Prayer - Harmony Day

Last Friday the 21st of March – we acknowledged and celebrated Harmony Day – a day set aside where we celebrate our diverse multi-cultural community and promote messages of kindness, equality and harmony for all. This message follows on from the theme of our Whole School Mass in Week 7 of Belonging – and our key message that “Every Face has a Place” at St Patrick’s Special School.

A Harmony Day Prayer

Dear God,

You created all people in your image.

We thank you for the astonishing variety of races and cultures in Australia and in our community. Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of friendship, and show us your presence in those who differ most from us.

Grant that we may always promote the justice and acceptance that ensures lasting peace and racial harmony, and that we may show equal respect to all persons of different cultures that we may come across.

We pray that there be freedom of religion in every country so that people can worship God in spirit and in truth.

We pray for those who are warm in their loving, that they may continue to bring hope, peace and kindness to others.

We pray that Harmony Day in Australia, with its theme ‘Everyone Belongs’, will be a celebration which unites and respects all who live in this land.

Please send your healing and reconciling Spirit in order to bind the wounds created by racism and racial hatred, and to promote understanding, justice, and love. We place our hopes for racial harmony in our committed action and in your living presence in our neighbour, and help us to remember and appreciate that we are one country, with many stories.

We ask this through Christ our Lord,

Amen.