Sunday Reflection - The State of the World

Yesterday evening I heard all of the following news stories within a three-hour time span.

Locally:

- Woman, 31, loses leg in accident, when hit by a driver under the influence of drugs.

- Drunk driver sentenced in hit and run accident that left two women college students

in wheelchairs for life.

- Four teens killed in Sunday Night crash – 18-year-old driver driving at 90 miles per hour.

Nationally:

- Man arrested in Cleveland arrested for multiple murders – the police have found 11 corpses in his home.

- Shooting in downtown Orlando office building- former employee kills 1 injures others.

- 12 people killed and 31 wounded in Fort Hood shooting. Army officer has been detained.

Globally:

- 5 more U.S. troops killed this week in Iraq and Afghanistan. Making the total 5,275 U.S military dead and more than 1 million Iraqis killed in this war.

- U. S. military drones aimed at villages in Afghanistan killing many members of one family gathered together for a funeral.

Then, while driving in the car, I heard the host of a right wing radio station talking about the Fort Hood killings. She was running rampant with linking the Army base killings to the entire Muslim community.

Friends - I felt like shouting,

“Stop the world – I want to get off for a few minutes!”

Today I am doing something that I am in the practice of doing when I am feeling overwhelmed and things seem out of control.

I stop and remain silent. I am spending this day in prayer, meditation and silence in order to re-energize myself for the work that I have to do tomorrow. I worked for a while in the Peace Garden and planted crocus and Allium lily bulbs, knowing that they will grow silently in the frozen ground when covered by snow and then burst forth in the Spring sunshine. Nature's promise of hope in the universe. In a few minutes I will take a walk along the waters edge of Lake Erie and gather even more energy from observing the forces of Nature.

And tomorrow I will be ready for my new adventures.

*****

A voice of reason:

I would like to share with you a statement that was issued by the local Network of Religious Communities in Buffalo.

A senseless act of violence countered by building a world of peace with justice

Release Date: November 6, 2009

The members of the Network of Religious Communities are shocked by the senseless act of violence and fatal shootings at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas. We offer our condolence and prayers for the victims and their families. Let this be a time to remember and care for all who serve in harms way and especially their families who bear a special burden. Let us call to account any who would use this tragedy to exploit and spread religious hatred. Let us redouble our commitment to foster religious understanding and cooperation, building a world of peace with justice.

*****

And all who are in agreement say Amen.

Amen

I pray that we will all be able to absorb a sense of peace in our hearts and minds.

peacesojourner