Prayer for Peace: Let Us Pray Together for a Better World

Humanity has always sought in the prayer for peace the words to spread hope for a better future for all people, brothers in love.

The prayer for peace represents a powerful act of love, hope, and unity that transcends the barriers of human differences and connects souls in a common desire for harmony and serenity in the world. It is a universal expression of faith, a wish shared by many religious traditions. In Christianity, in particular, the concept of living as brothers and sisters is deeply rooted. For Christians, the prayer for peace represents the desire to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, who preached love for one’s neighbour, compassion, and understanding. They pray that all may live in harmony, as members of one great human family, following the example of love and forgiveness left by Jesus.

Even in the Holy Scriptures, particularly the Gospels, references to peace and unity recur frequently. For example, we read: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9). This passage emphasises the importance of seeking peace and being active promoters of harmony and unity among human beings. In the Bible, the concept of peace, “Shalom” in Hebrew, goes beyond the mere absence of external conflict. It is a state of inner harmony with oneself, with the divine, and with creation. As such, peace is considered a gift from God, but it also requires our personal commitment.

But how does one become a peacemaker? The invocation of peace contains an implicit invitation to overcome indifference, to commit daily as a promoter of harmony and concord, with constant work on ourselves, which allows us to spread this harmony in the world. Feelings, emotions, and actions thus become tools through which a good Christian cares for others, fights against selfishness and the wounds it causes to humanity, and fosters cohesion in line with the fraternity invoked by Jesus. Those who actively work for peace follow His example, walking the path He traced—a path of love and reconciliation.

The prayer for peace is therefore an expression of the desire to live as brothers and sisters, in harmony with the Christian values of love, compassion, and universal solidarity. It is a call for inner peace and the maintenance of peaceful and respectful relationships with all, following the model of universal love proposed by Jesus Christ. The search for peacehas always traversed human history, driving people to find ways to overcome conflicts, divisions, and suffering. The prayer for peace serves as a vehicle to channel this positive and constructive energy towards creating a more harmonious world.

Prayers for peace know no cultural or religious boundaries. They are words of hope, compassion, and a desire to unite humans beyond differences. These prayers can be recited individually or collectively, in places of worship, communities, or simply in the silence of one’s own heart. Furthermore, the prayer for peace is not limited to religious traditions. Even those who do not follow a specific spiritual practice can participate in acts of contemplation, meditation, or reflection that promote inner and collective peace.

The prayer for peace goes beyond words. It is an act of contemplation, reflection, and connection with God, but also with the deepest essence of humanity—a powerful way to positively influence events, minds, and hearts around the world. The prayer for peace can inspire concrete actions in people’s hearts aimed at promoting understanding, tolerance, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. In situations of conflict and tension, the prayer for peace assumes a significant role in healing and reconciliation, offering a space where people can set aside differences and focus on human commonalities.

Prayers for peace can act as a catalyst for forgiveness and mutual understanding. Through this practice, communities can begin the process of healing past wounds, paving the way for a future based on collaboration and peaceful coexistence.

In the modern era, characterised by growing global interconnectedness and unprecedented challenges, the prayer for peace takes on an even more crucial role. Through modern technologies, people can unite virtually in prayer, overcoming physical and cultural distances to promote a more peaceful and supportive world. In a world where peace can sometimes seem a distant goal, the prayer for peace reminds us of the intrinsic power that resides in the union of our intentions, actions, and hopes to build a world in which peace is a reality for all.

Prayer for Peace by Pope Francis

“To make peace requires courage, far more than to make war. It takes courage to say yes to encounter and no to clash; yes to dialogue and no to violence; yes to negotiation and no to hostility; yes to respecting agreements and no to provocation; yes to sincerity and no to duplicity. For all this, courage is needed, a great strength of heart.”

Thus spoke Pope Francis on the evening of 8 June 2014 in the Vatican Gardens to the President of the Palestinian Authority Abu Mazen and Israeli President Shimon Peres. The Pontiff had strongly wished this meeting with the two leaders following his recent visit to Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Territories. The Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, and the Custodian of the Holy Land, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, also participated in the meeting.

In this historic moment, it seems more than ever necessary to recall those words, that appeal which the Holy Father accompanied with a special prayer for peace, writing an unprecedented historical page. Here is Pope Francis’ prayer for peace on that memorable date:

Lord God of peace, hear our plea!
We have tried so many times, and for so many years, to resolve our conflicts by our own strength and even with our weapons; so many moments of hostility and darkness; so much blood shed; so many lives broken; so many hopes buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, help us! Grant us peace, teach us peace, guide us to peace. Open our eyes and our hearts and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war, all is destroyed!”. Instil in us the courage to perform concrete acts to build peace. Lord, God of Abraham and the Prophets, God of Love who created us and calls us to live as brothers, give us the strength to be artisans of peace every day; grant us the ability to look kindly upon all brothers we meet along our path. Make us willing to listen to the cry of our citizens asking us to turn our weapons into instruments of peace, our fears into trust, and our tensions into forgiveness. Keep alive in us the flame of hope to patiently make choices of dialogue and reconciliation, so that peace may finally prevail. And may from every human heart be banished these words: division, hatred, war! Lord, disarm tongues and hands, renew hearts and minds, so that the word that unites us is always “brother”, and the style of our life becomes: shalom, peace, salam! Amen.

Prayer for Peace by Mother Teresa of Calcutta

The prayers for peace of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 1979, reflect her total commitment to alleviating human suffering and spreading unconditional love in the world. Her life itself was a living expression of prayer, but the Saint also shared many prayers representing a passionate plea to God to bring peace, consolation, and hope to a world afflicted by poverty, illness, war, and social isolation. Her central message was to bring peace through love and service to others, especially to the most needy and forgotten in society.

Mother Teresa taught that peace begins with small acts of kindness, compassion, and sharing. Her prayers for peace were not only an appeal to God but also an invitation to all of us to become instruments of peace, starting with our daily actions:

The works of love are always works of peace.
Every time you share your love with others,
you will notice the peace
that comes to you and to them.
Where there is peace, there is God;
this is how God pours peace
and joy into our hearts.

Another prayer by Mother Teresa echoes the invocation for peace of Saint Francis of Assisi:

Oh, Lord,
make me an instrument of Your Peace;
Where there is hatred, let me bring love;
Where there is offence, let me bring Forgiveness;
Where there is discord, let me bring union;
Where there is doubt, let me bring Faith;
Where there is error, let me bring Truth;
Where there is despair, let me bring hope;
Where there is sadness, let me bring Joy;
Where there are shadows, let me bring Light.
Oh Master,
let me not seek so much to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.

It comes alive again in the words of Saint Teresa of Calcutta:

O Lord,
there is a war
and I have no words.
All I can do
is use the words
of Saint Francis of Assisi.
And as I pray
this ancient prayer,
I know that, once again,
you will transform war into peace
and hatred into love.
Give us peace, O Lord,
and make weapons useless
in this wonderful world. Amen.

Another invocation of Mother Teresa to God to make her an instrument of peace and love:

Lead me from death to life, from falsehood to truth;
Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust;
Lead me from hatred to love, from war to peace.
Let peace fill our hearts,
our world,
our universe.