a prayer for the middle east

God of Israel and God of Ishmael,

this is what we know:

fear will yield to faith, 

violence will give way to peace, 

hate will turn into love, 

tears will be wiped away, 

death will be no more, 

swords will be beaten into plowshares, 

justice and peace will kiss, 

hope will prevail, 

lives shattered by war will be put back together again piece by piece by piece...

In the name of God, 

Most Gracious,

Most Merciful,

may it always be so,

Amen.