Prayers for Peace and Justice through Nonviolence
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The daily 3-Minute Retreat is a short prayer break at your computer
that can give you 24 hours of peace. Take a moment to reflect on Psalm 34:15. |
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BLESSING FOR PEACE
As the fever of day calms towards twilight May all that is strained in us come to ease. We pray for all who suffered violence today, May an unexpected serenity surprise them. For those who risk their lives each day for peace, May their hearts glimpse providence at the heart of history. That those who make riches from violence and war Might hear in their dreams the cries of the lost. That we might see through our fear of each other A new vision to heal our fatal attraction to aggression. That those who enjoy the privilege of peace Might not forget their tormented brothers and sisters. That the wolf might lie down with the lamb, That our swords be beaten into ploughshares And no hurt or harm be done Anywhere along the holy mountain. JOHN O'DONOHUE From the book, Benedictus |
The fruit of silence is prayer,
the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace. --St. Teresa of Calcutta |
Two peoples, one land,
Three faiths, one root, One earth, one mother, One sky, one beginning, one future, one destiny, One broken heart, One God. We pray to You: Grant us a vision of unity. May we see the many in the one and the one in the many. May you, Life of All the Worlds, Source of All Amazing Differences Help us to see clearly. Guide us gently and firmly toward each other, Toward peace. Amen. Rabbi Sheila Weinberg Jewish Community of Amherst, Amherst, MA |
A Prayer for the World
Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations. Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect. Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows. Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken. Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly. So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin color. Let the warmth and brightness of the sun melt our selfishness. So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrows of our neighbors. And let the light of the sun be so strong that we will see all people as our neighbors. Let the earth, nourished by rain, bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty. And let the mountains teach our hearts to reach upward to heaven. Amen. Rabbi Harold Kushner - 2003 
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Prayer for World Peace
Great God, who has told us "Vengeance is mine," save us from ourselves, save us from the vengeance in our hearts and the acid in our souls. Save us from our desire to hurt as we have been hurt, to punish as we have been punished, to terrorize as we have been terrorized. Give us the strength it takes to listen rather than to judge, to trust rather than to fear, to try again and again to make peace even when peace eludes us. We ask, O God, for the grace to be our best selves. We ask for the vision to be builders of the human community rather than its destroyers. We ask for the humility as a people to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples. We ask for the love it takes to bequeath to the children of the world to come more than the failures of our own making. We ask for the heart it takes to care for all the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq, of Palestine and Israel as well as for ourselves. Give us the depth of soul, O God, to constrain our might, to resist the temptations of power to refuse to attack the attackable, to understand that vengeance begets violence, and to bring peace--not war--wherever we go. For You, O God, have been merciful to us. For You, O God, have been patient with us. For You, O God, have been gracious to us. And so may we be merciful and patient and gracious and trusting with these others whom you also love. This we ask through Jesus, the one without vengeance in his heart. This we ask forever and ever. Amen. Sister Joan Chittister - Benedictine Sisters of Erie |
Prayer for World Peace
We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which
we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times
keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings
and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with
generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature
and control our greed for material things, knowing that
our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being
for who he is, for who she is,
reaching to the spirit that is within,
knowing the power of each individual to change the world.
We pray for social justice,
for the alleviation of the crippling poverty
that condemns millions of people around the world
to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving,
who are condemned to homelessness, slave labor, and prostitution,
and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture
even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war,
for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places
through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.
We pray for suffering animals everywhere,
for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation,
intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping,
training for entertainment, abusive pet owners,
and all other forms of exploitation
such as overloading and overworking pack animals,
bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.
We pray for an end to cruelty,
whether to humans or other animals,
for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving
and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.
We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us,
and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.
Dr. Jane Goodall
We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which
we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times
keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings
and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with
generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature
and control our greed for material things, knowing that
our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being
for who he is, for who she is,
reaching to the spirit that is within,
knowing the power of each individual to change the world.
We pray for social justice,
for the alleviation of the crippling poverty
that condemns millions of people around the world
to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving,
who are condemned to homelessness, slave labor, and prostitution,
and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture
even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war,
for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places
through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.
We pray for suffering animals everywhere,
for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation,
intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping,
training for entertainment, abusive pet owners,
and all other forms of exploitation
such as overloading and overworking pack animals,
bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.
We pray for an end to cruelty,
whether to humans or other animals,
for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving
and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.
We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us,
and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.
Dr. Jane Goodall
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PRAYER FOR PEACE IN OUR COMMUNITIES
Let us pray . . . O Lord our God, in your mercy and kindness, no thought of ours is left unnoticed, no desire or concern ignored. You have proven that blessings abound when we fall on our knees in prayer, and so we turn to you in our hour of need. Surrounded by violence and cries for justice, we hear your voice telling us what is required . . . “Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mi 6:8). Fill us with your mercy so that we, in turn, may be merciful to others. Strip away pride, suspicion, and racism so that we may seek peace and justice in our communities. Strengthen our hearts so that they beat only to the rhythm of your holy will. Flood our path with your light as we walk humbly toward a future filled with encounter and unity. Be with us, O Lord, in our efforts, for only by the prompting of your grace can we progress toward virtue. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. USCCB World Day of Peace Handout 
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May we come together after so many bitter words and such division.
May our minds open to the experience and points of view of those who are not just like ourselves. May we heal from sexism, racism, bigotry, and misunderstandings of all kinds. May we have imagination enough to transform hate. May we practice compassion, empathy, patience. May we work together to steward the planet, the water, our benevolent institutions, our children, our future. May we strengthen and expand a political process that excludes too many of us. May the arc of the universe bend toward justice. May kindness prevail. And decency. May neighborliness take root—let’s get to know one another. Let’s find ways of living together without walls. May we come to understand that we are multitudes, and that is a good thing. May we nourish the seeds of peace in our interactions with one another, because how we speak to, and treat one another matters. May we find our place, and do the real work that needs doing, and trust that we each have a role to play in creating a healthy, inclusive, resilient, beautiful society. May hearts open, open, open, open, open, open, open, open, open wider than before. |
Litany of Nonviolence
Provident God,
aware of our own brokenness,
we ask the gift of courage
to identify how and where we are in need of conversion
in order to live in solidarity with Earth and all creation.
Deliver us from the violence of superiority and disdain.
Grant us the desire, and the humility,
to listen with special care to those
whose experiences and attitudes are different from our own.
Deliver us from the violence of greed and privilege.
Grant us the desire, and the will, to live simply
so others may have their just share of Earth’s resources.
Deliver us from the silence
that gives consent to abuse, war and evil.
Grant us the desire, and the courage,
to risk speaking and acting for the common good.
Deliver us from the violence
of irreverence, exploitation and control.
Grant us the desire, and the strength,
to act responsibly within the cycle of creation.
God of love, mercy and justice,
acknowledging our complicity
in those attitudes, action and words which perpetuate violence,
we beg the grace of a non-violent heart.
Amen.
Sisters of Providence, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
Read A Reflection on World Day of Peace by Sister Jeanne Hagelskamp.
Provident God,
aware of our own brokenness,
we ask the gift of courage
to identify how and where we are in need of conversion
in order to live in solidarity with Earth and all creation.
Deliver us from the violence of superiority and disdain.
Grant us the desire, and the humility,
to listen with special care to those
whose experiences and attitudes are different from our own.
Deliver us from the violence of greed and privilege.
Grant us the desire, and the will, to live simply
so others may have their just share of Earth’s resources.
Deliver us from the silence
that gives consent to abuse, war and evil.
Grant us the desire, and the courage,
to risk speaking and acting for the common good.
Deliver us from the violence
of irreverence, exploitation and control.
Grant us the desire, and the strength,
to act responsibly within the cycle of creation.
God of love, mercy and justice,
acknowledging our complicity
in those attitudes, action and words which perpetuate violence,
we beg the grace of a non-violent heart.
Amen.
Sisters of Providence, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
Read A Reflection on World Day of Peace by Sister Jeanne Hagelskamp.
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Violence never again!
War never again! Terrorism never again! In God's name, may all religions bring upon earth justice and peace, forgiveness, life and love! Saint Pope John Paul II - 01.24.2002 |
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Prayer for Peace Day, 2006
Fountain of Everlasting Peace and Healing Balm, Wash over our wounds of war, violence, and hatred, Scrub deep the stains that destroy the fabric of Your Existence, Mend the tattered threads of the Cloak of Your Majesty, The delicate web of the universe which is Your Life and Love... A prophet of non-violence You have raised up for Truth, Reflecting the Source of Your Unfathomable Wisdom, Flowing from the One Great Abyss of Creation's Glory, Open our minds to hear Your Voice speaking Peace this day, Born from One Cosmic Egg, we are one family in You, Help us to learn forgiveness, kindness, tolerance, Greatness of mind and heart, So that destroying all weapons of war, Burying all animosities and differences, We may hear the Divine Harmony of Your Love, Preserving our blue-jewel-earth-planet, Spinning the dance of a Mother's Infinite Tenderness, That draws all into Unity in one Compassionate Heart. Bestow the Blissful Smile of sun and rain which is Your Divine Presence Making Peace grow in our hearts as seeds for a new era, Birthing the song of non-violence Which blesses our world with Peace Eternal. Sister Rosemarie |
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