January 8, 2026

Dear Friends,

We began a one-year observance of our twenty-fifth anniversary on September 8, 2025. It will conclude on September 8, 2026. 

As part of our observance, we began, on September 21, 2025, a year of reflections on the heart of the Interfaith Peace Project – the Interpath Principles. The reflections are being sent to you on the eighth and twenty-first of each month. If you would like to view the previous reflections, you can find them on our blog at: interfaithpeaceproject.org.

If you have anything that you would like to share, please contact:

Thomas P. Bonacci, C.P.
[email protected]
925-787-9279

THE INTERFAITH PEACE PROJECT
A Legacy of Peace-Making for Twenty-Five Years
September 8, 2001 – September 8, 2026

We strive to harvest the Wisdom of the Great Teachers 
past and present in our quest for 
expansive respect and understanding.

We seek to love, honor, and respect the wisdom revealed in the World of Nature and the Great Wisdom Teachers. The Great Teachings remind us to strive to do no harm as we seek to be persons dedicated to expansive love and compassion. We also seek the wisdom of our ancestors and friends. We strive to find wisdom even in the midst of conflict and division. We practice deep reflection as we strive to be empathetic and compassionate. We engage the contemplative arts and the practice of silence, seeking to hear the voice of Wisdom within our hearts. Without this interior voice, our lives would simply be busy.

A Reflection:

This Third Interpath Principle is motivated by a deep practice of the virtue of contemplation. Ancient and contemporary teachers of wisdom call us to be attentive to the power and tenderness of the Natural world. Consider the Tao de Jing, “Humanity follows the Earth, the Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Tao, and the Tao follows what is natural” (Chapter 25). Jesus invited his followers to “consider the birds of the air and the wildflowers in all their array” (Matthew 6: 26-27). The Great Teachers, like Thomas Berry, C.P., remind us we belong to the Community of the Natural World in all its splendor and mystery.

Karen Armstrong reminds us of the great teaching of Confucius (500 BCE), who taught, “Never treat others as you would not like to be treated yourself.” This is an ancient formulation of the Golden Rule, inviting us to cause no harm to others. Such a teaching is the mind, heart, and soul of so many of the religions and philosophies of humankind.

A prayer for reconciliation found in the Roman Rite contains the powerful verse, “In the midst of conflict and division, we know it is you, O God, who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.” Many Ancient Traditions invite us to experience “peace on Earth” as the fruit born of Divine love. The virtues of self-giving, understanding, forgiveness, and repair of Earth and the restoration of broken relationships often occur in times of “conflict and division.” As such, the Great Teachers exhibited extraordinary virtue in times of trouble.

Rumi insightfully said, “In the silence of love, you will find the spark of life.” The practice of silent meditation and contemplation is universal. The depth of any human person shines brightly in the moments of profound silence. The quieting of mind, heart, and soul empowers us to listen, invites us to be present, and challenges us to be perceptive of the world around and within us. For many, silence is the language of the Ultimate living and moving in their lives. Silence is what makes music striking, words profound, thoughts sincere, and life worthwhile.

This reflection is but a mere sampling of the “Wisdom of the Ages” by which so many courageous people transformed and blessed the world. The pursuit of ancient and contemporary wisdom is a continuous effort. It is worthwhile noting the great teachers of Wisdom often found their insights in uncertain times and unlikely situations.