Pope Francis has proclaimed that Friday, is a day of "prayer, fasting and penance" for world peace.
You may read the Pope's statement here.
Praying with Music
There are many ways to pray. One of my favorite is to use music. In that Spirit, I created a Spotify playlist entitled "Prayers for World Peace." It contains about 20 songs that remind us of our Divine unity as sisters and brothers, as well as our commitment to being instruments of love and peace. Some of the songs have words, others are instrumental. They are from around the world and different faith traditions. You may listen here.
Consider playing the songs and praying while you:
drive
take a walk or run
create something beautiful - do art
rest
cook and enjoy a meal
You might also ask the Divine One to be your DJ and put the playlist on shuffle - listening to the songs as they play, letting them settle into your heart and soul.
Fasting
As a friendly reminder, fasting is not just from food. It is also from doing things we enjoy - choosing how we spend our time. for example, we may fast from watching sitcoms or the news. We may fast from certain behaviors - like saying negative things or swearing.
Penance & Reconciliation
Traditionally, "penance" has had a negative connotation; reconciliation the positive. Each asks us to become aware of the patterns of negativity and pain we put into the world and to change our ways. We may pray and ask the Divine One to show us our areas of hurt and how we may put more love, peace, kindness and goodness into the world. How may we heal relationships in our own lives? Make right the wrongs we have made? Through the "sacrament of reconciliation," whether with a priest or another Spirit-filled person, we actively invite another person and God to be part of the conversation, to enlighten us about changes AND to pray with us for the grace to make the necessary changes. Through the "sacrament", a sacred-moment, we are empowered and some of the pain on our souls is alleviated.
Praying Beyond Friday, October 27
Let us continue to pray for World Peace beyond Friday.
Divine Love - Source of All Peace and Joy As Moses taught, may we love the Holy One with all our heart, all our soul and all our strength.
As Jesus taught, may we love our neighbor as ourself. As St. Francis taught, may we be instruments of peace. As Gandhi taught, may we be the change we wish to see in the world.
As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught, may we drive out hatred through our love.
As. Drs. Regina Shands Stoltzfus and Tobin Miller Shearer taught, may joy be an integral part of our efforts.
As Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller sang, "Let there peace on earth and let it begin with me".
We ask this in Your many holy names and images.
Amen. Ameen. Ashby and So It Is.
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