God
We admit
Confess really
That we do not know how to pray for peace.
We want it to be a magic incantation.
One where we have picked the right side.
So peace happens
There you go God
the mystery of Shalom-Salaam is solved.
But Salaam-Shalom isn’t about sides,
You can’t take the word apart like that
You cannot take the world apart like that
These things are not meant to be broken
There are no sides to peace
Shalom-Salaam
the mystery of wholeness, health
hospitality, healing
peace
No wonder peace is
Created
Constructed
Made
It took a Carpenter-
Or at least someone who worked with their hands
to teach us that.
Blessed are the
Builders of Peace
For they Shall Be
Called.Invited.Named.
Children.Having the Nature of.Inheritors of
God
Allah
Yhwh
Salaam-Shalom (Have I said the spell enough yet, God??)
Our tongues ache
From the words of war
(revenge)
And we know
That we have
Taught it
My soul aches
to teach war
No more
no more
no more
Shalom-Salaam
Teach me
to sit with peace
To hammer
weapons into
Planting tools
Teach me
how find the broken pieces
to plant
And to mend
To nurture
And to tend
To sow
Until we find the wholeness
teach us the mystery of this binding
Salaam-Shalom,
Us
Because we Do Not Know How
And none of Us can do it alone
Salaam-Shalom us,
We Pray.
Amen.
Feel free to use/adapt/Share with Credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord.com”
Banksy Dove with a Bulletproof Vest https://www.thenationalnews.com/weekend/2022/08/05/banskys-west-bank-dove-and-the-palestinian-shopowner-who-met-the-elusive-artist/
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