Amid war, what are our prayers? Safety, unity, reconciliation

Earlier this week, The Tennessean asked some readers what they'll be praying for this weekend. Here are some of their responses:

''We will be praying for the safety of our troops and for our president. And for the Iraqi people who have been terrorized'' by Saddam Hussein.

— The Rev. Maury Davis, Cornerstone Church

''My prayer is that God will bless the world. For months, our president has closed his addresses to the public with the words, 'May God bless America.' Why just America? I believe that we are called to see the world as a global community where we all need … God's blessing. I have to believe that God is on the side of peace, and NOT on anyone's side for war. If we have learned anything from history, it is that violence does not stop violence.''

— Mark Anderson, Crievewood Baptist Church

''We're praying for unity, because without it there is no true peace. More than a century ago, Baha'u'llah wrote: 'The well being of mankind, its peace and security are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.' There is a Baha'i prayer that asks God to 'Make us as waves of the sea, flowers of the garden, united, agreed through the bounties of thy love.' We're also asking God to use us to help bring about that unity.''

— Carol Mansour, Williamson County Baha'i community

''Words and maybe even prayer is useless when our minds and wills are set against God's plan for us.''

— The Rev. Joseph Sanches, Holy Name Catholic Church

''We are praying for peace and reconciliation; for the men and women of our armed forces; for guidance for our nation, our president, and all in authority; for our enemies and for the ability to love them.''

— Peggy Tucker, Christ Cathedral Episcopal

''We affirm that each person on the planet is waking up to their divine nature and are acting accordingly with one another. God is all there is and God is the source of all good, and this good is expressed in our lives and in our world to the level that we allow it. In this we know that there is nothing to fear because somehow and in some way, it will eventually lead us all to the awareness of a Supreme Being, whatever we call it and in whatever form it takes for each of us.''

— The Rev. Felicia Searcy, Unity Church of Life, Murfreesboro

''I'm praying for protection for all people, for direction for every leader, for eternal life for every soldier and civilian. I pray for God's kingdom to come and his will, not my will, to be done on earth as it is in heaven. I'm also asking, what are the weapons of God's warfare? Some of the answers I've found in Scripture include wisdom, integrity, humility and courage. I'm praying that every soldier and civilian be strengthened with these qualities and protected by them. I can't pray for the destruction of any person. Evil is destroyed but all men and women are to be saved by Christ.''

— Elise Moore, First Church of Christ Scientist

''During the days and nights ahead, I will be praying for the safety of our men and women in the armed forces, that they will be protected by God's army of angels. I will also pray for our own homeland security, that terrorism will be defeated, and that we and our children will once again live in peace.''

— Fran Rajotte, St. Matthew Catholic Church, Franklin

''This is my prayer: May I find the courage to live my vision of peace, in words and in deeds, whether or not I am seen or heard; may I find ways to demonstrate my faith — small and large ways — to witness to life's goodness, especially to those who are afraid. May I be generous and compassionate toward all those with whom I share life, even those whom I do not understand and those whose views are disturbing to me; and may I be someone who keeps hope alive.

''Amen. Amen.''

— The Rev. Mary Katherine Morn, First Unitarian Universalist Church

— Compiled By Brian Lewis

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