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A novena is nine days of focused prayer. This Novena of Peace focuses on praying for peace in our hearts, peace in our lives, peace in our world.
Peace begins with a thought, an idea, a seed germinating in a heart that is watered with love, gratitude, forgiveness, compassion, and respect for all life. Peace isn’t simply the focus of nine days of prayer; peace is a way of life. So, water the peace seed in you. Feed your heart with the smiles of … Read more
Thinking about the enormity of the problems that war and violence generate can mask the reality that each of us has a responsibility to be a peacemaker, to choose peace in every thought and action. The choices we make in our everyday lives reverberate through the whole of the universe; each of us matters and … Read more
Peace In Our Hearts I have long contended that we cannot have peace in the world until we have peace in our hearts. This lesson has been taught by religious leaders across time, faiths, and belief systems. Something that universally taught must be true. If we can learn to experience inner peace, we can recognize our Oneness … Read more
Power in the small things “If we just worry about the big picture, we are powerless. So my secret is to start right away doing whatever little work I can do. I try to give joy to one person in the morning, and remove the suffering of one person in the afternoon. If you and … Read more
Our inner lives (spirit) are not always in harmony with our outer lives. If our inner life/outer life remains in discord, so too will our world.We believe we are human beings experiencing the reality of living, yet we are spiritual beings caught in the illusion of our individualism and separation from our Oneness with each … Read more
On this weekend, with a bit more time to reflect on our journey toward peace, Hedy Schleifer beautifully explains the power of connection that exists in what Jewish philosopher Martin Buber called the sacred space that lives between us. That sacred space exists between any two people or cities or countries and we must “cross the … Read more
Shattered lives, prayers for peace Yesterday in Connecticut violence ripped through 27 families, a community, and the whole nation. Numb disbelief settles on us as we imagine the horror of mothers and fathers who wailed through the night for their little ones sent off to school to never return home again. Words are so inadequate. What comfort … Read more
Two great modern teachers speak to us today and help us understand that the power to create peace truly resides within our own souls. When we can act in accordance with our principles and forgive our frailties and the frailties of others, peace will settle in us. And when it does, we will have an abundance to share. Forgiveness … Read more
Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents, parents have very little time for each other. And in the home begins the disruption of peace of the world. Mother Teresa (Blessed Teresa of … Read more
Invitation to pray a Novena for Peace 2012 For the next nine days (or any nine days of your choice in this season of holiness and hopefulness), please join me in setting aside ten minutes of our day to sit quietly reflecting on how we have added to—or disrupted—peace during the previous 24 hours. In our … Read more