We pray,
O God,
for all Christians, Muslims, Hindus or Jews
whose hearts are consumed
by a zeal that has hardened them;
All
whose vision is partial,
whose mind is narrowed,
whose perceptions are simplified,
whose soul is poisoned.
And yet,
O God,
we read of Jesus that,
“zeal for your house consumed him”.
His life teaches us that
without the zeal of a burning love for you
that will endure through
the night-time of our enmities
we shall not see your kingdom come.
So we ask,
O God,
that you give us
a zeal that insists on acceptance
a commitment that endures in non-violence
and a patience that works for your coming;
And teach us to hate
only our tribalism and prejudice
which separate us
from those different to us.
We ask it in the name of the Prince of Peace,
Jesus Christ
Our Lord.
– Author Unknown
