O almighty and merciful God,
Lord of the universe and of history.
All that You have created is good
and your compassion for the mistakes of mankind
knows no limits.
We come to You today to ask You
to keep in peace the world and its people,
to keep far away from it the devastating wave of terrorism,
to restore friendship and instill in the hearts of your creatures
the gift of trust and of readiness to forgive.
—from the book The Hope of Lent: Daily Reflections from Pope Francis
by Diane M. Houdek
