PRAYERS FOR PEACE

On October 27, 1986, spiritual leaders from each of the world's 12 major religions came together for the first time in history, to share their most sacred prayers for the "Day of World Peace," celebrated in Assisi, Italy, in commemoration of the United Nations International Year of Peace. The 12 prayers are included in a booklet used at St. Paul’s Chapel of Trinity Church, Wall Street, during its daily Prayer for Peace service honoring all of those who perished on Sept. 11, 2001, the courage and compassion of volunteers and rescue workers, and the continuing efforts of all who work for peace, reconciliation and social justice around the world today.

Each week one more of these prayers is appended to the Parabola Spiritual Calender for the coming week, before being posted to Abe's Kids. This week's prayer is from the Hindu tradition.

HINDU

Oh God, lead us from the unreal to the Real.
Oh God, lead us from darkness to light.
Oh God, lead us from death to immortality.
Shanti, Shanti, Shanti unto all.

Oh Lord God almighty,
may there be peace in celestial regions.
May there be peace on earth.
May the waters be appeasing.
May all beneficent beings bring peace to us.
May thy Vedic Law propagate peace to all through the world.
May all things be a source of peace to us.
And may thy peace itself, bestow peace on all
and may that peace come to me also.


CHRISTIAN

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be known as the Children of God.
You have heard the saying, “love your neighbor but hate your enemies.”
But I say to you, love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you,
pray for those who abuse you.

To those that strike you on the cheek,
offer the other one also,
and from those who take away your cloak,
do not withhold your coat as well.

Give to everyone who begs from you,
and of those who take away your goods,
do not ask for them again.

And as you wish that others would do to you,
do so to them.


BUDDHIST

May all beings everywhere plagued
with sufferings of body and mind
be quickly freed from their illnesses.

May those frightened cease to be afraid,
and may those bound be free.

May the powerless find power,
and may people think of befriending on another.

May those who find themselves in trackless,
fearful wilderness – the children, the aged, the unprotected –
be guarded by beneficial celestials,
and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood.


BAHA’I

Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity.
Be fair in judgment, and guarded in your speech.
Be a lamp to those who walk in darkness, and a home to the stranger.
Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light to the feet of the erring.
Be a breath of life to the body of humankind, a dew to the soil of the human heart,
and a fruit upon the tree of humility.