Today in our prayers we remember the people of Malawi.
In the name of Jesus Christ, welcome to this service of peace. “Listen to the Voice that echoes across the eons of time and yet speaks anew in this moment. Listen to the Voice, for it cannot be stilled, and it calls you once again to the great and marvelous work of building the peaceable kingdom.”
—Doctrine and Covenants 162:1b
Malawi is in southeastern Africa and landlocked by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Malawi is known for the friendliness of the people, the diversity of its geography, and lives up to the name given it by the people who have inhabited this land for generations, “The Warm Heart of Africa.”
Scripture Reading—Luke 4:16-19, NRSV
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Prayer for Peace
God of all,
Your people all over this earth are looking. We look up and see the same sky. We look down and see the same earth. We look in and see the same desires. We look out and see the same need. We look to our past and see the same history rife with conflict and division. We need your divine inspiration so we may all look to the future and see one vision of healing and forgiveness, of cooperation and interdependence, of love for one another. Show us all the way to your peace. 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 Prayers of the People begin with individuals and groups, then move out from this Temple of peace to include the human family and the planet.
Within all aspects of our lives and our world exist situations and conditions that need the healing touch of the Holy. Will you join with me to listen to the voice that speaks peace to each of us from beyond the farthest hills, from the infinite heavens above and the vast seas below?
Pause.
Listen to the voice that invites you to surrender your fears and frustrations, anger, and anxieties, and to await with an open heart the peace that only Christ can bring. Allow the one who seeks only the best for you to offer the comfort you seek.
Pause.
Listen to the voice that whispers the invitation to reconciliation with those whose lives, words, decisions, or actions have wounded you. May you find space in your heart for healing to occur in your relationships with brothers and sisters, as well as your enemies.
Pause.
Listen to the voice that calls all into unity and oneness. We remember all nations, including Malawi, the country we pray for today. May we be attuned to hear the cries for mercy, forgiveness and generosity. Listen to the one who reminds us that in the welfare of another resides our own well-being.
Pause.
Listen to the voice that echoes across the eons of time and yet speaks anew in this moment. The Earth shudders in distress because creation’s natural and living systems are becoming exhausted from carrying the burden of our greed and conflicts. Listen to creation which struggles to provide life to the seas, the hills, and the heavens above.
Pause.
May the one who spoke calm to the storm and stilled the waves with a word, bring peace to us and through us. May we be among those whose lives whisper, shout, and proclaim peace to those far and near for the sake of God’s shalom. Amen.
Musical Reflection
Sending Forth
Be witnesses of hope,
Shed tears for injustice, and
Make a difference in the world.
Go in peace.