Praying for Peace

When I think of us all united trying to bring peace to our world, I wonder how we allowed so much strife into it. I remember being so struck years ago by the statement that I can help God's reign arrive in this world in proportion to how much God reigns in me - or maybe I am now not remembering it correctly but I think if each of us would be full of peace, the world would be peaceful. The situation in Syria certainly calls for our prayer. Sometimes one feels the need to storm heaven and this is one of those times.

I am finding this picture peaceful and helpful. I had it filed under "wonder" but today it is the peaceful aspect of the quiet water that appeals. We sang "God bless America" at the end of Mass last night. May God guide us!
Here is the end of the homily that the Holy Father gave Saturday night as 100,000 (I think they said at least that many) gathered in St. Peter's square for the five hours of prayer:
"Forgiveness, dialogue, reconciliation – these are the words of peace, in beloved Syria, in the Middle East, in all the world! Let us pray for reconciliation and peace, let us work for reconciliation and peace, and let us all become, in every place, men and women of reconciliation and peace! Così sia.