God, we pray for the shattered people of Israel.
**Lord, have mercy ...
And for the innocent civilians in Palestine.
Lord, have mercy ...
May the hostages be freed safe and sound.
Lord, have mercy ...
May the grief-stricken and traumatized be allowed their grief and offered comfort in the midst of the unimaginable.
Lord, have mercy ...
Heal the wounded.
Lord, have mercy ...
May those who wielded terror be brought to justice.
Lord, have mercy ...
God, protect the children. Shield them in your arms.
Lord, have mercy ...
May those of us who don't fully understand the nuances of this conflicted place hold our silence.
Lord, have mercy ...
God, work miracles, bring your peace, distribute your justice, usher in your shalom.
Lord, have mercy ...
God, help us to be peacemakers in our own little corner of the world.
Lord, have mercy ...
(**Thanks to the liturgy of the Prayers of the People at Westminster Presbyterian Church for this sacred structure of prayer)
AMEN