Inclined to Peace

(I actually wrote this reflection the day after the tragic massacre at Virginia Tech).



Three different faith traditions speak deep into o ur hearts today.



"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.." -John 14:27



"Seek peace and pursue it." -Psalm 34:14



"But if they incline to peace, you also incline to it and (put your) trust in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower." -Surat-al-Anfal (8), ayah 61.



"If they incline to peace...." Three different faith traditions, and yet three unifying traditions of hope and peace. My heart is troubled by the massacre at Virginia Tech, a terrible, horrifying tragedy. I would like to think that even as my heart does reach out to the family and friends of those who died, those who were injured, those who were traumatized, even the entire Virginia Tech community, I am not afraid. But I am; I have two sons in college. They were far away from the actual tragedy. Still, I am troubled by the event. I watched the news today while eating lunch at a Wendy's near the Ohio State University campus. As I looked around, I noticed some were watching, though most were not. I wondered if they were thinking,"We are here, not there; this is us and that is not. It is them." I must confess, I know that I am afraid deep inside, down deep where I can hide from you and you can hide from me, but where neither one of us can hide from fear. I will admit that I am afraid that it could happen again. I shudder at the thought that it may be one of my children, or yours, or my spouse, or friend, or perhaps even me. I hope such a tragedy never happens here, not where I am, not to those I love, nor to those loved by others. I also hope that I never receive the news that my child-was a shooter. And yet, the spouses and parents-parents of the faculty and students, and parents of the shooter, did receive such tragic news. My heart is troubled at this slaughter of innocent lives. What answer can anyone give other than the words cherished by at least the three faith traditions reflected above. And yet, my lingering...dare I admit fear... is that just as it happened at Virginia Tech, and Columbine, and Austin, and Nickel Mines, and Red Lake...it could happen again even closer to home-my home. Your home. What are we to do? Without trying to be preachy, the hope imbedded in the three faith traditions is this: we do not receive the peace the world has to offer. Rather we are called to be inclined to peace found in faith and together, in collabortive efforts, seek it with every ounce of our being.