God of the swaying palms,

the stones of earth and the beasts of burden bear witness to your coming:

lead us from the violence of empire and the collusion of crowds

to a heart of flesh, a world remade, and a new song for all creation,

through Jesus Christ, the Crucified One. Amen.

If we have used your house for our purposes as if you did not mind or it did not matter,

Christ, forgive us.

If we have smothered your house in tradition rather than hallowed it by prayer,

Christ, forgive us.

If we have made of it a house for one nation, or for part of a nation, or for part of one church,

Christ, forgive us.

And if we can see clearly the misuse others make of your house

and are blind to our own malpractices,

Christ, forgive us.

Kindle in us and in all your people the desire to make all your sanctuaries

the shop windows of heaven rather that religious theme parks of earth.

We ask this in the name of +God, our Loving Mother and Father; Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Friend; and the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Sanctifier. Amen.

(Edited by Cody E. Maynus from "Peace Meditation--Morning Prayer for Palm Sunday" by Canon Vicki Garvey of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. Her source is drawn and adapted from: Steven Shakespeare, Prayers for an Inclusive Church (Church Publishing, 2009), 91; Iona Community, Stages on the Way (GIA, 2000), 88; Bruce Prewer, Uniting Church of Australia, his blog for Sunday.)