Weekly Prayer Cycle Advent 2

Scripture:  Mark 1: 2-5, 6-8 ““ The Voice in the Wilderness (NRSV)

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “˜Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'”

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins… He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

PWRDF Story:  Striving for True Peace, by Laura Marie Piotrowicz, PWRDF Board member

In On Peace Albert Einstein wrote “Peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of justice,” referring to the good qualities of law, order, and government. The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) partners in the Philippines are daily aware of this reality, and are working continually to strive for true peace. Any movement toward a peaceful and just society bolsters their hope and celebrates their efforts.

Some examples witnessed on a February 2013 visit include:

Indigenous partners had to barricade roads to prevent land-grabbing efforts by mining corporations; PWRDF supported this community with money for food (as barricades prevented partners from earning money). While the tension has diffused and the barricades are now down, members keep watch every night to protect their ancestral lands. The community is eager to hear the voice of peace called from the mountains.

Community groups are assembling to protest injustices they face from corporations and governments, they are involved in political protests, they are hosting workshops on documenting violations against human, gender, and indigenous rights. The results of these workshops enable the people to share the message of the importance of peace and the efforts to achieve justice.

Farmers are coming together to find ways to use available land and seeking out mutually beneficial uses of the land’s produce with every aspect of the fruit being used ““ for food, pectin, even conversion to charcoal. Organic farming produces healthy food and healthy communities; sales from the Fair Trade shop encourage and support this ecologically non-violent and sustainable economy for local people.

Young people are coming together to share their history and their experiences through the arts. Traveling drama and dance troupes offer youth a positive alternative to gangs or drugs, provide a healthy peer community, and teach them skills in writing and producing art. These activities allow them to tell the hopeful message of peace as they see it.

The message of peace is a powerful one, a message that needs to be heard and shared. It is a message worth working towards, a message of faithful hope that justice is coming. The message of peace in the Philippines is significant and all-pervasive among PWRDF partners, as they have seen and known first-hand what it means to live without peace. The message of their work towards justice is inspiring for them as they witness glimpses of peace; it is inspiring for Canadians as we hear their stories and support them in their work. The message of peace, for us all, is a call to embrace and celebrate the acts of justice that we see. It is a call to identify and confront those acts of injustice. It is a call for us to pray with and for our partners. It is a call to believe that the messages of today are a foretaste of the promises for tomorrow ““ that the Prince of Peace, the giver of a Peace we cannot understand, the One proclaimed by Isaiah and Mark ““ will come and deliver to us all the powerful gift of peace.

For Reflection

What does peace mean for you?  When have you experienced a peace-filled moment in your life?  How can we work for true peace in our lives, our communities and our world?

Concluding Prayer
Peace of the running waves to you,
Deep peace of the flowing air to you,
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
Deep peace of the shining stars to you,
Deep peace of the shades of night to you,
Moon and stars always giving light to you,
Deep peace of Christ, the Son of Peace, to you. 

Anonymous