peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to Your way of love
those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred.
God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek Your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost...
may not have been lost in vain.
Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all.
Amen +
This is the prayer card given to us today in church, by the Knights of Columbus for their World Day of Prayer for Peace. It is the prayer of Pope Benedict XVI at Ground Zero, April 20, 2008.
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On the other hand, there is Psalm 108:
Unto the end, a psalm for David. O God, be not thou silent in my praise: for the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful man is opened against me. They have spoken against me with deceitful tongues; and they have compassed me about with words of hatred; and have fought against me without cause. Instead of making me a return of love, they detracted me: but I gave myself to prayer. And they repaid me evil for good: and hatred for my love.
- Set Thou the sinner over him: and may the devil stand at his right hand.
- When he is judged, may he go out condemned; and may his prayer be turned to sin.
- May his days be few: and his bishopric let another take.
- May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
- Let his children be carried about vagabonds, and beg; and let them be cast out of their dwellings.
- May the usurer search all his substance: and let strangers plunder his labours.
- May there be none to help him: nor none to pity his fatherless offspring.
- May his posterity be cut off; in one generation may his name be blotted out.
- May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered in the sight of the Lord: and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
- May they be before the Lord continually, and let the memory of them perish from the earth: because he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor man and the beggar; and the broken in heart, to put him to death. And he loved cursing, and it shall come unto him: and he would not have blessing, and it shall be far from him. And he put on cursing, like a garment: and it went in like water into his entrails, and like oil in his bones. May it be unto him like a garment which covereth him; and like a girdle with which he is girded continually. This is the work of them who detract me before the Lord; and who speak evils against my soul.
Help me, O Lord my God; save me according to Thy mercy. And let them know that this is Thy hand: and that Thou, O Lord, hast done it. They will curse and Thou will bless: let them that rise up against me be confounded: but Thy servant shall rejoice. Let them that detract me be clothed with shame: and let them be covered with their confusion as with a double cloak. I will give great thanks to the Lord with my mouth: and in the midst of many I will praise Him. Because He hath stood at the right hand of the poor, to save my soul from persecutors.
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You decide.
