A Prayer for Peace in the Holy Land

Communication Office

Br. Hermann Schalück, in the name of "Missio", composed an "ecumenical" prayer for peace in the Middle East and the Holy Land. The prayer has been recited by many Fraternities of the Franciscan Family, by other religious communities and by many parishes (Catholic and non-Catholic) since the 3rd week of April.

SHALOM

Lord, the one God,
God of our life, of our very world, of our common future
With our Brothers and Sisters of all religions,
we raise up our prayer to you.
We feel ourselves united especially
to those people and religions
That hold the Sacred Places in the Holy Land.
You created us all in your image and likeness:
we all are your living image.
You have infused hunger and thirst for justice
and a deep desire for peace
In all who truly seek you.
All – Muslims, Jews and Christians –
are grieved by the death of the victims of hatred and violence.
And all are called, in your design,
To build a new world and to be instruments of dialogue and peace.
We ask you, therefore,
Grant a durable peace to the Near East and the Holy Land.
Have the forces of pardon defeat the forces
of hatred and vengeance.
Cause hearts to open and firearms to grow silent.
Have a secure homeland for all emerge.
Have all those of good will from all religions
Dismantle the mountains of misunderstanding,
Fill in the chasms of hatred and level the paths
that lead to a common future.
Have justice engender peace:
Shalom without differences for all!
And bring it about that we begin in,
with and through ourselves.
Hermann Schalück, ofm

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