Prayers for Peace in the Middle East and Selections from Jewish, Christian and Islamic Texts

Prayers for Peace in the Middle East
And Selections on the Imperative for Peace from Jewish, Christian and Islamic Sacred Texts

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Sustain together in undiminished hope, O God of hope,
those who continue to labor with undiminished determination
to build peace in the land from which, of old,
out of brokenness, violence and destruction,
nevertheless hope emerged for so many of faith. . . .

Bless all the spiritual seed of Abraham together
with the light of your Presence.
From the light of your Presence
we have found a way of justice and mercy
and a vision of Peace.
We praise you O God, Giver of Peace,
who commands us to Peace. Amen

Rabbi Herbert Bronstein
Northshore Congregation Israel, Glencoe, IL

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Lord God. . .
Bless all your children in the Middle East
with the gift of peace.
Reach out and embrace Muslims, Jews and Christians.
Dry their tears with your gentle hands.
Surround their trembling bodies with your loving arms.
Replace their fears with the hope and vision
of peaceful times to come. . . . Amen

The Reverend Said Ailabouni
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Chicago, IL

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Almighty God!
After almost a century of mistrust and fratricide,
you inspired Jews, Christians and Muslims
to take the path of reconciliation in the Middle East. . . .

We ask for your forgiveness, O God,
yet we find it hard to forgive our past enemies.
May Your Words touch those who still stray
in the wilderness of vengeful violence,
forgetting your command to "forgive and overlook,
till God accomplish His Purpose;
for God hath power over all things." Amen

Abdelwahab Hechiche
University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

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O God Source of Life, Creator of Peace. . .
Help Your children, anguished and confused,
To understand the futility of hatred and violence
And grant them the ability to stretch across
Political, religious and national boundaries

So they may confront horror and fear
By continuing together
In the search for justice, peace and truth. . . .
With every fiber of our being
We beg You, O God,
To help us not to fail nor falter. Amen

Rabbi H. Rolando Matalon
Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, New York, NY

* * * *

This we know:
Fear can yield to faith, hope can reignite
Rage can cease, hatred can be melted. . . .
Merciful One, illumine the sight of your children
To see You in each other's eyes.
Merciful One, spread the canopy of your peace over us,
Over Israel, over Ishmael, over all who dwell on earth. Amen

Rabbi Sheila Weinberg
Jewish Community of Amherst, Amherst, MA

* * * *

God Our Creator, who made the earth a peaceful garden,
help us restore that peace wherever it has been broken
by terrorism and injustice, especially in the Middle East.
We repent for the times when religious language
has fostered hatred and division. . . .

Bring healing to those whose lives
have been shattered by violence.
Instill a renewed spirit of reconciliation in those
who lead our people politically and religiously. . . . Amen

Reverend John T. Pawlikowski, OSM
Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, IL

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In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful,
Praise be to God, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds,
The Mercy-giving, the Merciful. . . .
O Lord, Lead us from hate to love and from violence to peace,
from fear to trust and from despair to hope. Enable us
to eliminate poverty, prejudice and oppression
so that peace may prevail with righteousness and justice. . . . Amen

Dawud Ahmad Assad
Council of Mosques, USA, New York, NY

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O God. . .
Forgive our complacency.
Stamp out the prejudices that lead to hatred.
Fill us with the reconciling spirit of your presence.
So may we join people of good will -
in the Middle East and throughout the world -
who raise before Jerusalem's gates
their insistent shalom:
"Peace be within your walls. . .
Peace be within you." Amen

The Reverends Harry and Judith Hoehler
First Parish (Unitarian-Universalist), Weston, MA

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In the name of God,
Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Accept our prayer to sustain us
and our brothers and sisters of different beliefs
in our desire for peace. . .
Help us to find this peace in our living together,
and in mutual sustenance with our neighbors. . . . Amen

Mian Ashraf
New England Islamic Center, Sharon, MA

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Selections on the Imperative for Peace
from Jewish, Christian and Islamic Sacred Texts

from the Hebrew Bible
Genesis 13:6-9; Numbers 6:24-26; Psalm 34:15; Psalm 85:7-13;
Psalm 122; Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-5; and Proverbs 3:13-18

from the New Testament
Matthew 5:1-11, 21-24 and 43-44; Luke 6:32 and 35-36: John 17:20-21;
Romans 14:19; Ephesians 2:13-14 and 6:12-17; and Hebrews 12:14

from the Holy Quran
Sura 3:20, 84 and 133-134; Sura 4:90; Sura 5:32; Sura 6:54; Sura 8:61;
Sura 14:23; Sura 16:90; Sura 17:70; Sura 19:62; Sura 41:34 Sura 42:40 and 43

U.S. Interreligious Committee for Peace in the Middle East
16020 94^th Avenue, NW, Stanwood, WA 98292
Tel/Fax: (360) 652-4285
E-Mail: USICPME@aol.com
Executive Director, Ronald J. Young