Prayer for peace

Peace lanterns in Hiroshima

As we remember the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, may we continue to pray and work for peace everywhere, so that all of the created order might live together in harmony.

A Prayer of Remembrance

O God, the Creator of this beautiful planet
and all that dwells in it,
we now pause to remember the souls
of those who perished in the atomic bombings
and those who suffer from radiation even now.
We join our hearts and voices together
to pray for peace everywhere.
May the deadly power of nuclear arsenals
never be unleashed again upon your sacred creation.
May such weapons of mass and indiscriminate annihilation
be forever banned and eliminated from the face of the earth.
Forgive our silence, O God,
and enable your Church to raise its prophetic voices
to speak against the madness of nuclear pursuits anywhere.
Renew our commitment to be faithful stewards
of your beautiful creation
and vehicles of peace.
In the name of Christ, our Prince of Peace. Amen.

Written by Rev. Nobu Hanaoka,
United Methodist minister