ALL WE ARE SAYING IS...

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

The mantra sung and chanted and begged for in 1969.

1969.

War rages and protests break out all over.

Charles Manson cult members murder 5 people.

Hurricane kills 248 people.

Chappaquiddick (look it up).

Police raid a gay club in New York City. The Stonewall Riot ensues.

1969.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

What the messenger asked of a young, brown-skinned, oppressed, poor girl named Mary.

4 BCish.

Herod the Great kills his own family to hold onto his reign of brutality.

Taxation of the poor is almost 50-60%.

Women are viewed as property, to be used and discarded on a whim.

Revolts and uprisings are commonplace.

Politics and religion intertwine and hatred for the “other” rules.

4 BCish.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

What our collective, modern-day hearts continue to yearn and plead for.

2021

COVID continues to threaten our way of life. Will it ever be over?

Politics and religion intertwine and hatred for the “other” destroys communities, families, and even our hope.

Sex-trafficking is at an all-time high. 40,300,000 current victims.

Another school shooting. #excruciatinglyawful

Continuing racial tension that seems insurmountable.

2021.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

PEACE.

The idea that ALL IS WELL.

inside and outside

individually and collectively

mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally

for EVERYONE.

Not just for some.

Not just for the rich.

Not just for the healthy.

Not just for the insiders.

Not just for the free.

BUT for everyone.

The rich and the poor.

The healthy and the sick.

The loved and the lonely.

The insiders and the marginalized.

The free and the prisoner.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

PEACE.

HOW? HOW? HOW?

Begged for in 1969.

Asked for in 4 BC (ish).

Yearned for STILL in 2021.

Something so elusive. So difficult. So needed.

HOW? HOW? HOW?

HOW DO WE MAKE PEACE?

[not how do we KEEP peace]

1969.

4 BCish.

2021.

We MAKE PEACE by embracing that “ALL are created equal.” ALL.

Not just the ones who look, believe and act like us.

We MAKE PEACE by being willing to resolve turmoil.

Both what rages on the outside and on the inside of us.

We MAKE PEACE by standing up for it. Saying “NO MORE!”

Both for others and ourselves.

We MAKE PEACE by fighting for it.

In our own hearts and homes first, but NOT stopping there.

We MAKE PEACE by making room (just like Mary in 4 BCish) for the Prince of Peace.

The One who embraces that ALL are created equal.

The One who resolves the turmoil that rages inside and out.

The One who stands up and says “NO MORE!”

The One who fights for our hearts and our homes, but does not stop there!

The One who shows up every moment of every day of every single year (even this one)…and tenderly says…

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

P.S. I lit the peace candle this morning.