President's
Message

Mumbai Prayer Vigil

(The following remarks and prayers were delivered by Siri Karm Singh Khalsa, President of The Boston Language Institute on December 4, 2008, before more than 400 participants at an ecumenical vigil at Boston City Hall for the victims of the Mumbai attack.)

I feel blessed and honored to share in this moment as we join together to convert some
of the grief and anger at the awful events last week in Mumbai into the positive actions of prayer and fellowship.

We are of many different faiths, but we all worship one God. We appear to be different
on the outside: we may dress differently; we have different skin colors, different genders,
but in reality we are all one just as God is one, despite what may seem to be overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

We are all souls who come to this earth for
a time and a purpose. When that time and purpose are complete, we go home to the
same God.

In this spirit of oneness and fellowship, I invite you to join with me in prayer.

Father, Mother, God:

We pray for the souls of those who have died in this awful event. May they be received in your loving arms.

We pray for their communities, their  families, their loved ones. May they feel the comfort of Thy healing grace.

We pray for India and Pakistan and this entire world that we may act according to Thy will. May all be surrounded by Thy protection; may all be infused with strength and wisdom.

We pray for the perpetrators of this horrible crime and for all those whose hearts are burdened with hate. May they feel only the light of Thy love that they may seek to harm no one.

Where there is sickness, let there be healing.

Where there is hunger, let there be plenty.

Where there is war, let there be peace.

Where there is anger and hatred, let there be love and understanding…and may it begin with each of us.

Amen. Sat Nam.

President's
Message