Peace prayer (used with Al's sermon Dec 7)

we cannot merely pray to you o God to end war
for we know that you have made the world in a way
that man must find his own path to peace
within himself and with his neighbour

we cannot merely pray to you O God to end starvation
for you have already given us the resources
with which to feed the entire world
if we would only use them wisely

we cannot merely pray to you O God to root out prejudice,
for you have already given us eyes with which to see the good in all men
if we would only use them rightly

we cannot merely pray to you O God to end despair
for you have already given us the power to clear away storms and give us hope
if only we would use your power justly

we cannot merely pray to you O God to end disease
for you have already given us great minds with which to search out cures and healing
if we would only use them constructively

therefore we pray to You instead O God
for strength, determination and will power
to do instead of just to pray
to become instead of merely to wish.

-jack riemer
likrat shabbot