Divine Word Missionaries

Peace, Justice and Integrity Of Creation

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INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PEACE
SEPTEMBER 21st

Rom 12, 18 and 13,8
“Do your best to live in peace with everybody. Do not be in debt to anyone. Let this be the only debt of one to another: Love. The one who loves his or her neighbor fulfilled the Law.”

In November 1981, the General Assembly of UN approved a resolution instituting the celebration of an annual International Day for Peace, to be celebrated on the third Tuesday of September, when the General Assembly starts its works. It was celebrated for the first time in 1982. Twenty years later, the UN fixed a permanent date for this celebration: September 21st. According to the UN, this date needs to be a proper time for the United Nations, all the member countries and for all people throughout the world, to concentrate their efforts to promote the ideals of peace and to clearly manifest their commitment to Peace, in all its forms… The International Day for Peace needs to celebrate and strength the ideals of peace among and inside all Nations and all Peoples. The UN proclaims the importance of celebrating this International Day for Peace in a spiritual way also and that all religious groups pray for Peace for all people. So I suggest that in all our communities we pray and renew our commitment for justice, peace and Integrity of Creation.

Michael Heinz svd

Suggestions for a prayer

Create an atmosphere with signs of peace: colored flowers, lights, etc. You can be very creative. Prepare a musical background or sing to welcome the people for this moment of prayer.

FOLLOWING THE WORD - PASSING OVER

"The Word became flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory. From his fullness we have, all of us, received – grace following upon grace" (Jn 1:14,16).

We are called by the Father,
to see and hear and feel, His Word
to read and share, His Word.

In openness to the guiding Spirit,
to do the will of our Father
to be counted among his disciples –
chaste, poor, obedient,
immersed in the life of the Trinity.

Called, like Saint Arnold,
to imitate the Word made flesh
in his self-emptying,
to follow Jesus Christ
through cross and resurrection,
in suffering and joy.

Sent by Jesus,
We leave.
As brothers from many cultures,
we pass over to be with others,
offering and receiving good news,
with respect, understanding,
compassion, and love.

Led by the Spirit, We enter.
Joyfully, full of hope,
we serve, share,
and become one with all people,
especially with those
on the frontiers of our faith,
and the margin of society.
And so we witness,
and help to build
a loving communion of all humanity,
and a communion of humanity
with the Triune God who loves us.

SVD General Chapter prayer 1988

Readings from Sacred Scriptures

  • Tanakh - Hebrew Scripture Isaiah 2:4, and prayer
  • New Testament – Christian Scripture I John 4:16b,18-21, and prayer
  • Holy Qur’an – Muslim Scripture Surah 1:1, and prayer

 

  • Grant Us Peace
    Grant us peace that will BREAK our silence
    in the midst of violence then prophetic voices shall resonate

  • Grant us peace
    that will PULL US DOWN from the steeple of our pride
    then we’ll learn to wash each other’s feet

  • Grant us peace
    that will EMPTY us of hate and intolerance
    then we’ll turn guns into guitars and sing

  • Grant us peace
    that will SHUT our mouths up when we speak too much
    then we’ll learn to listen and understand what others are saying

  • Grant us peace
    that will DISTURB us in our apathy
    then we’ll dance together under the sun

  • Grant us peace
    that will BURN our lethargic hearts
    then we’ll endure burning and let love and justice glow

(Philippines)

Peace in Asia
For homeless children begging in the streets of Colombo,
close to a million internally displaced Burmese,
prostituted women waiting under Bangkok night lights,
church people and peace advocates killed in the Philippines:

We pray for peace.

For the victims of war torn East Timor,
Tuvalu and Kiribati threatened by the rising sea level because of global warming,
the alarming rate of suicide incidents in Tokyo,
sexually abused migrant workers in Singapore:

We pray for peace.

For factory workers receiving low wages in Beijing,
the long standing rift in the Korean Peninsula,
oppressed and persecuted Dalits in India,
refugees starving to death in Afghanistan:

We pray for peace.

For tsunami victims in South Asia,
troubled relationships between Taiwan and China,
babies born without eyes in Saigon caused by Agent Orange,
brothels filled with thousands of child sex slaves in Cambodia:

We pray for peace.

We pray for peace so that
carpenters building rich peoples’ houses will have roofs over their heads,
the life-giving earth will bless us with its fruits,
farmers, whose tears and blood have watered the fields, will have food on their tables,
textile workers will clothe their weary bodies,
and those who struggle for peace will find justice,
because Christ is our peace.

(Philippines)
 http://overcomingviolence.org/en/resources/shared-resources/list-by-type-copy-1.html

More resources see also
www.internationaldayofpeace.org/

Songs about PEACE
http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/music/