Notice During the Covid-19 Outbreak
In solidarity, we at the Interfaith Peace Project stand together in these times of heart break and upset. Some of you may have lost friends or family members. Some of you may have lost your job and your income; some may be working overtime to help with the crisis. Some of you may be home and alone and some may be trying to figure out a new way to live. Please let us know how we can help. If you would like a phone appointment with any of us, give us a call.You may call or email Tom at:
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September 12, 2020
Dear Friends,
In honor and celebration of The International Day of Peace, Thomas P. Bonacci, C.P., is sharing a daily reflection from various sources from September 11 to September 21, 2020. Today is Day 2 of those reflections. If you missed some of the reflections, you can find them on our website (under Blogs), interfaithpeaceproject
“The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire. The United Nations invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.”
For more information on the day click here or go to: https://www.un.org/en/
The Interfaith Peace Project
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Deep Peace to You
Eleven Days of Peace: Day 2
Celebrating The International Day of Peace
Deep Peace to You
Deep peace of the running wave to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the infinite peace to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the infinite peace to you.
– Adapted from Ancient Gaelic Runes
REFLECTION
As we count down to The International Day of Peace, we become aware of the peace we experience in the Natural World around us. The Ancient Traditions remind us of the peace “within” us. The “peace within us” is crucial in our quest for justice and the repair of the World.
Think for a moment of all the people who bring the peace of themselves, the peace dwelling in their hearts, to broken situations injured by hatred and harmed by violence. Think of the family who teaches their children to bring flowers to a place of painful memory. Think of those who journey to the neighborhood intersections where senseless killings took place at the hands of those sworn to protect.
It has been said, “If you want peace, work for justice.” The truth of this statement is enormous and must be the subject of deep reflection. Nonetheless, the opposite is also true, “If you want justice, work to find the peace within you.”
A flower, by its nature, seeks to be a being of beauty. The flowing streams and rivers, by their nature, touch the deep waters of our souls. The air around us, by its very nature, reminds us to breathe in the violence around us and breathe out the peace within us.
Any human person, by their very nature, is a sanctuary of peace. Even in moments of anxiety and uncertainty, we can find the peace within ourselves if we respectfully embrace and cherish the feelings and emotions, the thoughts and reflections, flowing through us.
We are often anxious about the World around us because we care what happens to others. We are often afraid our short-comings and limitations will prevent us from being and doing for others what needs to be done to give them happiness and joy. When we embrace the present moment consciously, respecting our feelings, love and peace flow from our hearts.
RESPONSE
Today, as I prepare to honor and observe The International Day of Peace, I will breathe in the beauty around me. I will treasure my emotions and feelings. I will discover the peace within me giving birth to justice in the World around me.
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