Personal Essay: Conflict, War and Peace

If we each had a piece of paper and a writing instrument in front of ourselves this morning, how many of us would be able to identify a place somewhere in this world where there is a war, or a conflict going. I suspect that we could name some conflicted places. It seems as though we hear a lot of war and conflicts these days.

A few more commonly known conflicts and/or wars: Darfur region of Sudan;

Democratic republic of Congo; Iraq; Sri Lanka Middle Eastern location such as

Israel Palestine; Syria

Some lesser known conflicts: Central African Republic; Somalia; Eastern Burma;

Eastern Chad

The locations I have mentioned are just the starting point. Thanks to google and

Wikipedia, I was able to find a lengthy list or places which were currently experiencing conflict and or fighting. This list does not even begin to address the locations where they may be open disputes and disagreements. A place may not considered as under war, but the leadership is fighting with itself, or the leadership is at odds with the surrounding community.

In these days there are wars and rumors of wars. Through media and technology, we read and hear about hiding in caves and friendly fire, special operations and prisoners of war, classified information from throughout the world being dumped into the public domain. We know what war looks like. WE see pictures on television or the internet. We may hear specific details in our daily routine about war and conflict.

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I think for some of us listening to the news these days is an exercise of worry and concern, for somewhere there has been an explosion, a suicide bombing, an assassination, involving gangs and tribes, drugs and oil, property and power. In detail we hear the story ...

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... in our lives, and it is worth striving to see aspects of this peaceable realm in our own lives.

What is peace good for? It is good for the world, it is good for relationships between people, between communities, and it is good for our own souls. What is what peace is good for? And we should not be focused on how long it will take us to achieve that goal, but rather just to set our faces toward peace, and act and speak in such ways to bring about peace. Even if it takes 27 years.

Let us remember what Christ brings into this world for us and others. Let us recognize our role as Christians to assist in the making of this world in the form that God desires. And may we work together for peace, amongst and within ourselves, and work until we have a lasting and sustainable peace, in and around us. Thanks be to God and may the people of God say together. Amen.