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In his spiritual autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain, Trappist monk and peace activist Thomas Merton wrote:
O God, we are one with you, You have made us one with you. You have taught us that if we are open to one another, you dwell in us. Help us to preserve this openness and to fight for it with all our hearts.
What are your dreams and prayers for peace, for your own role as a peace-maker and for those across the globe who call themselves your enemy? What do you think God is calling you to do? How can we act as instruments of peace in a world marked by terror and hatred? Where can we plant seeds of love and compassion and what should we do to help those seeds grow?
We
invite you to fill this page with your Dreams and Prayers for Peace.
We will post them here and pin our faith on God's presence and love
to guide us faithfully towards bringing these dreams to reality.
Please send an email to mail@explorefaith.org with Peace in the subject line.
What
actions can we, as Christians, take to bring about peace? We have to start
with ourselves, of course. We have to open ourselves up to God, through
Christ, so that we practice compassion and even love those who declare
themselves our enemies. If we made progress down this path what concrete
actions might we take?
Can you imagine what might happen if leaders from all of the major Christian denominations sent a delegation to say, Tehran, to meet with leaders from all branches of Islamic faith? I do not just mean the moderates. I mean sitting down and breaking bread with those who view us as “infidels.” Would they begin to see us and themselves as children of God? Maybe not immediately but perhaps there would begin to be less separation between us.
Perhaps
the forces of hatred that drive our cultures and our governments to war
would begin to weaken under the assault of Christ's teaching to love our
enemies and pray for those who wish us harm. Is this hope too much to
ask? As our Lord Christ said, with God, all things are possible.
Welcome
Spring
Sunshine beaming through the weeping tree limbs, left weak and broken
by the torrid winter winds . . .
We
welcome you, spring.
Bright sunshine warming all the earth's weary creatures-waking them with
promises of renewed spirits . . .
We
welcome you, spring.
Light
our sky with warm beams of love, bright rays of hope, and colorful rainbows
of promises for peace . . .
We
welcome you, spring.
©
JFA 1993
MY
MESSAGE FOR PEACE AND HARMONY
Dear brothers & sisters,
We all need to pray for one another, and to love one another. We should
always pray for the safety, peace, love and brotherhood for people all
over the world. Too bad we can't have an independence day for the entire
world. A day of freedom from ignorance, hatred, war, illusions, power
and control. A day where we can all love each other as human beings and
toss away the
weapons of war, and cast out our fears and hatreds from our hearts into
the graves. We must mourn the graves of the innocents all over the world,
and give the children of the world the hope of a peaceful, loving and
beautiful world. A world full of love and without hatred or fear. A world
where we can join hands together and accept one another, regardless of
our skin color, ethnic divisions, religion or nationality. If we don't
unite as a human race, then we have condemned the future generation of
children a dark and very grim future. Think of love, compassion and peace
always...
MY
PRAYER FOR PEACE AND HARMONY
Merciful God, You made all of the people of the world in Your own image
and placed before us the pathway of salvation through different Preachers
who claimed to have been Your Saints and Prophets. But, the contradictions
(made by us) in the interpretation of Your teachings have resulted in
creating divisions, faith based hatreds and bloodshed in the world community.
Millions of innocent men, women and children have so far been brutally
killed by the militants of several religions who have been
committing horrifying crimes against humanity and millions more would
not be butchered by them in the future, if You guide and help us find
ways to reunite peacefully.
IN
THE NAME OF GOD, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL, look with compassion
on the whole human family; take away the controversial teachings of arrogance,
divisions and hatreds which have badly infected our
hearts; break down the walls that separate us; reunite us in bonds of
love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish Your purposes
on earth; that, in Your good time, all nations and races could jointly
serve You in justice, peace and harmony. (Amen)
S.A.Rehman
PAKISTAN
"O
the depth of the riches of both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are His judgements, and his ways past finding out! For who
hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath first been his counsellor?"
Romans 11:33-34
DEAR GOD: The mystery of
this universe, earth and life can we as humans really ever understand?
As creater and ruler of all there is, musn't these things, such as war
and evil doings, also be a part of your plan since they are "permitted"
to occur? Is there really "a time to love, and a time to hate; a
time of war and a time of peace" ? (Ecclesiastes 3:8)
From a personal standpoint, it seems that wisdom and growth usually stem
from the "bad" situations and circumstances and low points
that I encounter and thankfully learn from and overcome. Could this
principle
also be applicable on a much grander scale, like the world?
In my idealisic and hopeful heart of hearts, I would like for mankind
to see only one race—the human race—and for all to stand in
brotherhood and sisterhood under one GOD (that is manifested in so many
ways, both great and small) and to abound in common goals of expressing
the essence of the Source through how we live our lives.
Simply put, I would like to see peace, harmony, justice and love openly
given and freely received across all borders and peoples.
In the context of the great mystery of the world, let all of us those
who seek and desire peace, through peaceful measures, be granted the insight,
strength and skills to be peacemakers and peacekeepers.
God, I know that you are ALWAYS greater than any and all unfavorable situation,
cirumstance and dilemma. How can anything other than your will be done?
Crystal Amos
Marietta, GA
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