This week, the service was prepared by the brothers and sisters of the Community in the House of Val de Paix in Canada.
Reflection text
Peace be with you all:
Towards an “unarmed and disarming” peace
Message of His Holiness Pope Leo XIVfor the 59th WORLD DAY OF PEACE 1st January 2026
https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/peace/documents/20251208-messaggio-pace.html
“Peace be with you!” This ancient greeting, still in use today in many cultures, was infused with new life on the evening of Easter on the lips of the risen Jesus. “Peace be with you” ( Jn 20:19, 21) is his Word that does not merely desire peace, but truly brings about a lasting transformation in those who receive it, and consequently in all of reality. […]
The Good Shepherd, who gives his life for the flock and has other sheep not of this fold (cf. Jn 10:11,16), is Christ, our peace, who has conquered death and broken down the walls of division that separate humanity (cf. Eph 2:14). His presence, his gift and his victory continue to shine through the perseverance of many witnesses through whom God’s work carries on in the world, becoming even more visible and radiant in the darkness of our times.
Peace exists; it wants to dwell within us. It has the gentle power to enlighten and expand our understanding; it resists and overcomes violence. Peace is a breath of the eternal. […] Dear brothers and sisters, whether we have the gift of faith or feel we lack it, let us open ourselves to peace! Let us welcome it and recognize it, rather than believing it to be impossible and beyond our reach.
[…] Therefore, alongside action, it is more necessary than ever to cultivate prayer, spirituality, and ecumenical and interreligious dialogue as paths of peace and as languages of encounter within traditions and cultures. Throughout the world, it is to be hoped that “every community become a ‘house of peace,’ where one learns how to defuse hostility through dialogue, where justice is practiced and forgiveness is cherished.” [11] Now more than ever, we must show that peace is not a utopia by fostering attentive and life-giving pastoral creativity.
Intercessions
To be adapted or modified according to the place and the circumstances
In these painful days, our hearts turn to the Middle East, that ancient land where the breath of history meets the pain of the present. May the light of wisdom enlighten the minds of those in positions of authority, so that they may choose dialogue over force, and an outstretched hand over a clenched fist.
Lord, source of all peace and life, we place before You our hopes for all the peoples who dwell there, that the clamour of weapons may give way to the whisper of peace. Dry the tears of families, protect the innocence of children, and transform these lands of conflict into gardens of encounter. May every wall of division become a bridge, and may every fear be transformed into a sincere desire to build a shared future.
From 11 to 13 June, a regional JC2033 (Jesus Celebration 2033) USA–Canada gathering will take place in Val de Paix, bringing together leaders from various Christian denominations to share a vision, encourage one another and rally around the central message of the Gospel: Christ is risen !
Lord Jesus, You who have risen from the dead, we pray to You with hearts filled with hope for every participant coming from Canada, the United States and elsewhere. May our house of Val de Paix become the garden of a new Pentecost, so that, in our ecumenical diversity, we may be one body. May Your joy shine upon our faces and may our unity be a living witness to the world.
Canada is recognised worldwide as a welcoming nation that relies on a humanitarian tradition and strong immigration for its growth. However, in a world in crisis, it is not immune to global turmoil, suffering direct impacts on several fronts.
Lord, Source of all Life and Peace, we give You thanks for the beauty of this land of freedom, where every person can flourish and live in safety. Grant that this country may remain a welcoming land, where hearts remain open to strangers. Inspire us with the courage to cherish our differences and teach us to listen with kindness, to recognise the richness of others and to build bridges where some would seek to erect walls.
Prayer for Christian unity
Lord Jesus, who prayed that we might all be one,
we pray to you for the unity of Christians,
according to your will,
according to your means.
May your Spirit enable us
to experience the suffering caused by division,
to see our sin
and to hope beyond all hope.
Amen!
(Prayer written by members of the Chemin Neuf Community
inspired by a prayer of Father Paul Couturier)