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Stop
theViolence:
Sixteen Days of
Prayer |
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Day
One
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Lord God,
We pray for the protection and well-being of all
persons, especially for women subjected to abuse and violence. We hold in
our hearts this day women and girls afflicted with HIV/AIDS, a suffering
so often cast upon them by violence and cruelty.
For all women who suffer at the hands of others,
we pray that you would bless them with your peace and healing. For those
who by intention or through ignorance bring fear and pain upon them, we
ask that they receive a new heart of love, which only you can offer. Lord,
this day we pray that every person would be blessed with dignity and
respect by others, and we commit all in need, along with ourselves, to
your constant love and care. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. |
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Day Two
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Loving God,
You tend me like a mother wiping the runny nose of her child. At times I
respond like an insolent adolescent jerking away from your loving grasp.
Thankfully, you are a patient parent willing to wait out the indifference.
I must ask a question. (And don’t be surprised by this seemingly
magnanimous gesture on my part.) Would you let a woman with HIV/AIDS budge
in front of me? Her nose is running much worse than mine.
Amen. |
Day Three
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Creator God,
Be within the hearts of all your people at all times.
Help us to hold dear each of Your precious children, especially those with
less power, and protect them from others and ourselves.
Let us vow, and keep our vow, to have no more violence and to let there be
love. In the name of Jesus, we pray.
Amen. |
Day Four
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O God, you love
all your children.
Look with special care upon
those daughters who suffer physically and emotionally simply because they
are women.
Surround them with your
protecting angels this day, that they might know safety.
Give them that measure of
your Spirit that they might not lose heart, but entrust their lives wholly
to you.
Give us the courage to
stand steadfast at their side, never wavering to speak the truth of their
plight and to put our own lives to the test on behalf of our beloved
sisters.
Grant these petitions, we
pray, in the love of the One, Triune God.
Amen. |
Day Five
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Sweet Mother in
heaven, help me pray for the women I don’t know at all. I commend to you
and your son the women who are a corollary to the violence of war. You
know them so well. Surely even above, you weep for them. I plead for the
unbearable and the unspeakable, The target of the enemy who has conquered
the opponent — The prey of the warrior who has slaughtered the
counterpart — The women of the conquered and the slaughtered who are
raped in a final paroxysm of hatred.
Dear Lady, cleanse them with your love.
Comfort them with your compassion.
Console them with your wisdom.
Amen. |
Day Six
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Lord, we pray for those
touched by domestic violence.
Give them courage in their efforts to stop
violence in their lives. Give them understanding of the causes and effects
of anger. Give them relief from their physical and emotional pain and help
them seek and find a clear path to a non-violent life. In Jesus’ name we
pray. Amen. |
Day Seven
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Dear God,
May we live out our baptismal covenant to strive for justice and peace.
May we not sit idly by while others wait for relief. May those who can
speak do so on behalf of those who cannot. May we get past the idea that
"someone ought to do something" and move toward that which we
can do. Forgive our individual and collective lack of will in doing all we
could do to stop the violence before now. Comfort those who suffer and
bring an end to their suffering — and do so by using us as your stewards
of peace and bringers of relief. Stir us, Lord, to act. Unite us in
purpose; inspire our giving of time and treasure toward your peace;
empower our efforts by your Holy Spirit so that the injustices suffered by
the victims of gender abuse are stopped, once and for all. Amen. |
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Day Eight
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We pray for all
women on every continent, in every country, province, state and city and
village who are victims of verbal, physical and sexual abuse. God, give
them the understanding, courage and strength to protect themselves and
their children. Bless them with your love and care in the midst of their
turmoil. Embrace them with your understanding. Amen. |
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Day Nine
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Oh ever Gracious
and Loving God,
You created us in your image to live gracious and loving lives. Yet from
the beginning we have been less than we are created to be; we often treat
those closest to us as less than ourselves, as less than you. Help us to
break the cycle of violence from one generation to another. Help women and
men honor one another as your incarnate and awesome presence.
In the name of the Incarnate Christ,
Amen. |
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Day Ten
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May you be with
us Lord, Day and Night.
Your words guide my words.
May you be with us Lord,
Your heart warms my heart.
May you be with us Lord,
Your hands hold my hands.
May you be with us Lord,
Your strength be my strength.
May you be with us Lord,
Your feet guiding my feet.
May you be with us Lord,
May you be with us Lord, Day and Night.
Amen. |
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Day Eleven
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God of
compassion,
You have given us freedom and choices in this life.
Some have taken those away from others and have hurt them as well.
Your heart must break when you watch the violence that some people must
endure.
Especially women who because of their race, ethnicity, class, caste,
religion, sexual identity, social status or age must live, endure and die
on the margins.
Loving God, we know you are always with us and within us. We pray that
these women who have been victims of violence and abuse can feel your
healing presence among them.
We pray that they may feel your love surrounding them in the midst of
their tragedy.
We, who have not experienced the violence, pray for the strength, courage
and compassion to speak on behalf of these our sisters; that each of us in
our own large or small way may do something to end their hurt. Amen. |
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Day
Twelve
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Heavenly
Father/Mother,
I ask you to wrap your loving arms around those affected not only by
physical violence, but also those tormented by mental and emotional
violence. Please heal their hurts, no matter what type they may be. No one
knows but you, Mother God, who these sufferers are and only you can show
them the way out of their situation. From experience, I know how many
times one must be either shown or told there are safe ways to deal with
each situation and even then, Lord, some do not see. Please do not give up
on these people so affected, Lord God, Heavenly Father/Mother. I ask this
in Your Son’s name, Amen.
Please, I ask in your name, for guidance and safety for each and every
person — young or old, male or female, wealthy or poor, educated or not.
Amen. |
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Day
Thirteen
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God of mercy,
faithfulness and love, I pray today for respect for all individuals,
especially the women of the world.
Lord, I pray that your love
shines through them and that their goodness and worthiness are seen by
all.
Blessed be your name,
Amen.
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Day
Fourteen
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Lord God,
creator of all that is and was and will be, we know that we are all equal
in your eyes and in your love.
No one of us is better than
any other one of us and all you ask of us is to love one another as you
love us: totally, unconditionally, always.
When tempted to be
unloving, uncaring, unthoughtful of another, when tempted to physically
harm another for any reason, give us the grace and strength to say
"no" to violence and "yes" to love, this day and
always, in Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen. |
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Day
Fifteen
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Lord, my
Creator, my Liberator, my Strength, hear my voice. I am your daughter. I
used to think that did not mean much, that I was not important in this
world. Now I know that I am precious to you. Now I would stand straight up
boldly in prayer to you, but I make myself small to survive in the
darkness. Even in my silence, I believe that you are hearing me. When
night falls and the hard hands and loud voice of hate come, keep me safe.
Let me wake to another morning. You keep giving me hope and that is not
dead yet. Give me a voice that others hear. And if they cannot hear me,
place your voice inside their hearts. Please send help. May there be
someone who walks like Jesus, someone who is not afraid to touch me and
offer healing and rescue. Make the next morning the one that brings the
light of peace to me. Lord, hear my voice. Amen. |
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Day
Sixteen
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A chin held
high, a brighter day.
A new resolve, a chance to pray.
A closer meaning, simpler song.
A break in silence held so long.
A chance to grow, a time to heal
And guidance toward how I should feel.
A step toward you, away from strife.
Bring your peace into my life.
Amen. |
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