A collection of prayers

Recently I was asked to make a presentation to my fellow chaplains at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital about the spiritual practices of Buddhism. There is a Buddhist temple in Bozeman and chances are at some point, a Buddhist may become a patient at the hospital and request spiritual care.

We try to honor everyone who comes to Bozeman Deaconess for treatment, and we try to honor their "spiritual journey," whatever it may be.

I have a collection of prayers called "The Oxford Book of Prayers." It contains prayers from the Western Christian Church, as well as other faith traditions including Buddhism. I use prayers from this book as I make my rounds at the hospital. Many patients draw comfort from prayer, especially when it is sensitive to their faith journey.

The collection of prayers has enriched my own prayer life, at home and in my community of faith-Christ the King Lutheran Church.

Here is a prayer from the "Oxford Book of Prayer."

A Buddhist Litany for Peace

As we are together, praying for peace, let us be truly with each other.
silence
Let us pay attention to our breathing.
silence
Let us be relaxed in our bodies and our minds.
silence
Let us return to ourselves and become wholly ourselves. Let us maintain
a half smile on our face.
silence
Let us be aware of the the source of being common to us all and to all living
things.
silence
Evoking the presence of the Great Compassion, let us fill our hearts with our own compassion-toward ourselves and towards all living things.
silence
Let us pray that all living beings realize that they are all brothers and sisters, all nourished from the same source of life.
silence
Let us pray that we ourselves cease to be the cause of suffering to each other.
silence
let us plead with ourselves to live in a way which will not deprive oth3er living beings of air, water, food, shelter, or the chances to live.
silence
With humility, with awareness of the existence of life, and of the sufferings that arwe going on around us, let us pray for the establishment of peace in our hearts and on earth.
Amen.