I came across an inspirational site recently, one that provides food for thought, and a sense of hope, given the positive messages from the various cultures represented. The site contains Twelve Prayers for Peace, from at least 10 different groups from all around the world. The list includes:
The Prayer of St Francis
Baha’i Prayer for Peace
Buddhist Prayer for Peace
Hindu Prayer for Peace
Jainist Prayer for peace
Musliim Prayer for Peace
Native American Prayer for Peace
Another Native American Prayer for Peace
Shinto Prayer for Peace
Zoroastrian Prayer for Peace
Sikh Prayer for Peace
Christian Prayer for Peace
I’ve included the entire Prayer of St Francis, because I think the message it speaks is mostly relevant no matter one’s personal faith and convictions:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred . . . let me show love
Where there is injury . . . pardon
Where there is doubt . . . faith
Where there is despair . . .hope
Where there is darkness . . . light
Where there is sadness . . .joy
Divine Master,
grant that i may not so much seek
To be consoled . . .as to console
To be understood . . .as to understand,
To be loved . . . as to love
For it is in giving . . .that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
It is in dying . . .that we are born to eternal life
I hope the world-wide peace marches this past weekend will help bring about peace, and helped demonstrate that a unilateral first-strike would be considered a crime by most of the world’s people.