MY PRAYER IS FOR PEACE

Joan Entwistle is part of the Edges team.

11 September, 2001 – all the world felt the shock and saw the horror unfold on television. Those two mighty towering buildings holding thousands of people were destroyed in minutes. Lives were lost, people lay injured or ran away in shock. For one short space of time, the world stood as one. Then came the accusations and the anger. Someone must pay. Someone must be punished. The big question was WHO? One man’s name came to the fore along with his organisation of terrorists.

‘Hit back - take revenge’ was the reply and, slowly but surely, the West and its allies gathered their forces and the bombings and reprisals began.

The West said that: ‘it is not a war against a religious faith, but a war against terrorists’. The East said that ‘it is the West against Muslims and the Islamic Faith’. Who is right? Is it not that we, as human beings, are greedy and want what the other person has: greater wealth, bigger cars, better houses, better education. Like children, what we cannot have we must destroy or take away from another. As we grow older, we do not become wiser and we are not content with our lot. The Christian outlook is quoted as being one of forgiveness and peace, but all religions preach this message: Islam, Bhuddist, Catholic, Protestant and Hindu and so on. How many of us try to follow these precepts, or even live our own lives following the way of peace and forgiveness. Maybe if families lived together in peace and children were reared in this way, with no divisions as to black, white or yellow skins, then the message would eventually grow so that the world’s leaders would begin to think before they acted.

Violence begets violence. Nation against nation becomes brother against brother and violence rules. As I look back over my own lifetime, I cannot see any instance where fighting of any kind has led to less suffering. It is always the innocent who become the victims. Yet time and again, man strikes out against his neighbour and the lessons of history are not heeded.

My prayer and hope is for peace in my heart, my home, my family and that this small mustard seed of love may grow and the world and all its inhabitants will live in love and peace.