Prayer for Peace

The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts

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     We come together as representatives of diverse religious and spiritual communities called to be peacemakers in the world. Today that calling obligates us especially, and with unavoidable urgency, to address the prospect of war with Iraq. We stand in solidarity with a multitude of religious voices who seek peace here and now, and who have spoken out in alarm and concern at this advance toward war.

     As religious people concerned with the well being of the human community, our concern knows no boundaries: it extends to all who suffer in war -- leaders, civilians and soldiers of every nation -- as well as those who work for peace in international organizations. We affirm the strategies of diplomacy, nonviolence, and international negotiation to manage and resolve conflict between nations.

     Embracing our differences, we gather to pray for strength, community, solace, and wisdom in a time of grave international crisis. We pray with many voices, united by the vision and goal of seeking peace as a way of life.