O Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, hear us, whether we know you as Brahma, God, Allah, Jehovah or any other name. Remind us that however we understand you, and whatever our tradition, we are all your children.
Remind us that regardless of the color of our skin, the shape of our eyes or the circumstances of our birth, we are all brothers and sisters. We come to you deeply troubled for our beloved country, Nepal. Our land is divided by zones of political control. Our society is divided by caste and social class. Our loyalties are divided among various temporal powers. The poor starve, brother kills brother, and the voices of your children are silenced.
We pray for Gyanendra our King. Remind him, we pray, that arrogance is not dignity, oppression is not justice, and violence is not the solution to our troubles. Turn his heart to the welfare of his people, his mind to the resolution of this crisis, and his hands to the good works our people so badly need.
We pray for our Police and Army. Remind them, we pray, that they are the servants and not the masters of the people. Remind them that all persons of whatever condition or belief are entitled to basic human rights, which are your gifts to us and not gifts of the State which may be withdrawn upon whim. Remind them that the ends do not justify the means; that murder, torture, rape and brutality are not consistent with their sworn duties, and that they will stand alone before a higher authority to answer for their acts.
We pray for our political leaders. Remind them that they hold a sacred trust, to serve the people and not themselves that they must work for all, that the greatest among us is not secure till the least among us can live with dignity and sufficiency. Turn their hearts from pursuit of riches and power for themselves to pursuit of social and economic justice for all.
We pray for the Maoists. Remind them that we seek, as they do, a just society where no one starves or is denied education, health care, or access to opportunity. Remind them that vile deeds are never sanctified by worthy goals. Turn their hearts from violence and bloodshed to reconciliation and healing, from destruction to construction.
We pray for the foreign countries that have chosen to play a role in our affairs. Remind them that the principles of liberty and self-determination they hold dear are not for themselves only, but for all of our human family. Remind them that the life of everyone, even the humblest Nepali, is precious. Turn their hearts from the support of violence in rigid service to ideology and toward helping us find common ground so we again can live as brothers and sisters. Turn them from helping us make war to helping us make peace.
We pray for the journalists, writers and intellectuals that they may safely, fairly, accurately and compassionately inform the world of what transpires here.
We pray for those who have been killed or injured in this conflict, and for those whose lives have been disrupted. Grant that their suffering may not be in vain and that the dear price they have paid will purchase for all a new, bright future.
We pray for ourselves. Remind us that, as our countryman the Buddha taught us, violence only gives birth to more violence, that hatred cannot overcome hatred, that only love can overcome hatred, and that only light can overcome darkness. Give us the courage to stand for the right as we see it. If they beat us down, raise us up. If they bruise our flesh or break our bones, heal us. And above all, keep always before us the understanding that it is better to suffer evil than to do evil; let us not ourselves become the evil that we deplore.
Cure the blindness that lets us see your face on a temple idol but not on a hungry Dalit child, the deafness that lets us hear only those who agree with us, and the paralysis that keeps us from doing what we know to be right.
Give us unity, courage, and determination.
We pray not only for forgiveness of wrongs in the past, but for the will to do good in the present and future; not only for comfort, but for strength.
Long live equality.
Long live justice.
Long live freedom.
Long live peace.
Long live Nepal. |
