2013 South-North Korean Joint Prayer for Easter

2013 South-North Korean Joint Prayer for Easter

March 31, 2013

Lord you embrace all humankind with the power of your love and we are

thankful for your endless mercy. As we stand in front you sincerely and

honestly, hear our prayer.

For us, you went to the cross and defeated death, and filled with joy, we

receive the news of your resurrection. Your resurrection was the beam of dawn

light overcoming darkness, the flower of hope in time of despair. We thank

you that the Christians in the North and South Korea are still able to believe in

Peace and Reunification of Korea as strongly as we believe in the promise of

your resurrection.

For thousands of years we lived sharing the same blood, the same language

and the same heart. But now we stand perplexed, not able to overcome

division, and live hating each other instead. Have compassion on us and grant

us your grace to love each other.

It is not possible to divide one child; to divide one people into two will lead to

their death. During the last 60 years we have not been able leave this path of

death. Now, in these days in particular, the confidence of a deep wisdom and a

full determination for abundant life together is more urgent than ever. Let us

overcome the death that was caused through division and reach unification

through the love of God we carry within our hearts.

Lord, you gave your disciples peace when they faced the horror of death.

Since we have not been able to overcome the status of ceasefire which ended

the fratricidal war that began on June 25 1950, now 60 years ago, we pray for

your abundant peace to overflow the Korean Peninsula like a river. As we

repent please forgive us the sin of not being able to establish peace for the past

60 years. Help us end this ongoing war and let us strongly move forward to set

the first year of a permanent peace. We want to cultivate, not the influence of

division, but peace through reconciliation and reunification and begin a new

chapter in our history.

Lord, you opened the hearts of the leaders of North and South and made them

work together on the June 15 and October 4 statements but we are currently

not able to live up to those agreements. Give us the wisdom to continue with

steps of peace. As well, Lord, please reopen the gates to Mt. Geumgang that

have been closed for far too long now, reactivate the economical partnership at

Gaesong Industrial Complex and let the path that reunified separated families

be opened again.

As one people who strives for reunification, hear our prayer. Let us conquer

the power of death caused by war and division and open the way for peace and

reunification. In the name of Jesus, who through his resurrection gave us the

breath of life and peace, we pray. Amen.

National Council of Churches in Korea Korean Christian Federation

(The NCCK wrote the prayer for Easter and sent to it to the KCF

but the NCCK did not get a response from the KCF)