Gathered around the cross,

remembering your suffering and death,

your refusal to hate,

we bring the suffering of the world here –

we bring it here, to the foot of the cross;

the place where the love of God

meets the pain of the world.

To all this suffering,

to broken bodies, broken lives,

to mourning and terror,

to hatred, violence and destruction,

bring your saving love,

bring hope, bring forgiveness.

We bring to you the troubled places of the world;

Ukraine, Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen,

Mexico, Somalia, The Democratic Republic of Congo,

The Central African Republic.

We pray for hope and peace.

We pray for troubled lives here in the UK;

for those who live with violence at home,

for elderly people, disabled people and children at risk,

for people struggling in poverty,

for people overcome by mental illness,

for all who are in pain,

for those for whom forgiveness is impossible.

Stay close beside, Lord Jesus;

do not desert us in our time of need.

And give us hope.

We see life emerging all around us;

trees bud, leaves uncurl, flowers open,

blossom time is here.

Give us hope that there will be life for humanity

Where there once there was only death.

Give us hope that earth of your making

will sustain life

even in the face of our destruction.

Bring life, bring hope, bring peace.

Amen

Tweet