Meditation for 2nd August 2022
PEACE, PERFECT PEACE
In August 2018, John and I were privileged to travel on holiday to Japan. We began our exploration of this fascinating country by attending the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, on the73rd anniversary of the detonation of the world’s first atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima. The bomb exploded at 8.15am, 600 metres above the city. 90% of the buildings were destroyed. By the end of 1945 approximately 140,000 people had died. Radiation led to decades of the victims’ suffering.
The memorial ceremony was inspiring and gave one such hope for the future of peace in our world. It was attended by many thousands of people who gathered in the memorial park, from older people to the very young, with many, many school children, there were people from all over the world…
The Peace Bell in the Memorial Park was tolled at the exact time when the bomb was dropped in 1945, a flock of doves was released, declarations were made by dignitaries and children which affirmed the desire for peace in our world and the Hiroshima Peace Song was sung.
As I meditate, some 4 years later, on that experience, our world is still in a state of conflict – forefront in our minds is the war in Ukraine but we do not forget the many other areas where power and greed, cruelty and killing mark the daily existence for many people – Syria, Afghanistan, the Yemen, Myanmar to name but a few.
One can despair that we have learnt nothing from the horrors of the Second World War and the cataclysmic effects of the exploding of the bomb over Hiroshima (and on the 9th August 1945 over Nagasaki).
The past president of the State of Israel and joint Nobel Peace Prize Winner (1994), Shimon Peres wrote a book, No Room for Small Dreams, published just before he died in 2016, in which he shares some of his thoughts and experiences in working for peace between the Arabs and Israelis in the Middle East.
He was a man of great optimism and hope (he said being pessimistic is a waste of time), a man who dared to believe that you have to take risks in the quest for peace. He recommends that we should never stop dreaming of what might be possible and must have the imagination to realise those dreams.
He said “There is no alternative to peace. There is no sense to go war” and “I think peace should be done not only among governments but among people.” “There are no hopeless situations only hopeless people.”
He believed that we should rise above resentment and live in a spirit of forgiveness.
As we meditate on the desire for peace we can return to Scripture, to the Old Testament from which Shimon Peres drew inspiration:
Psalm 4:8
In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 46:1 and 9-10
God is our refuge and strength
an ever-present help in trouble.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Isaiah 2:4
Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their
swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the
sword against nation, nor train any more for war.
Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
and from our New Testament where our hope is rooted in the peace of which Jesus teaches.
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
John 14:27
“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.”.
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against each other.
James 3:18
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Hebrews 12:11
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest
of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
So
Let there be Peace, Perfect Peace!
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face towards you
and give you peace.
