Hiroshima Day - 6 August

Today we recall with sorrow and repentance the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945...

A PRAYER FOR HIROSHIMA DAY

Like most traumatic scars, the ones that are found in Hiroshima and Nagasaki are permanent: reminders of the terrible damage human beings can inflict.

Similar scars can be found in the hearts and souls of people around the world who understand this terror: scars of grief, sadness, fear and even shame.

None of these scars promise an end to war and devastation. Instead, they serve as a reminder of healing and renewal — of a return to life.

Gracious God, Spirit of Life and Love, help us to see our scars: those we have created, those we are called to witness, and those we can soothe and heal.

We are deeply grateful for the buds and blossoms that even the most scarred offer as a revelation to the world.

And, especially on this 75th anniversary of Hiroshima Day, we renew our commitment to peace individually, collectively and globally:

To "peace within" which calms our anxieties and fears,
To "peace between" which overcomes differences, animosities and conflict,
And, to "the great peace," beyond even our understanding, that is Your gift and which we attempt to be stewards of for the world.

Amen.