Asking the Clergy: What is your prayer this year?

The Rev. Gary Chin, the Rev. Dr. Jo-An L. Owings... — The Rev. Gary Chin, the Rev. Dr. Jo-An L. Owings and Arvind Vora Credit: John Roca; The Rev. Jo-An L. Owings; Aditya Vora

By Jim MerrittSpecial to NewsdayApril 27, 2024

‘Lift Up The Word — Light Up The World” is the theme of the 73rd National Day of Prayer on Thursday. This week’s clergy discuss ideas for the annual observance designated by Congress as a day “to turn to God in prayer and meditation.”

This year, I’m praying about lawlessness, which seems to be getting out of control in today’s world. In Haiti, gangs are running the country, leaving death and bodies everywhere. Not long ago, the president of Haiti was assassinated. Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry tried to get help by visiting Africa, but he is not able to return because the gangs don’t want him to come back. It’s sad to see what is happening in Haiti, where so many people are suffering because of lawlessness. But I never thought it could happen in America, where for the past five or six years lawlessness has really been getting out of control. Stores are being looted all over the country. People take what they want and there is little or no consequence for their crimes. Stores are closing because of lawlessness. The reason I pray to God to stop the lawlessness is so that the Lord will delay the ending of this world. The Bible mentions that before the world ends, lawlessness will happen. By delaying this eventuality, more people will have the chance to know Jesus Christ and spend eternity with our Lord forever.

This year more than ever, my prayer is first for world peace. I know it sounds like a cliche, but when we look at the unrest between Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Hamas, the retaliation by Iran and conflicts in Africa, we need a spirit of peace. Secondly, I pray for a spirit of peace in our nation. There is a widening divide between political parties, which seems to have put the concerns of the citizens secondary to political agenda. I am reminded of a story of a little boy who was given a 100-piece puzzle of the world to keep him occupied while his father finished his work. The boy put the puzzle together in record time. The father asked his son how he finished the assignment so fast. The son replied, “On the back of the puzzle was a picture of a man. When I put the man together the world fell into place.” Peace in the world begins with each of us, and the world will fall into place.

My soul prays for peace, every moment of the day and every day of the year. Jains practice ahimsa (nonviolence), one of three jewels of Jainism. We Jains believe that peace is a byproduct of ahimsa. Peace is difficult if not impossible to achieve as long as there is any kind of violence, be it mental, verbal and/or physical; be it inflicted directly or indirectly. The Shanti Fund, which I helped to found, recently honored students for their peace artwork. (Shanti is a Sanskrit term meaning “peace.”) Shanti Fund volunteers have been promoting peace for the last 30 years by various means in our society. Individual peace is an absolute must. Then it must be within the family and in the neighborhood and throughout our universe. The Jain principle of anekantavada (everyone possesses some degree of truth) is crucial and so is the Long Island Multi Forum, which brings 12 living, breathing and practicing faiths on Long Island together to promote peace, justice, understanding and camaraderie. Gandhi famously said, “The world has enough for everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.” This is the message of the third important Jain principle, aparigraha: keeping one’s needs to minimum because otherwise peace is unattainable.