In all the virtuous, in compassion toward all suffering creatures,
And in remaining neutral towards those hostile to me.
This is my prayer.
—Ancient Jain Blessing
81
Universal World Entreaty
Beloved, Inmost Heart of every heart,
do not Let our human hearts be broken
by our merely mortal suffering here—
but Make our mortal human hearts break Free
to an unconditional love of You,
that we may Thus love all living beings
with Love’s own True, and Truly broken, Heart.
—Ruchira Avatar
82
Prayer to Start the Day
O Infinite God, of life, goodness, and generous
love, I dedicate my heart, my life, to you.
Help me to cherish all human life
and do the good you want me to do.
Make me a loving example of your generous love
and a blessing to everyone I see.
May your goodness be fully in us, and in all that we
think and say and do.
—Unknown
83
May I Be a Living Sign of Your Generous Love
O God, may I find and praise your goodness
dwelling within every human being.
May I be a living sign of your generous love
and help everyone to live more intimately with you.
May we respect the evolving nature of all creation
and grow to our fullness of life with you.
Guide our search into our entire human nature, and
into all creation, to know what you want us to do.
—Unity Petition
84
Deeds, Words, and Wishes
O Goddess,
In my deeds,
In my words,
In my wishes,
In my reason,
And in the fulfilling of my desires,
In my sleep,
In my dreams,
In my repose,
In my thoughts,
In my heart and spirit always,
May the blessed Maiden
And the Silver Bough of Faerie dwell,
Oh, in my heart and spirit always,
May the loving Maiden
And the tinkling Silver Bough of Faerie dwell.
—Ancient Irish Prayer
85
Let There Be No Injustice in Our World
O God, we pray for all those in our world
who are suffering from injustice:
For those who are discriminated against
because of their race, color, or religion;
For those imprisoned
for working for the relief of oppression;
For those who are hounded
for speaking the inconvenient truth;
For those tempted to violence
as a cry against overwhelming hardship;
For those deprived of reasonable health and education;
For those suffering from hunger and famine;
For those too weak to help themselves
who have no one else to help them;
For the unemployed who cry out
for work but do not find it.
We pray for anyone of our acquaintance
who is personally affected by injustice.
Forgive us, Lord, if we unwittingly share in the conditions
or in a system that perpetuates injustice.
Show us how we can serve your children
and make your love practical by washing their feet.
—Mother Teresa
86
Our Children Are Our Future and Hold All Our Hopes
O God! Educate these children.
These children are the plants of Thine orchard,
the flowers of Thy meadow,
the roses of Thy garden.
Let Thy rain fall upon them;
let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love.
Let Thy breeze refresh them in order
that they may be trained, grow, and develop,
and appear in the utmost beauty.
Thou art the Giver.
Thou art the Compassionate.
—Baha’i Blessing
87
Compassion for All including Ourselves
O Breathing Life, your Name shines everywhere!
Release a space to plant your Presence here.
Envision your “I Can” now.
Embody your desire in every light and form.
Grow through us this moment’s bread and wisdom.
Untie the knots of failure binding us,
as we release the strands we hold of others’ faults.
Help us not forget our Source,
Yet free us from not being in the Present.
From you arises every Vision, Power, and Song
from gathering to gathering.
Amen.
May our future actions grow from here!
—Crane Dance Collective
88
The Lord’s Prayer, from the Original Aramaic
My Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee.
Thou and Thou alone knowest my needs.
Thou lovest me more than I am able to love Thee.
O Father, grant unto me, Thy servant, all which I cannot ask.
For a cross I dare not ask, nor for consolation;
I dare only to stand in Thy presence.
My heart is open to Thee.
Thou seest my needs of which I myself am unaware.
Behold and lift me up!
In Thy presence I stand,
awed and silenced by Thy will and Thy judgments,
into which my mind cannot penetrate.
To Thee I offer myself as a sacrifice.
No other desire is mine but to fulfill Thy will.
Teach me how to pray.
Do Thyself pray within me.
Amen.
—Jesus