Father, Son and Holy Spirit,we tremble before this cup,give us the strength to drink it,this: our prayer for our enemies.And we confessthat we are but dust,we do not have the strength to carry this burden.So fill us with your Holy Spirit.May your Spirit intercede for us in this moment.For nothing draws us to this prayer.And we confessthat we kneel before youmore out of obedience than grace.Obedience to the one who commanded us to love our enemiesand pray for those who persecute us.We pray for our enemiesbecause the love of Christ compels us.Father, we pray for our enemies. We pray for ISIS.And in doing so we face in this momentthe terrible mystery of our faith.The stumbling block.The scandal of the cross.Give us your Spirit, Father,so that we will not falter in this, our great test, to carry the cross.Give us the strength to carry the burden of this love.We pray for our enemies. We pray for ISIS.We pray for their repentance, their conversion and their salvation.We pray, dear Father, that you carry these words, through your Spirit, to our enemies.We pray that these words pierce their hearts and trouble their souls.Father, may your Spirit move in the hearts of our enemiesto hear these words:Dear brothers, hear the Word of the Lord.No more. No more.Dear brothers, repent. Repent and believe the Good News that the Kingdom of God is in your midst.Dear brothers, the Kingdom of God is there in the faces of those you kill and rape.Dear brothers, the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom you seek, is there weeping, pleading in front of you.Dear brothers, can you see it?Can you see through the lies of the Evil One?Dear brothers, my God, your God, the God of Abraham, is a God of peace and love.So no more, dear brothers, no more. Do not do this terrible thing.Repent, and believe the Good News.We are all children of God.We are all brothers and sisters.Repent.For God is a God of love.Father in Heaven, carry these words,by your Spiritcarry these words to our enemies.

Wound them with our love and yours.

_______________This originally appeared on 9/14/2015 on Richard's blog.If you would like to pray for the leaders of ISIS by name, here is a list. Add them to your prayer journal and see what God does with this.