A litany for peace
For supporting the manufacture of arms through the payment of taxes
Forgive us
For the unrelieved suffering and hardship which money spent on arms could heal,
Forgive us
For threatening to commit genocide by holding nuclear weapons as a deterrent,
Forgive us
For half-heartedness in hearing, living and sharing the way of peace,
Forgive us
For dividing the world into good and bad, and treating human beings as enemies and objects
of hatred or scorn,
Forgive us.
Let us pray that we may be set free from the chains of violence and nuclear death,
Deliver us
from the desire for power,
Deliver us
from the conspiracy of silence,
Deliver us
from the worship of weapons,
Deliver us
from the celebrations of killing,
Deliver us
from peace that is no peace,
Deliver us
from security that is no security,
Deliver us
from the politics of terror,
Deliver us
from the spiral of armaments,
Deliver us.
By hunger and thirst for justice,
Grant us peace
by reconciliation of enemies,
Grant us peace
by gentleness and nonviolence,
Grant us peace
by the power of love,
Grant us peace.
Pax Christi