The history of humanity is littered with conflict and struggle. Nonetheless, God has sent us prophets and messengers to call us to repentance and renewal. In the person of Jesus of Nazareth we gained God's own son in human flesh. Jesus founded a movement to show us the way to justice, peace, and love.
Our source for being and our strength to live into our mission is God. One way that humanity engages with God is through prayer. But we should be clear that prayer is not passive. Prayer is our call to action. When we pray to God for peace and justice, we are asking God for guidance and strength so we can go about the work of promoting peace and justice through God's love.
The Rev. Jay Lawlor, an Episcopal priest and author, presents a collection of prayers on peace and justice from the Episcopal Church's Book of Common Prayer.