What an amazing way to begin a New Year!
World Peace Prayer Service
I’ve prayed my own short prayers nightly for world peace as I’m sure you all have, but I had never attended an entire Sunday service dedicated to the world’s peace.
A song written by Gwen Girvin called, God Bless the Whole Wide World, was lovingly performed by her and her husband George. She was inspired to write this song when she was only eight and realized as a child that God blesses more than just America.
People from many cultures came to say a prayer for peace, mostly prayers that are practiced in their birth countries and religion. They’d recite in their language, (Then repeat in English).
I knew this service would be interesting, but had no idea of the immense intensity of emotion these prayers, chants and words would invoke within me. I have no doubt people of all cultures, located all over the entire world felt our love, prayers, chants, and songs as they were so purposely expressed.
I can only describe this service as one of the most powerful I’ve ever attended. My body tingled from head to toe, beginning to the end.
Some people brought instruments such as, Native American drums, tambourines, flutes, maracas, and wore authentic clothing to match. We heard Buddhist chats, one in Thai, two Baha’i Prayers, one (Farsi – Persian Language) Chinese, Japanese, and Sanskrit chants, along with prayers in, Mandarin, a Hawaiian and a Hungarian prayer. Amazing and Wow! I am so grateful to have been a part of this experience.
There was a strong united connection present, no matter the color of skin, language, or appearances, and it was obvious even though we’re all so unique in our different ways that we still have one amazing thing in common, our great love of God and a genuine hope for peace in our magnificent world.
I was invited and able to contribute my own prayer, titled, We Can, and was humbled and honored to do so.
WE CAN
by, M. M. Scheidel
We can
Pray
May the wounds of all earthly battles remain only on the temporary body, never finding home in the soul.
Please God
Wash away all hatred and anger that impedes the mind, cleansing, healing, and make every one anew.
Energize us to do our part.
We can
Create an effort each day to begin with peace on our own soul.
We can
Share amongst anyone who is willing to experience, and hear
and those who are not. . . we can utilize our God-given artillery.
We can
Surround them with our weapons of love, swathe them with our compassion, and caress them with our empathy. Reminding, and encouraging all encountered to know of their own divineness within.
We can…
Do all of this daily in our mind, body, and souls… for we and our world craves peace
Because we have the divine within us we already know
Peace begins with me, Peace begins in our families, and Peace begins with each and every one of you!
We can
All unite to do our part… and so it is – Amen
