Prayers for Peace

Our Lady of Kyiv

Kyrie Confession
 

Lord Jesus, you wept over the sins of your city.
On our city/town/nation: Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you heal the wounds of sin and division, jealousy and bitterness.
On us: Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you bring pardon and peace to the sinner.
Grant us peace: Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Collect
 

Almighty God,
from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed:
kindle, we pray, in the hearts of all, the true love of peace
and guide with your pure and peaceable wisdom
those who take counsel for the nations of the earth
that in tranquillity your kingdom may go forward,
till the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Readings
 

A New Day Is Coming                                                                                                     Isaiah 9.1-6;

But there will be an end to the gloom those people suffered. In the past, people thought the land of Zebulun and Naphtali was not important. But later, that land will be honoured—the land along the sea, the land east of the Jordan River, and Galilee where people from other nations live. Those people lived in darkness, but they will see a great light. They lived in a place as dark as death, but a great light will shine on them.

God, you will make the nation grow, and you will make the people happy. They will rejoice in your presence as they do at harvest time. It will be like the joy when people take their share of things they have won in war.  That will happen because you will lift the heavy yoke off their shoulders and take away their heavy burden. You will take away the rod that the enemy used to punish your people, as you did when you defeated Midian.^[a]

Every boot that marched in battle and every uniform stained with blood will be destroyed and thrown into the fire. This will happen when the special child is born. God will give us a son who will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be “Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.”

or

The Law Will Come From Jerusalem                                                                               Micah 4.1-5

In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s Temple
    will be on the highest of all mountains.
It will be raised higher than the hills.
    There will be a steady stream of people going there.
People from many nations will go there and say,
    “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the Temple of the God of Jacob.
Then God will teach us his way of living,
    and we will follow him.”

His teaching, the Lord’s message, will begin in Jerusalem on Mount Zion
    and will go out to all the world.
Then God will act as judge to end arguments between people in many places.
    He will decide what is right for great nations far and near.
They will stop using their weapons for war.
    They will hammer their swords into plows
    and use their spears to make tools for harvesting.
All fighting between nations will end.
    They will never again train for war.
They will sit under their own
    grapevine and fig tree.
No one will make them afraid.
    That is because the Lord All-Powerful said it would happen like that.

All the people from other nations follow their own gods,
    but we will follow the Lord our God forever and ever

Psalm 40.14-17;

Be pleased, O LORD, to rescue me;

LORD, make haste to help me.

O let there be shame and confusion

on those who seek my life.

O let them turn back in confusion

who delight in my harm.

Let them be appalled because of their shame,

those who jeer and mock me.

O let there be rejoicing and gladness

for all who seek you.

or

Psalm 72.1-7

O God, give your judgment to the king,

to a kingʼs son your justice,

that he may judge your people in justice,

and your poor in right judgment.

May the mountains bring forth peace for the people,

and the hills justice.

May he defend the poor of the people,

and save the children of the needy,

and crush the oppressor.

He shall endure like the sun

and the moon through all generations.

He shall descend like rain on the meadow,

like showers that water the earth.

In his days shall justice flourish,

and great peace till the moon is no more.

or

Psalm 85:8-14

Let us see, O LORD, your mercy,

and grant us your salvation.

I will hear what the LORD God speaks;

he speaks of peace for his people and his faithful,

and those who turn their hearts to him.

His salvation is near for those who fear him,

and his glory will dwell in our land.

Merciful love and faithfulness have met;

justice and peace have kissed.

Faithfulness shall spring from the earth,

and justice look down from heaven.

Also the LORD will bestow his bounty,

and our earth shall yield its increase.

Justice will march before him,

and guide his steps on the way.

Philippians 4.6-9

⁶ Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. ⁷ And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.^[a]

⁸ Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honourable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. ⁹ And do what you learned and received from me—what I told you and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you.

or

God Wants Us to Pray for Everyone                                                                               1 Timothy 2.1-6

2 First of all, I ask that you pray for all people. Ask God to bless them and give them what they need. And give thanks. ² You should pray for rulers and for all who have authority. Pray for these leaders so that we can live quiet and peaceful lives—lives full of devotion to God and respect for him. ³ This is good and pleases God our Saviour.

⁴ God wants everyone to be saved and to fully understand the truth. ⁵ There is only one God, and there is only one way that people can reach God. That way is through Christ Jesus, who as a man ⁶ gave himself to pay for everyone to be free. This is the message that was given to us at just the right time.

True Wisdom                                                                                                                         James 3.13-18

¹³ Are there any among you who are really wise and understanding? Then you should show your wisdom by living right. You should do what is good with humility. A wise person does not boast. ¹⁴ If you are selfish and have bitter jealousy in your hearts, you have no reason to boast. Your boasting is a lie that hides the truth. ¹⁵ That kind of “wisdom” does not come from God. That “wisdom” comes from the world. It is not spiritual. It is from the devil. ¹⁶ Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there will be confusion and every kind of evil. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: First, it is pure. It is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help people who have trouble and to do good for others. This wisdom is always fair and honest. ¹⁸ People who work for peace in a peaceful way get the blessings that come from right living.

Gospel Acclamation                                                                                                         Matthew 5.9

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory

‘Blessed are the peacemakers,’ says the Lord,
‘for they will be called children of God.’

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory

Love Your Enemies                                                                                                       Matthew 5.43-end

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[k] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. ⁴⁵ If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. ⁴⁶ If you love only those who love you, why should you get a reward for that? Even the tax collectors do that. ⁴⁷ And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than anyone else. Even the people who don’t know God are nice to their friends. ⁴⁸ What I am saying is that you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

or                                                                                                                                        John 14.23-29

²³ Jesus said “All who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them. My Father and I will come to them and live with them. ²⁴ But anyone who does not love me does not obey my teaching. This teaching that you hear is not really mine. It is from my Father who sent me.

²⁵ “I have told you all these things while I am with you. ²⁶ But the Helper will teach you everything and cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name.

²⁷ “I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid. ²⁸ You heard me say to you, ‘I am leaving, but I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be happy that I am going back to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. ²⁹ I have told you this now, before it happens. Then when it happens, you will believe.

or                                                                                                                                            John 15.9-17

⁹ “I have loved you as the Father has loved me. Now continue in my love. ¹⁰ I have obeyed my Father’s commands, and he continues to love me. In the same way, if you obey my commands, I will continue to love you. ¹¹ I have told you these things so that you can have the true happiness that I have. I want you to be completely happy. ¹² This is what I command you: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ The greatest love people can show is to die for their friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I tell you to do. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. But now I call you friends, because I have told you everything that my Father told me.

¹⁶ “You did not choose me. I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

Intercession
 

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

We pray for the leaders of the nations,
that you will guide them in the ways of freedom, justice and truth.
 

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

We pray for those who bear arms on behalf of the nation,
that they may have discipline and discernment,
courage and compassion.
 

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

We pray for our enemies, and those who wish us harm,
that you will turn the hearts of all to kindness and friendship.
 

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

We pray for the wounded and the captive,
the grieving and the homeless,
that in all their trials they may know your love and support.
 

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

Most holy God and Father,
hear our prayers for all who strive for peace
and all who fight for justice.
Help us, who today remember the cost of war,
to work for a better tomorrow;
and, as we commend to you lives lost in terror and conflict,
bring us all, in the end, to the peace of your presence;
through Christ our Lord.  Amen.