European Region
Lord our God, we turn to you with confidence:
You are a God of peace and reconciliation, of love and mercy
Look at your earth!
We are stunned and cannot find words for what is happening:
War and terror, attacks, destruction, violence.
We are stunned and cannot find words for the suffering and hardship, fear, death, persecution, hunger and despair of countless people worldwide.
You're never on the side of one nation, one party,
You are always on the side of the victims, of those who suffer.
Let us, too, stand by their side and help with all our strength and resources wherever we can.
Let us stand by their side so that they do not lose courage and hope, so that they persevere on the long and difficult road to peace, justice, and freedom.
Open the hearts of the leaders of all nations to understanding and just peace.
Open the hearts of the leaders of all nations to compassion for all the people affected by war, give them a heart full of compassion for all the persecuted, the refugees, the hungry, the physically and mentally wounded.
Lord our God, we trust completely in your word: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Amen
St. Francis Province, North India
Lord,
Lead us from despair to hope,
from fear to trust.
Let peace fill our hearts, our world and our universe.
May our spirits fill the world with beauty and wonder.
May our minds seek truth with humility and openness.
May our hearts forgive without limit.
May our needs be few and our living simple.
May our actions bear witness to the suffering of others.
May our steps stay on the journey of justice.
May our tongues speak for those who are poor
May our souls rejoice in the present moment.
Let us dream together, pray together and work together,
to build one world of peace and justice for all.
Assisi Province, South India
O Divine Source of Peace!
Stop the war that breaks hearts and homes
Bridge the gap in minds with the power of love and understanding.
Let hatred dissolve in the warmth of compassion.
May every heart learn the language of forgiveness.
Let mutual love and respect flow among all people.
May love cover all enmity and heal old wounds
Clear our vision; remove the clouds of fear and pride.
Uncloud our rigidity and open our minds to peace.
Let wisdom lead the way where darkness lingers.
May peace bloom where conflict once grew.
Let compassion speak louder than weapons.
Guide us to live with humility and grace.
Let our differences become a source of unity.
Plant kindness in the soil of every nation.
May the broken be mended with hope.
Let our hearts beat in harmony with one another.
May every experience awaken us to love.
Let peace be more than a dream—let it be our way of life. Amen
International Leadership Team
A Prayer for World Peace by Pope John Paul II
“O God, Creator of the universe,
Who extends Your parental concern
over every creature and guides
the events of history to the
goal of salvation,
We acknowledge Your parental
love when You break the resistance
of humanity and, in a world torn
by strife and discord,
You make us ready for
reconciliation.
Renew for us the wonders
of Your mercy: send forth
Your Spirit to
work in the intimacy of hearts;
that enemies may begin
to dialogue; that adversaries
may shake hands and peoples
may encounter one another
in harmony. May all commit
themselves to the sincere search
for true peace which will
extinguish all arguments,
for charity which overcomes
hatred, for pardon which
disarms revenge. Amen.”
(World Peace Day, January 1, 2002)
U.S. Province
May we discover, this day,
-the courage to be builders of bridges across distances
unseen, but known
-the tender strength necessary to listen twice as much
as we speak
-the curiosity to be the mustard seed, small in size but
available to be transformed
-the grace to be instruments of something new instead
of repetitions of old divisions
-the common ground on which the tree of life
flourishes.
Amen
ULAF Region
Peace is an encounter with others.
Peace, is as a response to God's presence in the world, is what we all long to carry in our hearts. May our desire to uphold peace never lead us astray from its path,
and may we continue to pray for the countries that live at war,
because of the ambition of those who govern our countries.
Peace is a gift of God, as it is founded in love, strengthened by solidarity and fraternity, upheld by respect of human dignity. It is demanded by justice, built trhough dialogue.
Let us strive to make peace reign and flourish in every heart.
Amen, peace to all.