Prayer for peace in Iraq and the Middle East

The following prayer has been written for Peace Sunday, 19 January, by the National Justice and Peace Network, Pax Christi and CAFOD. At a time of war and rumours of war We come to you, God Creator. You are the source of life and beauty and power. Your son Jesus is the way of faith and hope and love. Your Spirit is the fire of love, the fount of wisdom, the bond of unity. You call us at all times to be people of the beatitudes, Witnesses to the Gospel of peace and love and forgiveness. You call us at this time, when war and rumours of war, weigh heavily on the peoples of Iraq and the Middle East. Their lives are already broken by suffering and violence. We renew our acceptance of your call. We promise to work: To bring the light of the Gospel to those living in darkness, To bring the hope of the Gospel to those living in despair, To bring the healing of the Gospel to the lonely, the disadvantaged, the marginalised, And to bring the peace of the gospel to a divided world. Amen.