Prayers for Peace

We invite you to use this litany on or around 9/11. A shorter version of this litany was originally written by Rev. Pierce for "Eleven Days in September," a project for peace-oriented observance of the first anniversary of 9/11 that was initiated by The Shalom Center in 2002. The litany was expanded and revised by Rabbi Waskow for Veterans Day 2003. This version was used in Washington DC, Philadelphia, and elsewhere on May 27, 2004, as part of the interfaith memorial services of grief, repentance, and transformation initiated by the National Council of Churches. The litany requires either actually standing at a running river or a lake, or if that is not feasible bringing a large basin of water into the center of a church, synagogue, mosque, or temple. It also requires having a list of names of people of various countries who have died and are dying as victims of war and terrorism.

Ashes, Stones, and Flowers

For vibrant lives suddenly and shamelessly sacrificed, we lift up the ashes of our loss, O Source of Life.

For the lives that continue, haunted forever by the pain of absence, we lift up the ashes of our remorse, O Wellspring of Compassion.

For the conflagration of flames and nightmare images forever seared into our memories, we lift up the ashes of our pain, O Breathing Spirit of the World.

For the charred visions of peace and the dry taste of fear, we lift up the ashes of our grief, O Infinite.

For all the deaths that have been justified by turning the love of God or country into fanatical arrogance, we lift up the ashes of our shame, O God.

As we cast these ashes into the troubled water of our times, Transforming One, hear our plea that by your power they will make fertile the soil of our future and by your mercy nourish the seeds of peace.

The people recite the names of the dead.

The people cast the ashes in silence into the river [or a bowl of water].

For the ways humanity pursues violence rather than understanding, we lift up the stones of our anger, O Breathing Spirit of the World.

For the ways we allow national, religious and ethnic boundaries to circumscribe our compassion, we lift up the stones of our hardness, O Wellspring of Compassion.

For our addiction to weapons and the ways of militarism we lift up the stones of our fear, O Source of Life.

For the ways we cast blame and create enemies we lift up the stones of our self-righteousness, O God

As we cast these stones into this ancient river, Transforming One, hear our plea:

Just as water wears away the hardest of stones, so too may the power of your compassion soften the hardness of our hearts and draw us into a future of justice and peace.

The people recite the names of the dead.

The people cast the stones in silence into the river [or a bowl of water].

For sowing seeds of justice to blossom into harmony, we cast these flowers into the river, O Source of Peace.

For seeing clearly the many rainbow colors of humanity and earth, we cast these flowers into the river, O Infinite.

For calling us to life beyond our grieving, we cast these flowers into the river, O Breathing Spirit of the World.

As we cast these flowers into this ancient river, Transforming One, hear our plea:

Just as water births life in a desert and gives hope to the wounded, so too may the power of your nurturing renew our commitment to peace.

The people recite the names of the dead.

The people cast the flowers in silence into the river [or a bowl of water].
Litany by Rev. Patricia Pierce, pastor of Tabernacle Church, Philadelphia, and Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director of The Shalom Center.

Prayer in a Desperate Advent
O May all hearts be broken with stories
of squalor and horrors of war.

O May all be haunted by the screams of the
tortured and the faint whimpering of a
hungry child dying.

O May Madonna images from Africa, Iraq,
inner-cities everywhere burn deep
Pieta embraces of unnecessarily broaken
bodies pierce our comfort.

O Dear Compassion
May a path be made ready.

Through the desperate wails and gnashing teeth
O May justice be birthed.

O Dear God
Come!
(source unknown)

O Lord, open my eyes
O Lord, open my eyes
that I may see the need of others,
open my ears that I may hear their cries,
open my heart so that they need not be without succour.
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak
because of the anger of the strong,
nor afraid to defend the poor
because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
and use me to bring them to these places.
Open my eyes and ears that I may, this coming day,
be able to do some work of peace for you.
Amen.
by the late Alan Paton, South African writer

Other prayers we recommend:
Prayer for Peace, on the St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Shrine website

Muslim Prayer for Peace

Prayer for Peace
Power of the Eternal One!
Mercy of Your Only Begotten!
Wisdon of the Holy Spirit!
Fire and Deep Well of Charity!
You know how,
And Your are able,
And it is Your Will.
So I plead with You:
Have mercy on our world
And restore the warmth of Charity,
And Peace,
And Unity.
I beg you to let Your infinite goodness move You
Not to close the eye of Your Mercy.
Adapted from Catherine of Siena

To Make Peace in a World That Makes War
Join forces with life against producing death.
Break through old styles of life.
Give away not only superfluouis wealth, Give away much more.
Pluck ears of corn on the Sabbath.
Form your own opinions...
Help a blade of grass force its way through the concrete.
Interfere non-violently and illegally.
Feel within yourself the power to heal and to create!

Creed of Peace
I am guilty of War
When I distort others' opinions which differ from my own.

I am guilty of War
If I imagine myself and my kin to be a privileged people.

I am guilty of War
When I believe a heritage entitles me to monopolize resources.

I am guilty of War
When I make success in life solely dependent upon power, fame and riches.

I am guilty of War
When I think the minds of people should be regulated by force rather than by reason.
Reprinted with permission from Lucy's Cards, Milwaukee, WI.