For the Ukraine – A Prayer for Peace (March 2014)

Lord, the young men and women,
        these who fill my classroom,
don’t have any recollection,
        no memory of a Cold War.
Of a time when the Russian Bear
        and the American Eagle,
would poke their noses
        over the Berlin wall;
just to see who could win
        the latest staring contest.
Those days when we feared
        an all-out atomic war.

Thank you God,
        those days are history.

Since the collapse of the U.S.S.R.,
        and the Berlin wall came tumblin’ down,
we’ve had little reason to fear each other;
        but a mutual alarm for rogue nations,
or terrorists getting their hands on a bomb
        and holding the world hostage.
That was our fear for the Sochi Olympics,
        a repeat of Munich: a world stage
for sending messages written in blood:
        conflict upstaging peace and unity.
But while we were watching the games,
        the beauty of sport uniting the world;
the great Bear woke from hibernation
        and strolled into long familiar territory.

Good Lord, what are we to do?

Crimea has already voted to rejoin,
        and Russia was happy to annex.
In the Ukraine: thousands of troops
        are staged along the border;
Soviets could raise their flag in Kiev
        before we… it could be there now.
Other Baltic nations are terrified:
        what will be Putin’s next move?
And what should the world do?
        help them? save them? ignore them?
Questions are easy, answers difficult.

Lord, in the face of such power,
        it’s hard to hear your promise:
        A king is not saved by his great army… *
But Lord, in the face of such power,
        where else can we turn but you?
So our prayers are simple.
We ask your wisdom for our leaders,
        those who must answer questions.
We beg you for peace,
        we are so weary of war.
We appeal for those in danger,
        whose very lives are at stake.
We plead for the innocent,
        the children afraid tonight.
We pray in the name
of the Prince of Peace,

Amen

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* Psalm 33:16

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