Today in our prayers for the people of Ukraine.

Prayer for Peace

Henrietta Kaleikau

O God, our Lord and creator of the universe,
We acknowledge the wonder of your majesty.
The genesis of creation and galaxies yet to be discovered:
The immensity of time and space knows no end,
The earth shakes, the heavens weep and turbulent winds reap chaos,
The sun, moon, and stars remain in their order
For you have ordained it so.

Your omnipresence envelops us with peace.
We come in adoration for the gift of your son, the babe in the manger.
We come in praise for the knowledge we have of your son, Jesus the Christ.
We come in thanksgiving for the sacrificial offering of your son, our savior,
A life given for all humanity and redeemed to everlasting peace.

Lord God, we come out of a demanding and busy life into the calm
and peaceful quiet, solitude of your presence,
A moment in time to be at peace with you.
Yet beyond this fleeting moment, we see and feel and hear the somber echoing cries
of a world that suffers and yearns for peace.

What is peace, where love is abandoned?
What is peace, where the joy of caring and sharing is neglected?
What is peace, where fear, violence, and death are our daily bread?
What is peace, where the human spirit is silent?
What is peace, where the spirit of Christ lays null and void?

“My peace I give unto you,” is your promise to us,
O God of all nations, may the ensign of peace permeate the turmoil of national rivalries
and civil unrest. For without you, there can be none.
We pray peace for leaders faced with impossible demands of time and energy.
May the common table of peaceful dialogue, empowered by your spirit, promote
peace.

We pray peace for victims of oppression, but also for the oppressors,
We celebrate freedom from want and deprivation.
We pray peace for the young and old and for those who exploit them.
May the reconciling spirit of forgiveness and wounds of healing bring justice and
peace.
We pray peace for the hungry, the sick, people faced with hopelessness and quiet
desperation of guilt and sorrow.
May the nourishment of food, recovery to wholeness and health, and renewal of spirit
bring strength for their journey of life.
We pray peace for all whose homes and hearts are broken by war or the threat of war.
May tranquility and peace reign in all lands and freedom deepen the desire for justice
and mercy.
May all the world know peace and harmony. Amen.