"Politicians and leaders will seek solutions, peaceful and otherwise, to mankind's ills, but for change to be positive and lasting we must all acknowledge our common humanity and live by the shared values of our faiths, as the Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, said: 'Not one of you is a true believer until he desires for his brother what he desires for himself.'" --Queen Noor, widow of the late King Hussein of Jordan in her book, "Leap of Faith:Memoirs of an Unexpected Life"
There is fighting and disharmony in so many countries today. What we humans do to one another in the name of religion and greed is shocking and horrendous. As Queen Noor said, we must acknowledge our common humanity. No matter what our nationality or our religion, we are all human. We all want the same things--to live with our families in a safe place; to have food and water, shelter and work that we find rewarding. We want an education for our children and safe places for them to play. We want to be able to worship as we please, according to our beliefs. And we desire to go to sleep at night feeling that we are safe from harm and will awaken to sunshine and the voices of our family members.
But there are people all over this world who do not have a safe place to live. They awaken to the sounds of missiles exploding and gunfire. They do not have adequate food or water and the children cannot go to school. And sometimes they do not live through the night. I saw a seven year-old boy on the evening news who said solemnly, "I think I may die soon." He lives in Lebanon, and sadly, he may be right.
I agree with both Queen Noor and the Prophet Muhammad. But I would go further. We should not just desire for our brother what we desire for ourselves; we should insist upon it and do what we can to make it happen. It is easy to feel helpless when we watch what is going on halfway around the world. We wonder, what can I do?
As world citizens, we can:
- Get involved politically; write letters to our leaders demanding that they work toward peace.
- Donate to charities that are trying to help our brothers and sisters in these war-torn countries.
- Pray for peace and harmony.
Please join me with me now in this prayer: We join our hearts and minds together to hold the thought of peace for our world and safety for our brothers and sisters around this planet who are living in fear. We know that love is the greatest power there is, and we see this power moving through the hearts and minds of the leaders of this world. May they acknowledge the common humanity of all and the sacredness of all life. May they choose the path of peace and harmony. And may each of us today embrace peace and harmony in our own lives as we go about our day, choosing to see the divinity and humanity within all. We ask for the strength and courage to be an instrument of God's love in this world. Amen.
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