Today in our prayers we remember the people of Benin.
In the name of Jesus Christ, welcome to this time of prayer. The “Temple … an instrument of ongoing revelation in the life of the church. Its symbolism and ministries call people to reverence in the presence of the Divine Being. Transformative encounters with the Eternal Creator and Reconciler await those who follow its spiritual pathways of healing, reconciliation, peace, strengthening of faith, and knowledge.”
—Doctrine and Covenants 163:8a
Benin is located in Western Africa. Benin’s history is steeped in the slave trade as well as voodoo. It is a small country filled with natural and diverse beauty, and is home to one of the best wildlife parks in West Africa.
Scripture Reading—Doctrine and Covenants 161:3c
Be patient with one another, for creating sacred community is arduous and even painful. But it is to loving community such as this that each is called. Be courageous and visionary, believing in the power of just a few vibrant witnesses to transform the world. Be assured that love will overcome the voices of fear, division, and deceit.
Prayer for Peace
Betty Williams
O God,
Today we bow our heads in humble prayer to be able to come into your presence. We praise you and thank you for your many, many blessings of love and mercy. Although our understanding may be limited, we thank you that you allow us to be involved in promoting peace at home and around the world.
Help us live in harmony with the initiatives you have given us that will enable your Holy Spirit of peace to be within us. As we pray, open our eyes and our hearts to recognize that peace cannot be brought about by thinking we can do nothing, and to realize the measures needed to be taken by all.
Give us new eyes to see the needs all around us, build in us our desire to follow in whatever ways you lead us. Create in us an excitement as we realize that each of us has something unique to assist in the cause for peace. Let us become educated in the facts about peace and find what we can do. May we see every person as a person of worth no matter where that person lives, no matter what their color, their religion, or their way of life.
In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.
Hymn
Choose a favorite hymn of peace and justice.
Prayers of the People
As we enter a time of guided prayer, meditation, and musical reflection, you are invited to offer silent prayers or meditate during the moments of quiet. The context for our Prayers of the People begins with ourselves and moves outward, in rippling waves to those we know and love, to strangers and enemies, to the entire world, to all of creation.
Will you join me in this time of prayer and meditation acknowledging your soul’s yearning for God’s presence and peace? Silently join your heart with God’s.
Pause.
O God of love, grant us your peace. We struggle with insecurities and fears, weighed down with issues that affect our sense of worth and wholeness. Grant us peace that calms the inner turmoil of our souls and affirms that we are beloved.
Pause.
O God of life, grant us your peace. We strive for relationships that are fair, equitable and filled with compassion, yet we often find ourselves enslaved in conflicts with others, even those we love. Grant us the strength to listen with our hearts first that we may grow in deeper connection with those whom we call friends, coworkers, neighbors, and family.
Pause.
O God of hope, grant us your peace. We have grown weary of the sounds of war, violence, oppression, and diminishment of men, women, and children, yet we fail to heed your urgent invitation to act for justice. Grant us the courage to extend our hands in acts of mercy, service, and peacemaking. We remember all nations, including Benin, the country we pray for today.
Pause.
O God of all creation, grant us your peace. We understand that we are made of the same substance as all living things, yet fail to grasp your vision of the sacredness of creation. Make us more aware and weave us into oneness. Grant us a glimpse of your love for creation in all its forms and the compassion to act in ways that respect and honor the genius of your universe.
Pause.
O God of peace, we offer ourselves as vessels of your grace and peace, so that from where we stand, waves of your loving presence will emanate to bless your world. In and through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Musical Reflection
Sending Forth
Live simply. Value others.
Honor the Earth. Walk in sacred footsteps.
Go in peace.