ALMIGHTY GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST THE PRINCE OF PEACE: Give us grace to be quiet amid our own angry voices and to listen with our hearts to your Spirit speaking: speaking warning to the perilous plight we are in when we permit discord to come into our body, your precious Body, O Lord, the Church; speaking exhortation to run quickly and forgive as we have been forgiven, without excuse or without condition; speaking healing to the ones we have wounded by our many thoughtless words and our often withheld prayers; And so, O Christ, extinguish the rising passions of self-justifying words and bitter actions to those for whom you died, those who are our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters in Jesus Christ; removing prejudice, pride, and all of those dreadful desires that would control our thoughts, and cause our tongues to lash out; replace these ungodly words and actions with holy union and sweet concord that comes from your Triune love, praying for faith, hope, and charity to overflow into all parts of our lives, so that we may be truly one, even as you are one, O God; and in our renewed union may your holy Gospel go forward bringing more and more of your children into the household of faith through Jesus Christ who lives and reigns in unending peace with you, O Father, and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever more. Amen.
