in talking about my contemplation of pacifism with erin. she mentioned something that we experienced together. early in our dating we attended blakemore umc and when michael williams, the pastor, would close in benedictine he would say, 'let us pray that the leaders of our world would seek creative ways to bring peace' (or something very similar). i like that, the idea of finding creative ways for peace. maybe pacifism is to simple a word that evokes just a non-violent approach. let us pray that we can come up with more creative ways to find peace for this world.
Lord, make me an instrument
Of thy peace, where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that
I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in forgiving that we
Are forgiven, and it is in dying
That we are born to eternal life.
Prayer of St. Francis
