The following reflection was created to use with a group of people gathered to reflect on nuclear weapons

Prayerful Reflections on Nuclear Weapons

The following reflections were created to use with a group of people gathered to reflect on nuclear weapons. Please adapt it for use in any way that you’d like, feel free to use any or all of the parts.

Reflection 1

Need to bring: -- bowl with ashes

A CALL TO REMEMBER

Facilitator: We represent many cultures and traditions, living in a broken world, inhabiting a threatened planet, sisters and brothers in a common human family. We gather to remember our history, to repent for our sins and to build to a better future. We choose to remember victims, break the silence and seek the truth. We reject the dullness of forgetting which can dissolve the sharp edges of what some people have done and allowed to happen to other people.

We are not the first to gather in this way; men, women and children have gathered through history opposing force and violence, speaking against the so-called glory of war by remembering the stories of the victims whom makers of war prefer to forget. Let us hear two of their voices:

Reader 1: A sound is heard in Ramah, the sound of bitter weeping. Rachel is crying for her children; she refuses to be comforted, for they are dead. (Lamentations of Jeremiah, 5^th century BCE)

Reader 2: The city was full of sun. The fliers could see the green grass in the gardens. No fighters rose up to meet them. There was no flak. No one in the city bothered to take cover.

The bomb exploded within 100 feet of the aiming point. The fireball was 18,000 feet across. The temperature at the center of the fireball was a hundred million degrees. The people who were near the center became nothing. The whole city was blown to bits and the ruins all caught fire instantly everywhere, burning briskly. Seventy thousand people were killed right away or died within a few hours. Those who did not die at once suffered great pain. Few of them were soldiers. (from Original Child Bomb by Thomas Merton)

Moment of Silence

A CALL TO REPENT:

We ask forgiveness for our complicity in the violence now unleashed in our world and we repent of the violence in our own hearts.

For the desire for power FORGIVE US, WE PRAY

For the conspiracy of silence "

For the worship of weapons "

For wounding the earth "

For ignoring the poor "

For exporting arms "

For wanting too much "

For failing to risk "

For failing to act "

For failing to negotiate "

For failing to hope FORGIVE US, WE PRAY.

For failing to love "

For our arrogance "

For our impatience "

For our cowardice "

For our pride "

That we learn compassion CHANGE OUR HEARTS.

That we embrace nonviolence "

That we act in justice "

That we live in hope "

That we might be strong "

That we do your will "

That we might be peace "

Amen, Amen.

A Signing with Ashes:

We invite you to approach the middle and mark yourself with the ancient sign of repentance, ashes.

Facilitator: Repentance is a painful gift. Yet it bears the fruit of a renewed understanding of the depth of war’s evil and the true nature of God’s peace; a deepened conviction which provides strength to pledge ourselves to pursue the long slow journey of being peacemakers.

All: May we be healed of all wounds that prevent us from speaking and acting for justice, and be strengthened for the hard work of making peace that lies before us. May we be released from our fears, that we might be strong, that we might be peace.

O God, we believe that peacemaking means planting seeds even though we may never see the flower, and that it means never losing sight of the vision promised by you. We hold fast to your word that one day swords will be beat into plowshares. May we, as peacemakers, stake our lives on that promise. We ask this through your life-giving Spirit. Amen

Reflection 2

Need to bring: -- seeds in a bowl

Facilitator: We gather (today, this morning etc.) mindful of all who have died as a result of our use of nuclear weapons.

As we seek the harvest of God’s creation, let us listen to the words of prayers from our religious traditions.

Reader 1: Isaiah the Prophet prays: Come, let us go up to the mountain that we may walk the paths of the most high. And we shall beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation—neither shall they learn war anymore. And none shall be afraid (Pause)

Reader 2: In the Name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful, praise be that we may know each other, not that we may despise each other. If the enemy incline toward peace, do thou also incline toward peace. And the servants of God are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when we address Thee, we say "Peace." (Pause)

Reader 3: Jesus the Wisdom of God says: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. And I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly; to the person who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek, too. (Pause)

Reader 4: O great Spirit of our Ancestors, I raise my pipe to you, to your messengers the four winds and to Mother Earth, who provides for your children. Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love, to respect, and to be kind to each other so that all may grow with peace. (Pause)

Ritual of the Seeds (gather in a circle)

Pass the bowl of seeds around the circle. As each person offers the bowl to the next person, say "Be a Sower of God’s Reign of Peace." The recipient takes a seed from the bowl, then takes the bowl and offers it to the next person with the same words. When the bowl is fully passed, it is returned to its place in the center.

Facilitator: If you’d like, share one seed of hope that you see sprouting today.

Facilitator: Spirit of live, we remember today the women and men, named and unnamed, who throughout time have planted seeds, have used the power and gifts you gave them to change the world. We call upon these ancestors to help us discover within ourselves your power and the ways to use it to bring about Your reign of justice and peace.

We remember Sarah, who with Abraham answered God’s call to leave her homeland and put her faith in a covenant with God. We pray for her power of faith.

Response: Seeds of Wisdom, hear our prayer.

We remember Esther, Judith and Deborah, who by acts of individual courage saved their nation. We pray for their power of courage to act for the greater good.

Response: Seeds of Wisdom, hear our prayer.

We remember those who are victims of violence, poverty, homelessness and injustices. May they be granted the power to overcome fear and seek solutions. Response…

We remember those who have given their lives seeking justice and peace. Response…

We remember those who have contributed to the work and life of Ground Zero. Response…

Please feel free to add your own prayers…

Facilitator: Gracious God, may our deepest yearning meet the ardent impulse of Your love and Your will. Loving God, nourish the seed of hope that is dormant within us. We eagerly await the fullness of life that only your Spirit can give. Come, Spirit of Life. Amen.

All: O God, we believe that peacemaking means planting seeds even though we may never see the flower, and that it means never losing sight of the vision promised by you. We hold fast to Your Word that one day swords will be made into plowshares. May we, as peacemakers, stake our lives on that promise. We ask this through your life-giving Spirit. Amen.

Song: Vine and fig tree song/dance