Home | Pakistan Flood Victims | Immigrants and Refugees | U.S. Communities | Philippines | Afghanistan | Archives
Prayer
& Action for Peace in Iran and between the US and Iran
by
Jim McGinnis, inspired by
his new book
As we continue
to pray and act for peace around the globe this week, especially as tensions
mount in Iran after a much disputed election and President Obama seeks a
more positive relationship with Iran, please consider forwarding this weekly
prayer & action request to your networks.
Insight & Focus.
To help focus
our prayer and action on the people and leaders of Iran and to support our
own leaders in their efforts to build a more peaceful relationship with
Iran, read these NY Times stories, and focus on the photos of Iranian
citizens and their candidate Mir Hussein Moussavi and his esteemed wife:
Defiance Grows and
Opposition Defies Protest Ban, and for the
story and photo of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Pray for a peaceful and just outcome to this crisis and opportunity for
building bridges with the people and leaders of Iran and consider the action
suggestions below. For an analysis of the election, plus an invitation to
wear green as a sign of solidarity, see Rabbi Art Waskow's article,
Solidarity with
Iran from the Shalom Center website.
Prayer for the Courage to Love Our Enemies.
God of all
creation, open our hearts and eyes so that we might see the face of our
adversary, and recognize, as you do, that they are our sister, our brother.
God of justice, You call us to live in truth. Give us the strength to admit
our past transgressions, and to build new partnerships with old enemies.
God of peace, You call us to love our enemies. Give us the wisdom to
translate that love into a choice for dialogue over demonization, diplomacy
over military confrontation.
God of nonviolence, lead us on your path to peace, that we might walk humbly
with you.
We ask this in the name of the One whose peace we seek, Jesus the Christ,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
(by Dave Robinson, quoted from Peaceweavings: Nonviolence and Dialogue with
Iran, Summer 2008; published by Pax Christi USA and used with their
permission)
Action.
Consider
joining Pax Christi USA and its
advocacy suggestions, the
Fellowship of Reconciliation's Iran Initiative and
send a
letter of friendship to the Iranian people,
and supporting Iranians for Peace,
a network of Iranians from around the world working for peace between our
two countries.
Thanks for caring,
Jim |