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Interfaith Service - Background

The Commonwealth Interfaith Service celebrates – with prayer, music, song and readings – the diversity of the Commonwealth and the values and ideals that Canada shares with the 2.6 billion people within the 54 member countries.

 

This joint service brings together seven major faiths along with the local community, High Commissioners, Members of Parliament and Senators.  

 

In listening to readings from the world’s major religions you will hear the common values that bind the Commonwealth together.

 

At a time of increasing instability and uncertainty in the world, the rich diversity of the Commonwealth family of nations is a source of strength and hope for all.

 

The Commonwealth Interfaith Service represents the best of Canada and the Commonwealth. For 40 years, RCS Ottawa has celebrated Commonwealth Day with a celebration of faith that reflects the spirit of the Commonwealth Charter, which asserts that everyone is equal and deserves to be treated fairly, whether they are rich or poor, without regard to their race, age, gender, or religion.
 

Below are readings from 7 of the major religions:

- are they fundamentally different?

- which is: Christian, Islam, Hindu, Buddhism, Sikh, Judaism, Bahá’í ?

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Verily, God decrees that you should be moderate, balanced and just. To be gracious, kind and benevolent, to exert special kindness to all those near you.  Strongly admonishes you to abstain from imbalance, tyranny and from transgression against the rights of others.

May the Creator and Creation exude peace and bring conciliation and hope. May all things be peaceful and may the peace itself bring further peace. May we be the agents to spread peace to all, everywhere. 

More valuable than treasures in a storehouse are the treasures of the body, and the treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all.

There is Only One God, Its name is Truth, It is The creator, God is without fear, God is without hatred, It is timeless, God exists by Itself

He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has spoken.

If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men.

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