Saturday, September 7, 2013

Pray & Fast for Syria


Pope Francis has called for Saturday, September 7, to be a day of prayer and fasting for Peace in Syria. Let's not let this day pass without each of us responding to this call.

To help, you'll find below: two prayers, the Prayer of St. Francis and a prayer from Steven Charleston; and a reminder about fasting...

Prayer of St. Francis

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your love.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord
And where there's doubt, true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness, ever joy.

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving of ourselves that we receive
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

A Prayer for Peace in Syria
O Prince of Peace, we come before you sinful and sorrowful.
We know that we are all guilty of hatred and contempt,
and yet we ask for your mercy and forgiveness.

In Syria, millions of our brothers and sisters are suffering greatly.
And it seems that their suffering may be increased by people
who themselves wish to bring peace to this land.

We know that it is you who turn our hearts to peace,
and so we ask you to turn your eyes to Syria,
so near the towns and villages where you grew up and ministered,
to look upon that Holy Land, and bring an end to violence.

Help us do all that we can, physically, morally, legally,
to support dialogue, foster reconciliation and promote justice.
End the terrible violence directed against so many Syrians
from so many places,
and turn their hearts to forgiveness, compassion and love.

Open our own hearts to the needs of the millions of refugees.
Help us to see that they are our brothers and sisters in crisis,
for you were a refugee yourself once,
along with Mary and Joseph.

Most of all, let us not bring more violence and suffering
upon a people who have already suffered immensely.
Bring them peace, O Prince of Peace.

                                          - Steven Charleston

Fasting

It's said that some things are gained only
through prayer and fasting...
What will I go without today?
What might I give up to remind me in my body
of the prayer for peace I'm making in my heart?