There is no peace down the barrel of a gun.

There is no peace down the barrel of a gun.
Where judgement is prised over justice,
Where order is maintained by threat, bullet & lash.
Where some are first and others last.
There is no peace, and no peace will grow there.
“Those who live by the sword will die by the sword”

Peace does not grow in blood-soaked soil.
Instead, the world will be won by beauty.
There is no beauty in war
There is no beauty in violence
There is no beauty in theft
There is no beauty in oppression
There is no beauty while Women are not free.
Until beauty wins the world, there is no peace.

Beauty cannot be forced, it must grow freely.
Laws don’t change people.
Force doesn’t change people.
Coercion doesn’t change people
Love does.
Love can melt a cold heart.
love can cut through seething anger.
love can mend ancient wounds.
Until love wins the world for beauty, there will be no peace.

So we pray: ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done’
For beauty, love and peace are yours.
Your kingdom is beauty.
A beauty of every tribe and every tongue,
where every Man a brother, every Woman a sister.
Where the disposition is generosity,
Where the rule is give not take,
Where the last are first,
and the masters wash the servant’s feet.
Where the law is love and the news is of ‘peace’!
”Where old men and women walk the streets and sit together in the city squares.
And the streets of the city are full of boys and girls playing.”
“Your kingdom come”

Lord, win the world through your beauty
Lord, win the world through your love
Lord, your kingdom come!
Your Kingdom come at home and abroad
Your kingdom come in every heart
In every home.
In every nation.
Rise up! O Lord,
Bring your sceptre of justice, the sceptre of your kingdom.
May your flag fly freely across the world,
May it fly tonight from the rooftops of Kabul.

Amen