Today, our church turns its eyes toward the immaculate conception of Mary. I’ve always struggled with this feast day, wondering how I can relate to Mary if she was not born in the same human condition as the rest of us? If I focus on her conception, she remains distant. But if I focus on her life, she is oh, so near.
As I listen to today’s gospel reading of the annunciation, I can relate to Mary’s fear as she is approached by Gabriel. God’s messenger recognizes her fear and immediately assures her that God is with her.
After announcing that Mary has been chosen by God, Gabriel tells her that Elizabeth is pregnant. As soon as the angel leaves her, Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. She needs to confirm what has happened to her by seeing God’s mysterious power made manifest in the life of Elizabeth. So, too, when fear and confusion surround us, we can reach out and find our mysterious God revealed in and through the lives of those we love.
This reflection is from Awaiting Christmas: Beauty Ancient, Ever New – Advent Reflections 1997. Nancy Small is a Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace.
Each month, “On The Line” features news items and announcements from around the nation featuring Pax Christi members, local groups, regions and partners. These are gleaned from articles in local newspapers, websites, magazines, and elsewhere.
A SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING PAX CHRISTI GROUPS AFFECTED BY HURRICANE SANDY: Members of the Pax Christi Metro New York, Pax Christi Long Island and Pax Christi New Jersey regions were hit especially hard by Hurricane Sandy. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of them as they continue to recover from the storm. If you wish to send a note of solidarity and support to members of these regions, or ask how you can help PC members who might need some direct help as a result of the storm, you can send an email to the following leaders of those regions:
PAX CHRISTI MINNESOTA MEMBER IN IRAQ:Steve Clemens of PC-Minnesota, is back in Iraq ten years after being there with the Iraq Peace Team. He writes in his blog, “I had left Iraq just 3 months before the US war-of-choice began in March 2003. My experience with the Iraq Peace Team was powerful and life-changing because I was able to act on my faith rather than my fears. So this land between the Tigris and Euphrates has a special place in my heart.” You can follow his reports from Iraq on his blog at http://www.mennonista.blogspot.com/
Five “Prophets of Peace” were named on PC-Florida’s 30th anniversary: Fr. Sebastian Muccilli, Mary Lea Zamora, Carol Ann Breyer, Anne Richter and Maureen O’Connell.
NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER INTERVIEWS PCUSA AMBASSADOR OF PEACE NANCY SMALL: From NCR – “Among my favorite Pax Christi memories is one of Nancy Small leading a few hundred of us in a prayerful protest against the first war in Iraq from the steps of Brooklyn’s St. James Cathedral, which barred our entry, to Assumption Church, which welcomed us. We walked in total silence except for a drumbeat. Along the way, we offered inquisitive spectators fliers explaining our absence from the huge pro-war rally in Manhattan on the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge. We were few compared to the thousands who supported the military action. I recall that The New York Times, which covered the large rally, concluded with a mention of our resistance…” Read the entire interview with Nancy at http://ncronline.org/node/38161/
LAKESHORE PC (WI) COVENANTS WITH OTHER FAITH COMMUNITIES:Lakeshore Pax Christi in Manitowoc County in Wisconsin have covenanted with Lakeshore United Methodist Church, First Lutheran Church, St James Episcopal Church, and Fox Valley Friends (Quakers) to work for justice. The “Covenanting Celebration for RUTH of Manitowoc County” (RUTH=Responding with Understanding, Truth and Hope) was on October 29. RUTH members work to help persons in need, assisting at the Domestic Violence Shelter, tutoring children, mentoring those returning from prison and jail, volunteering at Hope House and planning the men’s homeless shelter, advocating for children in the CASA program, foster parenting and participating in a myriad of ways of ways of serving and giving locally and on mission trips. RUTH members have concluded that systemic and structural change must also occur if the public good is to be fully served. Read more at http://www.htrnews.com/article/20121026/MAN0101/310260158/Lakeshore-Update?nclick_check=1
PAX CHRISTI HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTER HOLDS PEACE FESTIVAL: The Pax Christi group at Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills, CA, worked with their school’s Campus Ministry Department to celebrate their annual St. Francis Peace Festival, October 1 -4. Every student in the school was invited to contribute some research, art, prayer, skit, etc. on the topic of peace. Each teacher (across the curriculum) was invited to share a peace lesson in their class. The school’s Alumni Hall was filled with colorful and thought-provoking work and activities that invited the students to take a stand for non-violence and peace-making. The week culminated with a Catholic mass on the feast of St. Francis. The mass began with large puppets created by the Art and Religion Departments, presenting a story of two fighting communities who find a way to sow seeds of peace.
Members of the Pax Christi chapter at Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills, CA held a peace festival on the Feast of St. Francis.
PAX CHRISTI MEMBER PUBLISHES NEW BOOK ON SERVANT LEADERSHIP: In Blessings for Leaders, long-time Pax Christi member Dan Ebener skillfully weaves an understanding of one of the most powerful and familiar Bible passages with insights drawn from his experience developing faith-filled leaders in churches and ministry organizations. Ebener reflects on how the paradoxes of leadership can be understood from a careful reflection on the Beatitudes: It takes wisdom, empathy, humility, justice, mercy, service, peace and courage to lead as a Christian. Read more about the book on Dan’s website here: http://www.servantleadershipmodels.com/blessings_for_leaders.html
CONGRATS! PAX CHRISTI FLORIDA CELEBRATES 30 YEARS: Watch the video below prepared by Pax Christi Florida Council member Jim Rucquoi celebrating PC-FL’s 30th anniversary:
PAX CHRISTI WESTERN NEW YORK COLLABORATES TO MOVE VIOLENCE TO HOPE: From the Buffalo News – “Peaceful Genesee envisions a community free of violence of all forms, where all people treat each other with dignity and respect, and that develops ways to peacefully transform conflicts. Its partners include Genesee Community College, government, non-profits, the high school, faith leaders and individuals. The collaborative is working to move from violence to hope in Genesee County, with 58,000 people and 3,300 documented instances of violence and disruption…” Read the rest of this article by PC Western NY coordinator Bill Privett at http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121101/OPINION/121109972/1074
Chase Nordengren, former coordinator for the Pax Christi chapter at the Catholic University of America, is now a blogger for the “Young Voices” section of National Catholic Reporter … Pax Christi Austin and PC-Austin member Kay Arnold were featured in an interview on The Way podcast … Former PCUSA National Council member and member of PC Metro DC-Baltimore Donna Toliver Grimes was named the Assistant Director of African American Affairs at the USCCB. Read this interview with Donna done last February by Mary Liepold. Congrats Donna! … PC-Indianapolis member JoAnn Lingle was in Pakistan on a peace delegation in October. Read her blog entries here … Bud Ryan of PC-New Mexico had a comment published in The New York Times blog regarding an article on the just war theory … Pax Christi Tucson participates in their parish’s “Theology Uncorked” program which is discussing gun violence with survivors of the January 2011 shooting in Arizona that killed 6 people and wounded 12 others including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords … Pax Christi Pentagon Area (VA) held a drone protest outside CIA headquarters last weekend … Pax Christi Teacher of Peace Ruben Garcia was featured this month in the Christian Science Monitor … Pax Christi South Dakota members protested the death penalty and were featured in several news outlets in October, including this story in the San Francisco Chronicle … Pax Christi Upstate New York member Jack Gilroy was one of several authors of this invitation to “Awake to Drones!” … See more local and regional updates in the fall edition of The Peace Current …
Send your news items, announcements, photos and links to stories about Pax Christi groups or members to jzokovitch@paxchristiusa.org.
Each month, “On The Line” features news items and announcements from around the nation featuring Pax Christi members, local groups, regions and partners. These are gleaned from articles in local newspapers, websites, magazines, and elsewhere.
ALPENA PEACE PEOPLE PAX CHRISTI GROUP SPONSORS 30 DAYS OF PEACE: From the Alpena News – “If participants in this year’s 30 Days of Peace take anything away from attending one of the multitude of planned activities, Sister Mary Hughes hopes it is inner peace. ‘My hope is that initially it will help people as individuals to find a peace within themselves and that will be spread to their relatives, their friends and their neighbors,” Hughes said. “If we have an atmosphere of peace within our community, it will spread. It will affect the leaders we choose for local and state, and our church and civic groups. It will affect the activities in the community and promote wholesome living.” On Sept. 14, An Evening of Poetry, Readings, Blues and Jazz will be held from 7-9 at Cabin Creek Coffee in downtown Alpena. Poems and readings promoting peace will be given by representatives of the local Pax Christi, a Catholic organization that strives to create a world that reflects the peace of Christ. ‘People come to this event who never come to anything else given by LARCC or Pax Christi, so if you have different things, you get different people,’ said Hughes of the wide diversity of events planned for the entire month.” Read the whole story here: http://www.thealpenanews.com/page/content.detail/id/522591/30-Days-of-Peace-initiative-coming-up.html?nav=5042
LONG-TIME PC-FLORIDA, MICHIGAN MEMBER PASSES: In late August, we learned that long-time Pax Christi USA member and local group leader Herb Bazur had died. Herb was 88 years old. Herb was active in Pax Christi USA for many years, including his local participation with Pax Christi groups and members in Michigan, Florida and Indiana. Known for his Pax Christi USA rose tattoo, Herb was often the center of laughter and joy at the many Pax Christi gatherings he and his wife Betty attended. Herb’s family writes in his obituary, “We will work to keep alive the memory of our charismatic and colorful Herb in many ways. He would encourage us to stop and smell the flowers, love our neighbors, walk with the marginalized, vote with poor people in mind, and spread joy.” Read more about Herb here: http://paxchristiusa.org/2012/08/27/obituary-herb-bazur-long-time-pax-christi-usa-leader-age-88/
Pax Christi Texas members participated in the Caravan of Peace in August.
PAX CHRISTI ST. CLOUD PROTESTS AT CAMP RIPLEY: From The Morrison County Record – “The exercises at Camp Ripley usually involve training soldiers and public safety agencies. But the exercises at the National Guard base Monday involved the constitutional right to free speech. A peace vigil/protest was held Monday by the Little Falls Partners for Peace and Occupy Little Falls in front of the gates of Camp Ripley. In addition to several demands, one of the group’s goals was to increase public awareness about the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), often called drones. Two factions with opposing views about war stood across from each other, both literally and figuratively, near the gates of Camp Ripley. Standing north of Highway 115 in front of Camp Ripley’s gates, members of the Little Falls Partners for Peace and Occupy Little Falls held what they termed a “peace vigil” and drone protest. About 14 in all, others were from the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace, Women Against Military Madness from the Twin Cities, Alternatives to War, St. Cloud Occupy, Pax Christi St. Cloud and Alexandria Peace, joining the Little Falls contingent.” Read more at: http://mcrecord.com/archives/515939/exercise-at-camp-ripley-right-to-free-speech/
NCR ARTICLE ON THE PASSING OF JOSHUA CASTEEL: From NCR’s Tom Roberts – “The news, expected but dreaded, began to leak out on Facebook on Saturday night. Joshua Casteel had died earlier that day. He was 32. And the postings, which seemed endless, as well as those on the site of the Iraq Veterans Against the War and on Pax Christi USA all seemed to ache in trying to say some version of the same thing: How do we tell those who should know about this life of grace and courage, of holiness and unending search, of both consummate resolution and relentless questions? How did he fit it all into such a short time, and how do we explain that the world — the church, the state and beyond — needs to know of this life?” Read more here: http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/inspirational-soldier-turned-conscientious-objector-dies-lung-cancer-32
PAX CHRISTI NEW MEXICO REMEMBERS HIROSHIMA: From The Santa Fe Reporter – “Members of various activist organizations and local residents against nuclear weapons gathered in Ashley Pond in Los Alamos on Sunday. The rally, which was mainly organized by Pax Christi New Mexico and lasted all afternoon, celebrated the 67th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima during World War II. Dozens of framed pictures of victims and information about the bombing’s aftereffects were scattered around the area to pay homage to the victims. Organizers also established a live stream of the 8:15 am annual bell ringing in Hiroshima, Japan, the precise time the bomb was dropped in 1945. Father John Dear, an Christian anti-nuke activist nominated by Desmond Tutu for the Nobel Peace Prize, called the atomic bomb ‘the biggest sin’ and Los Alamos as its birthplace. ‘We gather here to repent that greatest sin,’ he told the crowd. Read the whole article here: http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/blog-3714-los-alamos-remembers-hiroshima.html
Pax Chrsti New Mexico members Fr. John Dear and Bud Ryan at the Hiroshima Day event at Los Alamos.
PAX CRISTI MICHIGAN SUPPORTS SCHOOL SALE TO MUSLIM ORGANIZATION: From The Detroit News – “An interfaith coalition plans to demonstrate its support Tuesday night for the sale of a school building owned Farmington Public Schools to a Muslim organization. The sale last year of the former Eagle Elementary School in West Bloomfield for $1.1 million has drawn protests from groups alleging the district showed undue favor to the buyer, the Islamic Cultural Association, which plans to open a school there. Taking ‘a stand against Islamophobia,’ coalition members plan to attend the West Bloomfield Township Planning Commission meeting, which is at 7:30 p.m. The commission is expected to consider issues related to the Islamic group’s construction plans for the site. Coalition members include Jewish Voice for Peace-Detroit, Pax Christi-Michigan, Detroit Meeting of Friends, Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network, Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, Michigan Coalition for Human Rights, Pointes for Peace and Michigan Coalition for Human Rights. Read more at: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120814/METRO02/208140446/Controversy-surrounds-sale-school-W-Bloomfield-Muslim-group?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE
Sept. 29 – Pax Christi Richmond with the Catholic Diocesan Office of Justice and Peace and the Office for Black Catholics will co-sponsor the Slave Trail Walk. Contact Mike at mike.jackman@capitalone.com for more information.
Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, founding Bishop-President of Pax Christi USA, was featured in the Albany Times Union … Many thanks to all of the Pax Christi regions and groups who took out an ad in the Momentum 2012 program booklet. See videos, listen to the speeches and see photos from the event on the PCUSA website … PC Metro DC-Baltimore member Jean Stokan wrote the article, “U.S. Elections: The Whole World is Watching” for the Intercommunity Peace and Justice newsletter … The Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, John Onaiyekan has been named Pax Christi International’s 2012 Peace Laureate … At the August 6th remembrance of the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan in WWII at the Quaker Meeting House in West Hartford,CT, PC-Hartford member Kate McLoughlin was a featured speaker … Pax Christi International Co-President Marie Dennis has a series running on the PCUSA website on civil discourse during this election year … Pax Christi Massachusetts board member and PCUSA Ambassador of Peace Nancy Small reflected on the 9/11 anniversary in this blog post … The Pax Christi USA-produced film on Haiti was chosen for another film festival … Heather Brouillet Navarro of PC-St. Louis, Sr. Esther Pineda of PC-Salinas (KS) and historian David O’Brien were elected to the National Council … See more local and regional updates in the summer edition of The Peace Current …
Send your news items, announcements, photos and links to stories about Pax Christi groups or members to jzokovitch@paxchristiusa.org.
by Nancy Small, Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace
In the days that followed the September 11th tragedies, a powerful symbol arose from the wreckage at Ground Zero. Workers there discovered the remains of two steel crossbeams that were part of Tower One. These crossbeams somehow held together when the building collapsed, and they emerged from the rubble in the shape of a cross. This cross was erected at Ground Zero and quickly became a symbol of life and hope.
I came to think of this cross as a place of convergence between the orchestrators of violence and their victims. Below the cross were the remains of those killed in the attack along with the remains of those who killed them. Here, in the shadow of this cross, there was no separating the causes of violence from its consequences. And there was no denying that both victims and victors of violence are connected through the brokenness that results.
As I reflected on this cross, I thought about the convergence between violence and nonviolence that happened during the crucifixion of Jesus. It was violence that subjected Jesus to torture and an excruciating death. And it was nonviolence that was his stronghold through it all.
In Luke’s gospel, Jesus’ disciples are eager to defend him as he is about to be arrested. One of them asks, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” (Lk. 22:49). Before Jesus can answer, the ear of the high priest’s slave is cut off. Jesus then cries out to stop the violent assault. “No more of this!” he shouts. He then reaches out to touch the slave’s ear, tenderly healing him from the violence he has suffered. (Lk. 22:51).
In this poignant moment, there is a powerful convergence between violence and nonviolence. Those who have come to take Jesus away are armed with swords and clubs. The disciples stand ready to use their swords to defend Jesus as well, and one of them already cut off the slave’s ear. Yet at a very volatile moment that could have easily erupted in battle, Jesus stands up unequivocally for nonviolence. He affirms this choice by making his final act as a free person one of nonviolence. He extends an open hand of compassion as he tenderly touches the ear of the injured slave. Jesus reaches across the battle lines drawn in the sand with a gesture of peace and reconciliation.
I remembered these words of Jesus as I reflected upon the cross at Ground Zero. “No more of this!” it seemed to cry out as it towered above the brokenness below. No more of the violence that leads to this kind of devastation. No more tolerating the myth that violence can resolve our differences. No more using our brokenness as an excuse to break others. No more ignoring the reality that violence begets violence. No more pretending that violence can be redemptive. The way of redemption is the way of the cross. And the way of the cross is the way of nonviolence.
Each time I recall the cross at Ground Zero, I dare to hope that one day our nation will understand that we cannot use violence to root out violence. Perhaps one day we will realize that the violence we impose on others will eventually find its way back to us. Maybe some day we can admit that there needs to be a radical shift deep within the soul of our nation.
This day seems far off indeed when politicians brag about our nation’s military accomplishments as though they’ve been given a license to kill. It seems elusive when they tout their plans to grow our national defense in a groaning economy. Yet we hasten the dawn of this day whenever we stand up to violence with the strength of nonviolence. In this way, we become part of the transformation we seek. And the transformation we seek is deep and powerful. It is the transformation of the cross where the cruelty of violence was met with the courage of nonviolence. It is the transformation that long ago converted the cross from a place of bloodshed into a place of blessing.
Nancy Small is a Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace and the former national coordinator of Pax Christi USA.
