peace

i come to you asking peace, o prince of peace
peace even now
even in this world
   not some other time

peace that overrides the all-too-often wicked intentions of mankind
that pierces the darkness of child labour camps and child prostitution
of massive raping of nature with no regard for the indigenous
of slavery
and inhumanity towards women
and class systems and empire
of occupation and usurpation
and dislocation
and death

we need peace so badly, master
we are dying for it
and for lack of it

help us
have mercy

peace that sees past the barrel of a gun into the eyes of the enemy and says ' that's my not my enemy '
peace that exposes the dread rationale of wealth, power and the desire to lord-over
   and responds by protecting the widow and the parentless, the poor and the insane and the addicted and the disabled and the vets and the homeless and the street children and the alien ..

have mercy on us

peace that watches the history of your church and winces
that calls all that call on the name of Jesus to unbuckle their denominationalism and reach out
that says ' yes, we have differences; but we have this in common: we serve Jesus, we follow him '
that watches the potential for humanitarianism ( so intricately displayed in Jesus ) and bites down hard
   putting away the differences
   reaching out through what unites us towards the widow and the parentless,
   the poor and the insane, and the addicted, and. . . . . . . ... .......

peace that walks right up to war and refuses to fight
offers itself as a winning alternative
that sings in the key of hope

have mercy

we pray for peace

we pray for the peace of jerusalem

o, prince of peace