Looking over my calendar I notice that Sept.21 is International Peace Day. In years past it was common for churches to come together to pray for peace on this day. I checked the events calendars of some neighboring towns and found nothing happening. Surprisingly, even the Sisters of St. Frances don’t have anything listed.
I wrote yesterday about the power of prayer. Will it get what we want? I said that what a person needs to do is bring their will into accordance with God’s will. So then one may ask, “Why pray at all if we can’t coerce God to do things our way?” I wonder if this is the question that those church communities that no longer bring people together to pray for peace are asking. It sure doesn’t appear that their prayers have been answered. One starts to wonder if peace is God’s will at all.
I don’t know if, by praying for peace in the world, peace is more likely to come. But I do know this. I am one cell in this body we call humankind. I know that I effect those around me. When I am at peace, these are more likely to have peace. Peace is within but it manifests in my words and actions. This is what it means to be a peacemaker.
I cannot speak for the rest of the world. I don’t know why peace is so hard to attain. I am just as discouraged as anyone. But I know that peace is less likely if this peacemaker loses her peace. And I know that this little light of peace in me needs the light in others to keep me believing. Prayer changes me. And in some strange way, I think this is how God’s will for peace in the world will be achieved. Clever God.