AN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF
PRAYER AND REFLECTION
APRIL 14, 2020

It seems as just recently we were just recently at peace throughout most of the world. We now find ourselves at war with a disease that keeps us apart when we need each other most. In these unprecedented days of fear and isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic, leaders everywhere are struggling for answers. Responses have ranged from taking extreme financial measures to calm financial markets, to calling out the military, to enforcing curfew, orders and trying to stem the tide of this virus. While just about everything has been suggested to address the dilemma there is one glaring exception; invoking the collective inner power of nearly 8 billion people by focusing their energy on the problem, through prayer, reflection, reconciliation, and renewal.

As referenced by TIME Magazines’ “Person of The Year”, Greta Thun Berg and others have pointed out, the earth has given us bounty and harmony for centuries. However, we have not always been great caretakers of our environment or each other. Treasuring the planet, our animals, water, air and the culture of others different from us, can and should become a new priority when we emerge from the pandemic. Now is an opportunity to level-set our priorities and move closer to nature and others who we perceive as different than us. The people whom we once ignored, shunned and/or mistreated or underpaid. People like the healthcare workers and frontline rescuers who are the real "heroes" and "sheroes" in the war for instance. 

Many people are experiencing this type of social disruption for the first time, others live with uncertainty as part of their regular lives. Regardless it is clear that we will ALL be changed after this crisis passes. It will change our views on consumption, sustainability and social interactions. Collectively we have the power to put forward solutions that will positively impact our lives for generations to come.

Therefore, Spiritual, Secular and Religious leaders of the world are now being called upon to embrace,  prepare and call for a Day of Prayer and reflection that will kick off the season of renewal in the world, design to drive out this virus and usher in a time of peace.