A Prayer for Love and Forgiveness

(Please feel free to make copies of this prayer and share it with those around you.)

The world now stands at the brink of war. Four bombs of hatred were dropped on densely populated areas of a major power, giving way to screams of pain, suffering and destruction. In answer to this, plans of counterattack and revenge are being made. With the major power at the lead, there are plans for a full-scale assault on a small country harboring the group that waged this attack of hatred. This is, however, delusion colliding with delusion. Even if this battle is carried out in the name of God and religion, God, who, "created Man in His own image", does not hate one and love the other. This is, Man, who, because of his tremendous hatred, has lost sight of the light and forgotten the "God's image" of his own true nature and that of others, and is using darkness to battle darkness.

The terrorist attack is a warning to those who, in their own material wealth, have forgotten the suffering of their spiritual brothers and sisters. We grieve for the many friends whose lives were lost. However, we must not forget that our own economic blockades took the lives of other spiritual brothers and sisters in other countries as well. Living our lives concerned only with the abundance and wealth of those immediately around us, and forgetting about the suffering and poverty of those far away brought about this tremendous jealousy and hatred. This "darkness" came from Man's ignorance and delusion and is not God trying to punish nor discriminate. We are, from the onset, spiritual brothers and sisters, and friends, working together cooperatively. It is our minds that divide our spiritual brothers and sisters into "enemy" and "ally" by looking not at the "God's image" within others but only at the darkness in them, and that actually brings enemies and allies to bear.

No matter how we may confront "darkness" with "darkness" it serves only to spread darkness further. Children, wanting their parents' love and attention, sometimes deliberately do things that their parents don't like. Children who do this are prepared for the worst. Although "parents" were born before their "children", they are still human. In this way, there may be countries which are economically and socially more advanced, while there are others that are not, but we cannot say that one exploiting the other, and remaining unconcerned, is in tune with God and a right way of life. Even if we are hurt by our "children", do we banish them to oblivion as "Satan"? Perhaps it is that we lacked the necessary "love" for our "children"? Or, even if we did love them, perhaps it is that we were concerned only with ourselves, and did not have the opportunity to express our love enough?

We are hurt by these rebellious individuals, but we believe in the "God's image" within them and forgive them. That is the only way we can dispel the "darkness", for darkness always disappears when confronted with light. The "God's image" within us makes that possible. May all our hearts be awakened now to the common bond of our humanity. We are so very grateful to God's infinite love and compassion.

- MT