Prayer for Saturday

Man’s greatest blunder has been in trying to make peace with the skies
instead of making peace with his neighbors.
~ Elbert Hubbard

I pray to you, God, for the families of my neighborhood. Visit them. Throw their troubles out of them and bring hope. Make the daily cares that devour the heart disappear. Present solutions to life’s problems. Settle the disturbed relationships among members of different families whom I know or don’t know.

O Lord, remind the people of our area that you exist, that you are a strong and loving Protector. Keep away, Lord, anything that causes the disturbance of peace from souls, and the escape of sleep from our eyes. Stay a little while more tonight in our neighborhood. Spread peace along with the night. Let the harshness of the day and its struggles not spread over the night too, God.

(a prayer by Demetrios, Archbishop of America, Greek Orthodox;
Source: Bob Hostetler’s Prayer Blog)

This Week’s Affirmation:

“I am feeling more and more connected to others each and every day.”

(For more on Affirmations, go to my Affirmations Page.)

Prayer for Friday

It takes a village to raise a child.
~ African proverb

Mother-Father God, I thank you for my community. I thank you for the strength and vitality of my neighborhood. Thank you for the men and women who serve us: police, fire department, park rangers, paramedics, garbage collectors. Bless my community with health, abundance and peace. May your eternal Spirit flow through each of us and strengthen us. Help us to remember that we are all Your children and therefore brothers and sisters to each other. And so it is. Amen.

This Week’s Affirmation:

“I am feeling more and more connected to others each and every day.”

(For more on Affirmations, go to my Affirmations Page.)

Prayer for Thursday (Raksha Bandhan)

Today is the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan.

A brother is a friend given by Nature.
~ Jean Baptiste Legouve

(The Raksha Bandhan stotram is the sloka, or Vedic prayer, recited by sisters while tying Rakhi (‘Holy Thread’) on to their brother’s hands. It is believed that the mantra will provide enough strength for brothers to protect their sisters.)

On the request of all the Gods, Lord Vishnu tied up the strong and powerful Demon King Bali with his strength. I am tying the power of the Vishnu Shakti, in the form of Raksha, on to your hand. With the force and energy of this sacred thread, all the Gods will stand at your side and keep you healthy and wealthy forever.

(Source: Hindu Devotional Blog)

This Week’s Affirmation:

“I am feeling more and more connected to others each and every day.”

(For more on Affirmations, go to my Affirmations Page.)