World in Prayer, August 16

It was my week to write the World in Prayer prayers, and the news seemed particularly rife with violence. I wanted to acknowledge that while also recognizing that violence is not limited to death and mayhem, but also occurs through mudslinging and garden variety cruelty. And as you see this week's news led to my more fervent prayers for peace.


Prince of Peace: fill our hearts, fill our minds, fill our souls.
Strengthen us for your service that we might be instruments of your peace in our world.

May there be peace to those who are far off and peace to those who are near.

• For the victims of bombs in Iraq, drug violence in Mexico, and shootings in Texas, Louisiana, and Washington, DC (USA), may there be peace. 
• For protesters in South Africa, rioters in France, and those in India fleeing their homes for fear of violence, may there be peace. 
• For Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and places of deep conflict, may there be peace. 
• For the 11 people whose murder remains a mystery in Kazakhstan, and for two Brazilian prisoners lynched in Bolivia, may there be peace.  
• For those seeking public office and the partisans who support them, may there be peace. 
• For Sikhs, Muslims, Jews, Christians, and those of every faith and creed, may there be peace. 
• In our families, schools, neighborhoods, and churches, may there be peace. 

May there be everlasting peace.
May there be deep and wide peace.
May there be reconciling and humble peace.
Lord, we pray, may there be your peace.

Help us, gracious God, to seek peace and pursue it,
To bring peace wherever we may be,
To share peace with the fearful and the angry,
And continually to pray for peace in our time, O Lord.

All this we ask through your Son who came to bring peace to the world you sustain with your love. Amen.