march for peace

We marched for Peace the other night. It was the mid point of the WCC Decade to Overcome Violence. It was time to pass on the focus from Asia to Latin America. It was a good thing to do with 3-4,000 people gathered for the WCC General Assembly.

It was loud with lots of amazing Brazilian drums. Great chants. Stirring speeches. Symbolic actions, passing on the torch of this Decade to Overcome Violence from Asia to Latin America.

Part of me felt very cynical. What difference will this make? None really.

But Desmond Tutu spoke. Of how people marched and the Berlin Wall fell. And how people marched and apartheid fell. And now we marched, and violence will fall!!! He reminded us that (using a story of a crucifix with out arms) that we are Jesus arms. We are Jesus eyes, We are Jesus legs. Through us peace will reign. Through us violence will end.

Yes, in the face of it all, we are called to hope, and to cat on that hope. It seems so hard, yet that is the call.

as a little aside, the translator into Portuguese got confused with Jesus arms. He heard armes which is Portuguese for guns. So the Brazilian were told that Jesus had no guns, and that we are Jesus guns. Fits well with a march to overcome violence really!

Comments

Paul Fromont said…
Peace and an end to violence....one person at a time...

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