A different kind of prayer

Atty. Mia Menez-Zafra, the Executive Vice President of LAIKO led all the delegates in praying for a just and lasting peace and unity during the opening of the 15th Biennial Convention. It is a different kind of prayer. It is actually like the "Our Father" prayer but with some details.

Here is the prayer:

Our Father who art in heaven,
God of Your struggling people,
We are Your people, the work of Your hands, 
We praise Your greatness,
We celebrate Your goodness,
We remember the story of Your love.

Hallowed be Your name
Let the promise of abundant life be realized
And our longing for unity, justice and peace be fulfilled.

We pray the Your Kingdom may come
So that it may free us from fear and darkness

We pray that your kingdom may come
So that it may heal our brokenness,
And bring peace in Your creation.

Give us wisdom to understand
Your will and Your presence
Especially when we are hurt by the unexpected,
When we are confused by what’s happening to us,
When we search for meaning in the midst of our losses,
When we are trapped by our emotions.

Give us confidence to thank Your daily gifts
We so often take for granted.
The gift of food that provides nourishment for our bodies
The gift of beauty that provides nourishment to our minds,
The gift of love that provides nourishment for our spirits,
The gift of faith that sustains us,
The gift of friends that comfort us,
The gift of every color in Your creation that brighten our days.

Forgive our comfortable lives
If we become unresponsive to the cries of the people
Forgive our daily prayers
If we close our eyes and hearts to the needs of the many.

Forgive our act of charity
If it has thwarted us to work for justice
Forgive our silence and solitude
If we departed from serving the
oppressed wholeheartedly

Help us to forgive each other as You forgive us:
You cleanse away our resistance
And bring Your light into our souls.
Continue to challenge our faith and love; nurture the hope within us
Strengthen our passion to serve and journey with the people
Accompany us on our way
Give us the strength of an eagle,
the humility of a dove, the wisdom of a serpent
As we join the people in the quest for a lasting peace based on justice.

Help us to reach out to others,
To become healing instruments in your world,
To build bridges rather than walls in Your creation,
Amen.