Holy Land, U.S. Bishops Call for Day of Prayer, Fasting on October 17

God the Father,
have mercy on us.
God the Son,
have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
have mercy on us.
Holy and blessed Trinity, one God,
have mercy on us.
In these days of trouble, fear and sorrow,
have mercy on us.
In our despair at the violence that seems to fill the world,
have mercy on us.
In the pain of lost life and shattered hopes,
have mercy on us.
In our grieving for those who have died,
have mercy on us.
In our compassion for all who are bereaved,
have mercy on us.

From the history of violence
that corrupts every society and our own,
O Lord, deliver us.
From the greed and injustice
that divide the world into rich and poor,
O Lord, deliver us.
From the urge for revenge
that adds to the cycle of violence,
O Lord, deliver us.

From the fear that grows into hatred
for people who are different,
O Lord, deliver us.
From being too quick to attribute blame
and demand retribution,
O Lord, deliver us.
From believing ourselves safe
through anything other than your grace,
O Lord, deliver us.
From dying suddenly and unprepared,
O Lord, deliver us.

For those who plan and carry out acts of violence,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For all who seek justice and ensure the rule of law,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the victims of war and terrorism everywhere on earth,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For all who live in fear, and for refugees from violent regimes,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For courage to resist demonising and dehumanising others,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For wisdom in choosing the paths of peace,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For solidarity with the suffering of the dispossessed,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For generosity in sharing fairly the world’s resources,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For respect in conversation with people of other faiths, and none,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For honesty in knowing and confessing the sin in our own hearts,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For grace to change and be changed as you forgive us,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For rescue workers and medical teams
treating those injured in conflict zones,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For aid agencies and their workers,
responding with practical care in dangerous places,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the leaders of all the nations,
looking for ways to work together beyond fear and suspicion,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For people of goodwill, responding generously
to the needs of suffering communities,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For all who have friends and family
involved in areas of conflict and disaster,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For communities that are terrified
by missiles, snipers, vigilantes or death squads,
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the vulnerable and defenseless in conflict zones,
for the children, the elderly, the disabled, the sick:
Lord, hear our prayer.

For Christ to bring all the peoples of the world
into one flock with one shepherd,
we pray to you, O God.
For Christ to bring healing and comfort for those we love
who are sick or in mourning,
we pray to you, O God.
For Christ to lead us into the paths of peace,
writing the law of love on our hearts,
we pray to you, O God.
For Christ to bring us, with all who have died in faith,
to a joyful resurrection,
we pray to you, O God.

God of all peace,
have mercy on our broken and divided world,
and on your people who cry out to you for healing,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen


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