Prayers for peace

I know we've all been here before and before and before, but it seemed hopeless in Northern Ireland and in South Africa too, but prayer was one of the main factors behind change and it was candles and prayer that began the fall of Communism in the West. In one of her articles, Mary Baker Eddy includes a little poem:

"What if the little rain should say,
'So small a drop as I
Can ne'er refresh a drooping earth,
I'll tarry in the sky.'"

For those looking for ideas on how to pray for peace, here are links to a few articles on that I've found helpful.

[url]Learn the history[/url]
[COLOR="DarkGreen"]Tensions among the followers of the three major monotheistic religions are front and center in the news headlines. But history shows that these tensions are nothing new—Christians, Jews, and Muslims have been battling one another for centuries. Each tradition values peace, but generation after generation, hostility and resentment seem to overcome idealism and end in violence. Though the human picture holds little hope, these obstacles to harmony direct our attention to a more spiritual perspective. And it is in this spiritual realm that there is hope for lasting healing and peace.

The history of the Middle East is filled with ironies. First, it’s important to understand that these three religious traditions share a common ancestor: the patriarch Abraham.....

It was Abraham who asked: “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?” He then asked: “Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?”

I had to look up the word primogeniture that the author uses:

1. The state of being the firstborn of the same parents; seniority by birth among children of the same family.

2. The exclusive right of inheritance which belongs to the eldest son.

[url]To defy disunity in the Middle East[/url]
[COLOR="DarkGreen"]Those at a safe distance from the conflict might not share the suffering of those caught in the crossfire, but all can share in the solution by defying materialism and the larger mortal struggle, which perpetuates unending gridlock and hopelessness. We can pray to know and feel the all-presence of God. All can unite in proving that divine intelligence has a practical plan for peace. Together, we can disarm the carnal mind of its efforts to defeat Love.

[url]Prayer to end fear in Gaza[/url]
[COLOR="DarkGreen"]Our prayers for peace in the Middle East may first need to remove from our own thoughts the stereotyped view of these countries as always at war and any prejudices for or against them that have developed over the years of conflict. It's important to declare in prayer that lasting peace is possible, that the one Mind, God, can reveal an answer that will bring all parties together.

Love and peace,

Judy