Three Candles for Peace – Copyright John Kingery 2012
Events over the past few days call all people to a commitment path of peace and not violence.
In 2007, I was over whelmed by the brutality taking place in Iraq. There seemed to be no way out. Prayer and searching led me to the Assisi Pledge for Peace which is also known as the Decalogue of Assisi for Peace from 2002.
In that 2002, Pope John Paul II called an historic meeting of religious leaders to pray for peace in the world in Assisi. Over 200 leaders from the Catholic, Christian, Jewish, Islamic and other traditions answered the call. They prayed and lit symbolizing their shared commitment to peace. The shared commitment to peace was formalized in the Assisi Pledge for Peace which was read by Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Sikh, Muslim, Confucian, Buddhist and Jewish leaders.
ASSISI PLEDGE FOR PEACE
1. We commit ourselves to proclaiming our firm conviction that violence and terrorism are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion, and, as we condemn every recourse to violence and war in the name of God or of religion, we commit ourselves to doing everything possible to eliminate the root causes of terrorism.
2. We commit ourselves to educating people to mutual respect and esteem, in order to help bring about a peaceful and fraternal coexistence between people of different ethnic groups, cultures and religions.
3. We commit ourselves to fostering the culture of dialogue, so that there will be an increase of understanding and mutual trust between individuals and among peoples, for these are the premises of authentic peace.
4. We commit ourselves to defending the right of everyone to live a decent life in accordance with their own cultural identity, and to form freely a family of his own.
5. We commit ourselves to frank and patient dialogue, refusing to consider our differences as an insurmountable barrier, but recognizing instead that to encounter the diversity of others can become an opportunity for greater reciprocal understanding.
6. We commit ourselves to forgiving one another for past and present errors and prejudices, and to supporting one another in a common effort both to overcome selfishness and arrogance, hatred and violence, and to learn from the past that peace without justice is no true peace.
7. We commit ourselves to taking the side of the poor and the helpless, to speaking out for those who have no voice and to working effectively to change these situations, out of the conviction that no one can be happy alone.
8. We commit ourselves to taking up the cry of those who refuse to be resigned to violence and evil, and we are desire to make every effort possible to offer the men and women of our time real hope for justice and peace.
9. We commit ourselves to encouraging all efforts to promote friendship between peoples, for we are convinced that, in the absence of solidarity and understanding between peoples, technological progress exposes the world to a growing risk of destruction and death.
10. We commit ourselves to urging leaders of nations to make every effort to create and consolidate, on the national and international levels, a world of solidarity and peace based on justice.
May we read commit and live out this pledge in our families, communities, nation and the world. Urge all in positions of power and authority to do the same.
In Peace,
John
Additional information:
“Decalogue of Assisi for Peace” www.Vatican.va
“Assisi Diary” at www.AmercianCatholic.org
http://www.americancatholic.org/news/report.aspx?id=906