‘I invite everyone to join in prayer for the embattled people of Ukraine and for all those who suffer due to this war, that the long-awaited gift of peace may shine upon our days.’ [Pope Leo]
“So many victims, so many lives and families shattered, such immense destruction, such unspeakable suffering! Every war is truly a wound inflicted upon the entire human family; it leaves in its wake death, devastation and a trail of pain that marks generations. Peace cannot be postponed. It is an urgent necessity that must find a home in our hearts and be translated into responsible decisions.”
Pope Leo
Almighty and Great God,
Accept our gratitude for your boundless mercy towards us. Hear the supplication of our afflicted hearts for the land and people of Ukraine, as they confront foreign aggression and invasion. Open the eyes of those who have been overtaken by a spirit of deception and violence, that they be horrified by their works. Grant victory over the powers of evil that have arisen and bless Ukraine with your gifts of liberty, peace, tranquility, and good fortune.
We implore you, O Merciful God, look with grace upon those who courageously defend their land. Remember the mothers and fathers, the innocent children, widows and orphans,the disabled and helpless, those seeking shelter and refuge, who reach out to you and to their fellow human beings looking for mercy and compassion. Bless the hearts of those who have already shown great generosity and solidarity, and those who prepare to receive their Ukrainian brothers and sisters in Ukraine’s greatest time of need.
Bring us together as your children, your creation, and instil in us your strength, wisdom and understanding. May you be praised and glorified, now and forever, and to the ages of ages.
Amen
[Diocese of Blackburn]
The Lord’s Prayer in Ukrainian (Cyrillic)
Отче наш, що єси на небесах, Нехай святиться Ім’я Твоє. Хай прийде Царство Твоє, нехай буде воля Твоя Як на небі, так і на землі. Хліб наш насущний дай нам сьогодні. І прости нам провини наші, як і ми прощаємо винуватцям нашим. І не введи нас у спокусу, але визволи нас від лукавого. Бо Твоє є Царство, і сила, і слава навіки. Амінь.
Transliteration (Pronunciation)
Otche nash, shcho yesy na nebesakh, Nekhay svyatytʹsya Im’ya Tvoye. Khay pryyde Tsarstvo Tvoye, nekhay bude volya Tvoya Yak na nebi, tak i na zemli. Khlib nash nasushchnyy day nam sʹohodni. I prosty nam provyny nashi, yak i my proshchayemo vynuvattsyam nashym. I ne vvedy nas u spokusu, ale vyzvoly nas vid lukavoho. Bo Tvoye ye Tsarstvo, i syla, i slava naviky. Aminʹ.
Lord, Lead us from death to life, From falsehood to truth. Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Let peace fill our hearts, our world and our universe. Let us dream together, pray together and work together, To build one world of peace and justice for all.
[Author unknown – it is thought to be either an adaptation of a Hindu prayer or of a hymn. The first time that it was known to be publicly spoken was by Mother Teresa in 1981.]
The International prayer of peace speaks to God of our desire for a world which lives in harmony, love and justice. We pray it because of our longing that we who have been given this planet as our home may treat it, and therefore all who live on it, as a pure gift. Too often, and throughout history, humanity has treated life here as a right and our planet as ours to exploit and dominate. Even so, most of us are subservient to the will of a few. Throughout human history we have been dominated by a those who dictate how we are to live and before whose power we fall down and, not to put too fine a point, worship. How else could they have power over us unless we allow it.
Alongside dictators and despots there are people always willing to serve them. It is usually because they share that power and bask in a self-interest which leads to a sharing of injustice and evil. The obvious example of this demonic is the Nazi party which grew up around one who had many personality defects but who somehow caught the mood of the moment. Hitler was in many ways a weak and infantile man who happened to touch nerves of those who had been demoralized by circumstances which took away the self-respect of a nation. Hitler, and fellow dictators, like Stalin, Mussolini, Franco, Emperor Hirohito, exploited a mood of despair and, surrounding themselves by thugs, used evil to corrupt good. Here we can place what people did to Jesus and go on doing, sometimes outrageously in His name! Today Hitler and his cronies have been replaced by modern day despots because History has a habit of repeating itself.
Because we have often failed to see that our Creator God has allowed us to tenant planet Earth and appointed us to be Stewards – custodians – of all the good and joyful world of nature, the animal kingdom and the birds of the air and fish of the sea, human beings have fallen into a trap. We have fooled ourselves that it’s all ours for the taking. Humanity has tried to replace God. So hell-bent (and that’s a thought!) are some humans on exploiting each other and the earth for personal gain that that whole world is in turmoil.
I recently found this Native American saying from the Ute Tribe, which spoke a truth to my heart:
Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.
That feels like a context against which we should live our lives on earth and it’s interesting that those we call Generation X are increasingly taking a view which echoes this. Maybe there lies our hope. There are always those who not only choose good over evil but who are prepared to work for that goodness to prevail. It is, after all, what is at the heart of the Christian and other faiths.
Each generation who has followed a despot has also produced others who challenge and show us a good and better way, even and perhaps especially, at great cost to themselves. I think instantly of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Maximillian Kolbe, and in the post war world, Dag Hammarskjold (second General Secretary of the United Nations). He sought to forge a new way of living peaceably, nation with nation, which, though fragile today, is still the force for tremendous hope and goodness.
We celebrate the UN today not just because for the past 80 years it has been a forum for peace but because through many differing ways it works for education, caring, peace-keeping, seeking to eradicate poverty and injustice and in this it represents all of us who try to lived goodly lives (and for many of us, Godly lives) dedicated to shaping a better, more equal, caring, just and liberated world.
Speaking of itself as a symbol of hope for Global Unity, The United Nations maintains that “There is no other global organization with the legitimacy, convening power and normative impact of the United Nations. No other global organization gives hope to so many people for a better world and can deliver the future we want. Today, the urgency for all countries to come together, to fulfil the promise of the nations united, has rarely been greater. UN Day, celebrated every year, offers the opportunity to amplify our common agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided us for the past 80 years!”
António Guterres, the present UN Secretary, in his message for today, says
The United Nations is more than an institution. It is a living promise – spanning borders, bridging continents, inspiring generations. For eighty years, we have worked to forge peace, tackle poverty and hunger, advance human rights, and build a more sustainable world – together. As we look ahead, we confront challenges of staggering scale: escalating conflicts, climate chaos, runaway technologies, and threats to the very fabric of our institution. This is no time for timidity or retreat. Now, more than ever, the world must recommit to solving problems no nation can solve alone. On this UN Day, let’s stand together and fulfil the extraordinary promise of your United Nations. Let’s show the world what is possible when “we the peoples” choose to act as one.
Gaia ~ Artistic representation of The Earth by Luke Jerram photo by Mr.G.
Prayer for the United Nations Organization.
God of compassion, walk alongside all of your global stewards who work to create a more just and peaceful world. Equip the United Nations community with a sense of urgency and humility that lets your will be done. Each day you give bread enough for all, grant us also the wisdom to ensure that everyone has enough. Teach the world’s leaders to forgive, to extend welcome across borders. Show the world a new path beyond greed, oppression, and division. We pray for a world united. We pray for the power to save succeeding generations from war. We pray for a glory that reaffirms the dignity and worth of every person. We pray that your grace might ensure life in larger freedom forever, for all of your children.
Archbishop of Jerusalem, Hosam Naoum addressing the Church of England General Synod in York on July 15th.
The address given by Archbishop Hosam about the situation in the Holy Land was so moving that the Archbishop received two standing ovations and was held deeply in prayer. This is the Report from the Anglican Commmunion News Service (ACNS) and other sources.
In his address Bishop Naoum said that hospitals continue to be bombed in Gaza, with medical supplies in short supply and a ‘horrifying’ system of food distribution, comparable to the dystopian series The Hunger Games, with three sites open one hour a day for two million people. Calling for a restoration of humanitarian supplies including food and medicine, under UN supervision, Archbishop Hosam said there should be no targeting of civilians, especially emergency workers and medical staff. He called for the release of all hostages and captives and a permanent ceasefire for the end of the war and rebuilding of Gaza – ‘not ethnic cleansing that is presently being discussed by the Israeli and US Government.”
As always,the church is committed to peace building and reconciliation – a message that he has repeated ‘time and time again’ – but these are ‘alien terms’ that people across both sides of the divide refuse to talk about or even listen to, he said. “I realise that as a church we live and embody the gospel and we are not politicians. However, we need to speak out in the face of injustices and be prophetic for the sake of our people and our calling as Christians.”
“I’m grateful for the (Church of England) House of Bishops’ statements that have been taking our story as Christians in the Middle East and especially in Jerusalem, very seriously.”
Archbishop Hosam spoke of his desire for peace in the region, for the humanitarian aid system to be reformed and for an end to acts which oppose the Geneva Conventions. He stated that, “Medical supplies are in short supply. The food distribution system is horrifying.
“Advocacy is urgently needed for Israel’s adherence to the Geneva Conventions, as its current practices are unacceptable.” He called for “no bombing of hospitals, lifting of the siege, restoration of humanitarian supplies, including food and medicine, under UN supervision, no targeting of civilians, especially emergency workers and medical staff and the release of all hostages and captives.” In the face of this, Bishop Hosam said that “We are battered and bruised but not crushed.”. As a Church we must be committed to peace and reconciliation and be deeply committed to our Lord’s teaching of Peace and Love. We are called to a ministry of presence and resilience and of support, sustenance and healing. The Church is call to be a source of hope in an hopeless situation,but where a church is wounded and constrained, we need the wider body of Christ to help us to be the church in brutal and damaging times.”
The Most Revd Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York in the Church of England, led a prayer for Archbishop Hosam at the conclusion of his address.
“Father, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We thank God for the faithfulness, friendship and ministry of our dear brother Hosam. We cry out to you for peace and justice in our world and especially in Israel, Palestine, in Gaza and in that whole region. We ask for the leading of your spirit, for the peace of your world. We ask this in Jesus’ name.”
In the words of Archbishop Hosam, with people around the world, we pray:
O God of all justice and peace we cry out to you in the midst of the pain and trauma of violence and fear which prevails in the Holy Land. Be with those who need you in these days of suffering; we pray for people of all faiths – Jews, Muslims and Christians and for all people of the land. While we pray to you, O Lord, for an end to violence and the establishment of peace, we also call for you to bring justice and equity to the peoples. Guide us into your kingdom where all people are treated with dignity and honour as your children for, to all of us, you are our Heavenly Father. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
The Most Reverend Hosam Naoum is the 15th Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, a role he has held since 2021. He was born in Haifa and grew up in Shefa’amr in Galilee.
The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem is home to about 7,000 Anglicans worshipping within twenty-eight different congregations. It is also responsible for more than thirty institutions, including hospitals, schools, clinics and rehabilitation centres. The Diocese is scattered across five separate countries or territories: Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.
Mr G's Ponderings 