Prayer of Thanksgiving: Remembrance Day

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving for Remembrance Day (November 11). It was written by Rev. Marjory Macaskill, Chaplain University of Strathclyde, and posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website.

Remembrance Day
Prayer of Thanksgiving

Where swords are turned to ploughshares
and spears to pruning hooks
where the guns fall silent
and the rumours of war cease
We see the love of God
written on the hearts of men and women
And offer our thanksgiving to God

Where man says’ I am my brother’s keeper’
and the guardian of his days
Where mothers’ sons grow old
in lands free from strife
We see the love of God
written on the hearts of men and women
And offer our thanksgiving to God

Where enemies destroy the barriers that divide
and no man’s land becomes home to each and all
Where colour, creed and nation
unite not stand apart
We see the love of God
written on the hearts of men and women
And offer our thanksgiving to God.

Where silent remembering inspires songs of freedom, justice, truth
and the sacrifice of old shapes the passion for our future
Where those who gave their lives and youth
let us age in years and wisdom
We see the love of God
written on the hearts of men and women
And offer our thanksgiving to God.

Where courage never fades in the battle for the right
and power is given to the weak, the least, the last
Where compassion finds a home
to root out fear, mistrust or pride
We see the love of God
written on the hearts of men and women
And offer our thanksgiving to God.

For the love of Father, Son and Spirit
is the source of human love
the fire of God within us
shedding light upon our path
write this love upon our hearts God
as we offer you our thanks
through Jesus Christ our saviour
who offers life to us.  Amen  

~ written by Rev Marjory Macaskill, Chaplain University of Strathclyde, and posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/8349/13Nov2011.pdf