Prayers for Papua

Please use the following to help in praying for those oppressed all around the world.

This year FoR has joined with an International solidarity movement of faith communities working towards raising the issue of West Papua.

Where communities are broken
Where divisions are being reinforced
Where neighbours are being separated…

Come o God
Renew the face of the earth

Where people hurt
Where people suffer
Where people mourn…

Come O God
Comfort your people

Where power lies
Where rulers decide
Where lives can changes…

Come O God
Guide and Inspire

Where conflict rages
Where freedom is stifled
Where injustice prevails…

Come O God
Let righteousness flow

For situations, places and people
Known to us…

Come O God
Hear our Prayers

Where opportunities exist
Where we can act
Where everything is possible…

Come O God
Challenge and change us
Empower and Strengthen us
Fill us with you Holy Spirit

Amen

Song:Christ be our Light by Bernadette Farrell

1. Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
Light for the world to see

Christ be our Light!
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church
Gathered today

2.Longing for peace, our world is troubled
Longing for hope, many despair
Your word alone has the power to save us
Make us your living voice

3.Longing for Food, many are hungry
Longing for water, many still thirst
Make us your bread, broken for others
Shared until all are fed.

4.Longing for shelter many are homeless
Longing for warmth, many are cold
Make us your building, sheltering others
Walls made of living stone.

Responsive Prayer

L: Sisters and brothers who are here today
Let us dedicate ourselves anew, to live in such a way
That justice may roll like waters, that peace may become real,
That the dignity of all persons may be manifest
Let us make a covenant with one another and seek a new beginning.
Let us declare solemnly that we are at peace with all people of goodwill.

R> We seek Peace with all people

L: We affirm that our security rests not in armaments.
We seek a just economic order, in which everyone has access to the abundance of the earth
We seek justice in human relationships, nourished in the solidarity of the human family

R> We seek Justice for all people

L: We choose struggle rather than indifference –
We choose to be friends of the earth and of one another, not exploiters
We choose to be citizens rather than subjects
We choose to be peacemakers rather than peacemakers

R> We choose life for all creation

L: We join with sisters and brothers the world over.
We join in communities of resistance
To the threat of hunger and injustice
To the threat of civil strife, war and nuclear destruction

R> we unite to resist the powers of death

L: Before us today are set life and death
R> We choose that we and our children may live.

Amen

Closing Responses (taken from Compartir, Santiago, Chile)

Blessed are the poor…
not the penniless
but those whose hearts are free.

Blessed are those who mourn…
not those who whimper
but those who raise their voices.

Blessed are the meek…
not the soft
but those who are patient and tolerant

Blessed are the merciful…
not those who forget
but those who forgive.

Blessed are the pure in heart…
not those who act like angels
but those whose life is transparent

Blessed are the peacemakers…
not those who shun conflict
but those who face it squarely.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for justice…
not because they suffer
but because they love.