| The 12 Peace Prayers from the major religions were first prayed together on November 11, 1986 when the leaders of the major religions of the world came together in Assisi, Italy to focus on peace. We honor these leaders now as we ask to be used to create a world based upon the laws of love. Also included are the abbreviated versions of the 12 peace prayers taken from Jimmy Twyman's book "Praying Peace". The abbreviated versions can be used during times such as lunch hours, etc. THE ORIGINAL PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, bring your faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, bring your light. Where there is sadness, bring your joy. Divine master, grant that I may not seek to be consoled as to console. Grant that I may not seek to be understood, as to understand. Lord, grant that I may not seek 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 to self that we are born to eternal life. HINDU PRAYER FOR PEACE Note: "Shanti" is the ancient Sanskrit word for the "Peace which surpasseth understanding." 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 herbs be wholesome, and may trees and plants bring peace to all. May all beneficent beings bring peace to us. May thy Vedic Law propagate peace 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. Abbreviated Hindu Prayer for Peace Oh God, lead us from the unreal to the real. Oh God, lead us from darkness into light. Oh God, lead us from death to immortality. Shanti, Shanti, Shanti unto all. BUDDHIST PRAYER FOR PEACE May all beings everywhere plagued with suffering of body and mind quickly be 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 one another. May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wildernesses - the children, the aged, the unprotected - be guarded by beneficent celestials, and may they quickly attain Buddhahood. Abbreviated Buddhist Prayer for Peace May all beings everywhere plagued of sufferings of body and mind, quickly be freed from their illnesses. May all beings swiftly attain Buddhahood. ZOROASTRIAN PRAYER FOR PEACE We pray to God to eradicate all the misery in the world: that understanding triumph over ignorance, that generosity triumph over indifference, that trust triumph over contempt, and that truth triumph over falsehood. Abbreviated Zoroastrian Prayer for Peace We pray to God that understanding will triumph over ignorance, that generosity will triumph over indifference, that trust will triumph over contempt, and that truth will triumph over falsehood. JANIST PRAYER FOR PEACE Note: "Dharma" translates as "essential quality or character" Peace and Universal Love is the essence of the Gospel preached by all the Enlightened Ones. The Lord has preached that equanimity is the Dharma. Forgive do I creatures all, and let all creatures forgive me. Unto all have I amity, and unto none enmity. Know that violence is the root cause of all miseries in the world. Violence, in fact, is the knot of bondage. "Do not injure any living being." This is the eternal, perennial, and unalterable way of spiritual life. A weapon, howsoever powerful it may be, can always be superseded by a superior one; but no weapon can, however, be superior to non-violence and love. Abbreviated Janist Prayer for Peace Peace and universal love is the essence of all the Gospels. Forgive do I creatures all, and let all creatures forgive me. JEWISH PRAYER FOR PEACE Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that we may walk the paths of the Most High. And we shall beat our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation - neither shall they learn war any more. And none shall be afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has spoken. Abbreviated Jewish Prayer for Peace Oh come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that we may walk the paths of the Most High. And we will beat our swords into plough- shares and our spears into pruning hooks. SHINTO PRAYER FOR PEACE Although the people living across the ocean surrounding us, I believe, are all our brothers and sisters, why are there constant troubles in this world? Why do winds and waves rise in the ocean surrounding us? I only earnestly wish that the wind will soon puff away all the clouds which are hanging over the tops of the mountains. Abbreviated Shinto Prayer for Peace We earnestly wish that the wind will soon puff away all the clouds hanging over the tops of the mountains. NATIVE AFRICAN PRAYER OF PEACE Almighty God, the Great Thumb we cannot evade to tie any knot; the Roaring Thunder that splits mighty trees; the all-seeing Lord up on high who sees ever the footprints of an antelope on a rock mass here on Earth. You are the one who does not hesitate to respond to our call. You are the cornerstone of peace. Abbreviated Native African Prayer For you are the one who does not hesitate to respond to our call, you are the cornerstone of peace. NATIVE AMERICAN PRAYER FOR PEACE O Great Spirit of our Ancestors, I raise my pipe to you, to your messengers the four winds, and to Mother Earth who provides for your children. Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love, to respect, and to be kind to each other, so that they may grow with peace in mind. Let us learn to share all good things that you provide for us on this Earth. Abbreviated Native American Prayer for Peace Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love, to respect and to be kind to one another, that we may grow with peace in mind. MUSLIM PRAYER FOR PEACE In the name of Allah the beneficent, the merciful. Praise be to the Lord of the Universe who has created us and made us into tribes and nations that we may know each other, not that we may despise each other. If the enemy incline towards peace, do thou also incline towards peace, and trust God, for the Lord is the one that heareth and knoweth all things. And the servants of God, most Gracious are those who walk on the Earth in humility, and when we address them, we say "PEACE." Abbreviated Muslim Prayer for Peace Praise be to the Lord of the Universe, who has created us and made us into tribes and nations that we may know each other, not despise each other. BAHA'I PRAYER FOR PEACE Be generous in prosperity and thankful in adversity. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be a lamp unto those who walk in darkness, and a home to the stranger. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto 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 Abbreviated Baha'i Prayer for Peace Be a breath of life unto the body of human kind, a dew upon the human heart, and a fruit upon the tree of humility. SIKH PRAYER OF PEACE God adjudges us according to our deeds, not the coat that we wear: that truth is above everything, but higher still is truthful living. Know that we attain God when we love, and only that victory endures in consequence of which no one is defeated. Abbreviated Sikh Prayer for Peace Know that we attain god when we love, and only that victory endures in consequence of which no one is defeated. CHRISTIAN PRAYER FOR PEACE Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS for they shall be known as the Children of God. But I sy to you that hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To 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 them again. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. Abbreviated Christian Prayer for Peace Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Blessed be the Peacemakers, for they shall be called the Children of God. THE REVISED PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS, BY DANIEL WHITTLES Lord, I AM an instrument of thy peace. Where there is Hatred, I AM Love. Where there is Injury, I AM Healing. Where there is Doubt, I AM Faithful, and Where there is Darkness, I AM Light Creator, through Unconditional Love, I choose to be Compassionate, I choose to be Understanding, I choose Love, I choose to See You in All Others and Myself, I choose to Give, Trusting in my Replenishment, I choose to Allow, Knowing that all is in Divine Order, and I choose to Surrender, Knowing that this truly is the path of Freedom. Quote: "...it's strange how many people only picture God as transcendent, making thunderbolts. God is transcendent, above the world and beyond it, outside time an dspace in a mode of being which is beyond the scope of our imaginations to conceive, but the God who makes himself known to us is the immanent God, the God who's so close that he's at the very center of our existence. It's strange too how much time people spend travelling round and round the circle of existence and getting nowhere. The real journey - the journey all people are required to take to achieve integration, self-realisation, and fulfillment - 'the eternal life' of religious language - is the journey inwards, the journey to the centre of the soul."~~~~~~~~~~Susan Howatch, 1992 "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever had." ~~~~~~Margaret Mead "In the time of gathering together, make no arbitrary choice of your associates, there are secret forces at work, leading together those who belong together."~~~~~~~~~I Ching Wisdom Home |
| The 12 Peace Prayers |
