Much as I love the round “Dona Nobis Pacem”, I don’t believe in it. Peace doesn’t come all preassembled in a pretty box, wrapped up with ribbons. Praying to be given peace is on a par of naiveté with expecting to live happily ever after a wedding. Peace is not a present you unwrap. Peace is a thing you build, rather like a tower of children’s blocks – there are a lot of different parts holding it up, they are not too well connected, the whole thing is a bit fragile, and you have to be careful not to overbalance it. You have to be a bit protective, because no matter how careful you are in building, it’s still possible for a bully to stomp by and knock the whole edifice over.
If you’re going to wish or pray for peace, pray for the strength and skill to build it, or for others of like mind to work with you. Pray that the bullies will stay far away, or be shamed into backing down. Pray for understanding of those others working on the same building, that working on different sides you do not take approaches so contradictory that you undo each others’ work. Pray for patience or for the fortitude to “see the things you gave your life to broken, then stoop and build ’em up with worn out tools.”
Sorry for the sermon, It’s no coincidence that this is written on September 11 after reading about the various memorials and protests planned for the day, and while my husband is on a plane to the US.