Prayers for Lent 2007
Week Six

Reading:       The past 25 years have been traumatic for the Iraqi society. The Iran-Iraq war of the 1980’s, the experience of the Hussein regime, the first Gulf war, 13 years of economic sanctions, the second Gulf War and 3 years of occupation have all conspired to create a society that is traumatized, fearful and often angry at past and current hurts and atrocities.  Only through an effective reconciliation process in the Iraqi style will there ever be a chance of healing for this beleaguered country.  Conflict mitigation programs at he local level (in both urban and rural communities) can be significant assets in peacemaking and long-term stability.  Projects such as “de-escalation teams” trained by the United Nations could be excellent in creating true peace in Iraq.

(Policy Initiatives developed by NETWORK in collaboration with members of the Iraqi Women’s Speak Delegation)

Pax Christi Prayer to End the War Against Iraq

Loving God,
We beg your forgiveness for the war that the U.S. is waging against the Iraqi people, for destroying Iraq’s infrastructure by massive bombings, for using highly toxic weapons that contaminate Iraqi land and water, and are causing major increases in cancers among children.

Forgive us for imposing economic sanctions that have killed over one million Iraquis, mostly children.

Forgive us for placing oil interests above human welfare.

Heal us of our moral blindness and fill our hearts with love.

Help us to renounce killing, to stop demonizing our adversaries, to value all life as sacred, and to see the Iraqi people as our brothers and sisters.

O God, make us channels of your peace and reconciliation.

Lead us from death to life.
Lead us from falsehood to truth.
Lead us from despair to hope. .
Lead us from fear to trust.
Lead us from hate to love.
Lead us from war to peace.
Let peace fill our hearts, our world, our Universe.