1 John 4:19: “We love because you first loved us”Song: A Prayer for Peace by David HaasOpening prayer:
God of creation, from the beginning, you created family to teach us how to love and support each other. Many times, we fail to follow your will and your teaching of love. At this moment of family prayer time, we ask you to send your Spirit to inspire us with love and to be living examples of this love as your Son Jesus has showed us. May the Easter Peace continue to spread out in the family through the love we give to one another.
Reflection:
Family is the first basic community of love where a human being learns how to become a loving, compassionate person whom God has created. In the family, peace and love are meant to be interwoven. Our presence to one another in love creates peace within the family; and peace within the family represents our love to another.
First, for peace to be present within the family, we have to balance the needs of others and our own self on a daily basis. We cannot become a peace advocate to our family if we are out of self-balance and not at peace.
Second, peace in the family does not require a giant deed but simple and kind acts. A hug, a smile, and a word of gratitude, comfort or apology can help each other feel peace and overcome life struggles.
Third, living peace within the family does not mean hiding in a place with no noise or no struggles, such as being silent in front of a screen for hours. Creating time to be together in love, both physically and spiritually, is the way to welcome peace into our family. It can be praying together every night, husband and wife helping each other to raise children, big sister helping younger brother doing homework, or family members spending time at soup kitchen together. You name them in your situation.
Peace within the family will be contagious if we love, care for, and listen to each other as well as accept the differences among each member. Love generates patience and kindness. “If we love one another, God remains in us, and God’s love is brought to perfection in us” (1John 4:12). Where love is, peace will be present.
Reflection Question: What gifts can I contribute to create my own peace and to spread peace throughout my family?
(Pause for a moment of silent reflection)
Prayer Intentions:
Holy Spirit, Come. Strengthen our faith, guide and send us to the bright and loving light. Help us to be the witness of love to each other. Teach children and spouses to feel love and appreciation of love today. We pray, let peace be in the family and let it begin with me.
Holy Spirit, Come. Shower our home with the shrine of peace, purity, love, labor and faith. When darkness arrives, help us to find your presence and lead us to live in faith and love. We pray, let peace be in the family and let it begin within me.
God of Creation. Protect all families. Keep us united and may we stay strong together as the day passes. Equip us with your will each day and make us an instrument of your love and peace. We pray, let peace be in the family and let it begin within me.
Jesus, our Savior. Teach us to protect the right to life and value the dignity of each person in the family. Help us to follow examples of your Holy Family to raise our children to praise you and look to you in all things. We pray, let peace be in the family and let it begin within me.
Closing Prayer: Your infinite love calls us to love one another. We humbly beg you for forgiveness for when we were not caring or patient with each other. In the spirit of Easter, teach us, Lord God, to recognize your presence in our family life. Shower our families with your peace. May our practicing of love make us more patient, grateful and compassionate so your peace continues to shine out from within us. We ask this in the name of our Easter Jesus. Amen.
Dominican Blessing: May God the Creator bless us, May God Redeemer heal us and May God, the Holy Spirit, fill us with peace.
Suggested Practice: I commit myself today to courageously ask for help, to do one kind act within my family and to be patient with others.
Join us to Be Peace, Build Peace, and Preach Peace. You can reach us via email at vocation@oppeace.org.Please share this Novena on your Facebook page and forward it to at least 5 people. Please join us for the Eighth Day of the Novena when we will pray for Peace through the Practice of Non-violence.To download and print a copy of this reflection, please print here.
Prepared by Truc-Lan Nguyen, OPA, Louisville, KY.