Friday, October 01, 2010

Pledge to Practice Non-Violence and be a Peacemaker

Most loving God, and all friends of Non-Violence and Peace gathered here today: I recognize the violence in my own heart, yet I trust in the goodness and forgiveness of God. I wish to walk in the Spirit of Peace. I wish to walk in the company of Jesus who lived and is the way of non-violence, justice, peace and truth. I wish to walk in the company of all other seekers of Truth and of Non-Violence, very specially Mahatma Gandhi, whose birth anniversary we celebrate today.

Therefore, before God the Creator, the Sanctifying Spirit, and this Community of Peacemakers, I ______________________ pledge, beginning this day,

to practise Nonviolence and be a Peacemaker :

· by acting with persistent non-violence, to resist every form of injustice and violence -by myself and / or by others.

· by acting to remove the causes, and heal the effects of violence;

· by striving for peace within myself, and seeking to be a Peacemaker in my daily life;

· by accepting suffering in the pursuit of justice rather than inflicting it;

· by refusing to retaliate in the face of provocation and violence, returning forgiveness for harm, while continuing to insist and stand up for the Truth as far as it is known to me;

· by living conscientiously, and simply, so that I do not deprive others of the means to live;

· by working constantly, and non-violently, to abolish war and the causes of war, from my own heart, and from the face of the earth.

· by doing everything possible to ensure that justice, truth, non-violence and peace, be the characteristics of our great country India and for every single citizen.

God of Peace and Justice, I trust in Your sustaining love and believe that just as You gave me the grace and desire to offer this Pledge, so will You also bestow on me, the abundant grace to fulfill it.

(This pledged could be pronounced on October 2nd, the Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and which is also designated by the UN as the International Day of Non-Violence)

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