My peace candle has been struggling to maintain little more than a flicker. I've tended the wick, cleaned away the excess wax but still the flame is weak. It's a remarkable reflection of my feelings about peace.
Heartwarming messages about Peace. Nice, comfortable, serene words, images, and stories that kindle a divine tranquility of inner peace just don't work for me this year. As much as Peace begins with me, it extends way beyond my own little corner in my own little world. It's about peace on earth. Nice stuff for sure, but it feels more like an impossible dream these days.
Peace on earth is anything but peaceful. It is messy, awkward, and unstable. It lasts but a moment, then like a wave on the sand it slips back into the sea and must be re-made again.
There is nothing everlasting about it, this side of eternity.
Peace is hard work. It is costly on so many levels not the least of which is human life. It bears no resemblance to greeting card sentiments or the songs of angels.
Peace demands justice, justice that is underpinned by a desire for reconciliation not revenge. Peace also demands trust. Ah, there's the rub - Trust. Not un-involved armchair acquiescence or apathy, not blind by any means, but an informed, engaged trust that is shared, mutually valued and respected.
Trust leaves a piece of me and all of us hanging out there, unprotected, vulnerable to injury, loss, or even death. Those are mighty high stakes. But life is a high stakes endeavour, demanding my best efforts each day to respect the dignity of every human being, including myself, and to care for the whole of creation.
That Peace on earth may seem to be an impossible dream but that is no excuse for not daring to Trust, daring to do Justice and making Peace whenever and wherever I can.
Easy? Not at all.
Possible? Just maybe...
©2025 April Hoeller
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