Scottish Catholic Observer

The change was to help prepare for tomorrow’s inter-religious meeting, a Day of Reflection and Prayer for Peace, in Assisi.

Pope Benedict XVI reflected on ways to promote peace, by saying that those who actively work toward it cannot be far from God. He asked all Christians to build peace through prayer.

“[A]s Christians we want to ask God for the gift of peace, we pray that He make us instruments of peace in a world still torn by hatred, by divisions, by selfishness, by war,” the Pope said in his homily.

“We ask that the meeting Thursday in Assisi might encourage dialogue among people of different religious affiliations and bring a ray of light that might illuminate the minds and hearts of all men, so that rancor will give way to pardon, division to reconciliation, hatred and violence to love and gentleness: that peace reign in the world.”

About 170 religious leaders are expected in Assisi tomorrow to take part in reflection and dialogue to mark the 25th anniversary of Blessed John Paul II leading the first such meeting in 1986.

Inclement weather drove pilgrims inside for the prayer encounter today, filling the Paul VI audience hall.

See video below: Prayers for Assisi