 In
the current American Book
of Common Prayer, seven optional prayers follow the Collect of
the Day in the major services of the Daily Office, Morning and Evening
Prayer, Rites I and II. In each case, one of these is called “A
Collect for Peace.” Typical of these prayers is the following collect
from Morning Prayer, Rite II:
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is
eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble
servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in
your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the
might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [page 99]
I have been reading this prayer of late and thinking of the present
world situation. (Today is the day President Bush has set as the
deadline for diplomatic action from the U.N. Security Council on the
matter of Iraq.) Reading the prayer in this context makes it seem
jingoistic, dismissing the possibility that we may not be right in our
decisions about war and peace and, like the President, simplistically dividing the world
into those who are with us and those who are against us. Additional
reading of the Prayer Book, however, suggests that the peace
referred to here is of a more personal and internal nature. This is
clearer in the Evening Prayer rites. For example, in Rite I, we have the
following:
O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just
works do proceed: Give unto thy servants that peace which the world
cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and
also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of all enemies, may
pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ
our Savior. Amen. [page 69]
These prayers, then, do not quite fit the need of those not convinced
that sending the army into the Middle East will necessary make the world
a safer, better, and more godly place. For individuals like me and for congregations that feel a need for
prayers for peace appropriate to this moment, it is not necessary to
look beyond the Book of Common Prayer. Under “Prayers and
Thanksgivings,” beginning on page 814, are prayers appropriate for
many circumstances. The following prayer, for example, #4, is labeled “For
Peace”:
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword
of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So
mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered
under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to
whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen. [page 815]
In a similar vein is #5, “For Peace Among the Nations”:
Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into
the way of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace
which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the kingdom
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. [page 816]
My personal favorite for these times, which I love for its symmetry, is #6, “For our Enemies”
:
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our
enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth: deliver them and us
from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all
to stand reconciled before you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[page 816]
I also recommend prayer #19, “For the President of the United
States and all in Civil Authority.” Words in italics indicate where
substitutions can be made, for example, “your” for “thy”:
O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We
commend this nation to thy merciful care, that, being
guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy
peace. Grant to the President of the United States, the Governor of
this State (or Commonwealth), and to all in authority, wisdom
and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with
the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of
their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee
and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. [page
820]
As Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold recently said:
Prayer is a dimension of peace-making in which we can all engage. Prayer
unites us to God and works in us the mind of Christ. Prayer is an invitation
from God to open ourselves to God’s larger desires for us and for humanity and
all creation. Prayer can liberate us from our biases and fixed points of view
and lead us into a new space where God’s perspective is able to transform and
enlarges our own.
Pray for peace.
— LED, 3/17/2003
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