Found in The New Ancient Collects: Based on Ancient Collects and Other Prayers Selected for Devotional Use from Various Rituals by William Bright, Completely Revised and Refreshed by Paul C. Stratman (2017).

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A Prayer In Time of War

“Almighty and merciful God,
give us rest from the storms of war.
You will give us all good things
when you give us peace of soul and body;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O God our Defender,
look on us and protect us from fear of the “enemy”.
Remove all disturbances
that we may serve you with minds free from distraction;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord,
be gracious to us in our times.
In your goodness,
maintain both national quietness and Christian devotion;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Almighty and eternal God,
crush the force of our enemies
so that we may celebrate your holy service
with undisturbed minds;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord,
let the invincible defense of your power
be the fortress of your faithful people.
Free them from the assault of enemies
that they may be devoted to you with holy love
and always persevere in your grace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O God,
Maker of the universe,
the course of the world proceeds by your command.
Hear our prayers
and give us now the tranquility of peace
that we may continually rejoice in your mercy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

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• Found in The New Ancient Collects: Based on Ancient Collects and Other Prayers Selected for Devotional Use from Various Rituals by William Bright, Completely Revised and Refreshed by Paul C. Stratman (2017).

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A Prayer For Times of Conflict

“O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us,
in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront
one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work
together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. “
Amen.

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• Found at the Online Book of Common Prayer

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In Trouble and Turmoil, Be Our Peace

Lord of the nations,
God in whom we trust,
you alone are holy,
good, wise,
and the source of every blessing.

In trouble and turmoil,
be our peace.
In our hearts and minds
give us the peace that surpasses understanding.
In our mouths
put words of peace,
and make us peacemakers
that we may be called your children.

Let the truth of your Word
govern and guide us
when we are inclined
to be like Pontius Pilate
and say, “What is truth?”

When we are unsure of all things,
draw us to you,
our faithful God,
steadfast in love,
our rock, refuge and fortress.

Source: Paul C. Stratman, January 6, 2021.

Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save. Psalm 146:3

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• Found at A Collection of Prayers

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Traditional Buddhist Prayer (Author Unknown)

“May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness;
May all be free from sorrow and the causes of sorrow;
May all never be separated from the sacred happiness which is sorrowless;
And may all live in equanimity, without too much attachment and too much aversion,
And live believing in the equality of all that lives.”

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• Found at Jesuit Resources

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A Peace Prayer by John Wycliffe

“Lord, give me grace to hold righteousness in all things
that I may lead a clean and blessed life and prudently flee evil
and that I may understand the treacherous and deceitful falseness of the devil.

Make me mild, peaceable, courteous, and temperate.
And make me steadfast and strong.

Also, Lord, give Thou to me that I be quiet in words
and that I speak what is appropriate.”

- John Wycliffe

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• Found at Jesuit Resources

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Prayer for Serenity by Reinhold Niebuhr

“O God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference;
living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will;
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.”

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• Found at Jesuit Resources

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A Prayer For Inner Peace

“Lord, please put Your peace in my heart.
I'm worried and anxious.
My mind races and obsesses.
I can't help thinking about my problems.
And the more I think about them,
the more depressed I become.
I feel like I'm sinking down in quicksand
and can't get out.
Calm me, Lord.
Slow me down, put Your peace in my heart.

No matter what problem I have, Lord,
You are bigger,
You are more powerful than it is.
So I bring my problem to You.
I know what I want.
I know my will.
I do not know Yours.
I do not know how You will use this problem for my salvation.
I do not know what good You will workout from this evil.
But I trust You.
I trust Your goodness and Your wisdom.
So I place myself in Your hands.
Please fill my heart with peace.”

(Author Unknown)

A Prayer For God's Peace

“God, who is more than we can ever comprehend,
help us to seek you,
and you alone.
Help us to stand before all that we could do
and seek what you would do,
and do that.
Lift from us our need to achieve all that we can be
and instead,
surrender to what you can be in us.
Give us ways to refrain from the busyness
that will put us on edge and off center,
give us today your peace.”

(Author Unknown)

A Buddhist Prayer to Bring in the New Year (Author Unknown)

“May I be well, happy, and peaceful.
May my teachers be well, happy, and peaceful.
May my parents be well, happy, and peaceful.
May my relatives be well, happy, and peaceful.
May my friends be well, happy, and peaceful.
May the indifferent persons be well, happy, and peaceful.
May the unfriendly persons be well, happy, and peaceful.
May all meditators be well, happy, and peaceful.
May all beings be well, happy, and peaceful.”

Prayer After Election Day 2020

Creator God,
Three in One.

Creator
Savior
Spirt.

We admit that we don’t know how to pray for a country that is but an afterthought.

We remember that Israel’s “physical” king wasn’t necessarily a blessing.

Yes, you gave them what they asked for. But they lacked imagination and only asked for what they could see.

As do we.

Please forgive our blandness. Please forgive our indifference.

Please forgive us for trusting in fleeting Empire. 

Please forgive us for fighting for our liberties rather than laying them down.

Please forgive us for protecting the rich instead of lifting the Lowly. 

Creating, Sustaining, Forgiving, and Liberating God, 

Please show our country grace. In spite of us and yet for us.

Even though we don’t deserve it. 

Please forgive our arrogance. Please forgive “Manifest Destiny.” Please forgive our slaughter of the Innocents for the sake of land, money, and power, both on our own soil and others.

Please forgive the spirit of Systemic Racism which has infected our power structures. Please remind us of our neighbor. 

Please fill us with Love. 

Please let your face shine rather than ours.

MLK Untitled Prayer 06

“Our loving Father, from Thy hand have come all the days of the past. To Thee we look for whatever good the future holds. We are not satisfied with the world as we have found it. It is too little the kingdom of God as yet. Grant us the privilege of apart in its regeneration. We wish the joy of fellowship with those sons of God who are bringing in the new day. We are looking for a new earth in which dwells righteousness. It is our prayer that we may be children of light, the kind of people for whose coming and ministry the world is waiting.—Amen.”

• Taken from a short collection in the King Papers simply called “Prayers” and available here.

MLK Untitled Prayer 04

“O God, the Creator and Presever of all mankind; In whom to dwell is to find peace and security; toward whom to turn is to find life and life eternal, we humbly beseech Thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldst be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, Thy saving health unto all nations. We also pray for Thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by thy Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the [land?] of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally we commend to thy Fatherly goodness all those who are in any way afflicted or distressed in mind or body. Give them patience under the suffering and power of endurance This we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

• Taken from a short collection in the King Papers simply called “Prayers” and available here.

MLK Untitled Prayer 03

“Most Gracious and all wise God; Before whose face the generations rise and fall; Thou in whom we live, and move, and have our being.6 We thank thee [for?] all of thy good and gracious gifts, for life and for health; for food and for raiment; for the beauties of nature and the love of human nature. We come before thee painfully aware of our inadaqucis and shortcomigs. We realize that we stand surrounded with the mountains of love and we deliberately dwell in the valley of hate. We stand amid the forces of truth and deliberately lie; We are forever offered the high road and yet we choose the lo to travel the low road. For these sins O God forgive. Break the spell of that which blinds our minds. Purify our hearts that we may see thee. O God in these turbulent day when fear and doubt are mounting high give us broad visions, penetrating eys, and power of endurance. Help us to work with rewed vigor for a warless world, for a better distribution of wealth, and for a brotherhood that transcends race or color. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen.”

• Taken from a short collection in the King Papers simply called “Prayers” and available here.

A Prayer For Peace

Eternal God,

in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn

but the sword of righteousness,

no strength known

but the strength of love:

So mightily spread abroad your Spirit,

that all peoples may be gathered

under the banner of the Prince of Peace,

as children of one Father;

to whom be dominion and glory,

now and for ever.

Amen.

(taken from The Book of Common Prayer online edition)