Path of Peace Daily Reflections
Every fall, the Presbyterian Church’s Peacemaking Program extends an invitation to join with people of faith from around the country and the world for A Season of Peace, a month-long pilgrimage designed to deepen the pursuit of peace for congregations, small groups, families, and individuals. This season is a time of growth, encouragement, challenge, inspiration, and education which invites you to consider your own relationship to peacemaking and justice.
In the culminating chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews, the author rachets up the exhortations and reminders. “We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” (12.1) they write. This heavenly band shines forth “the peaceful fruit of righteousness,” (12.11) and by their example, they extend both encouragement and a challenge: “lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet.” (12.12-13) This year’s Path of Peace takes up this call in a distinct way. Each day, we offer a vignette of a Presbyterian who contributed to the civic and spiritual well-being of our church and world and made a significant impact on the common good here or abroad. Some battled injustice, others broke down barriers and dividing walls. Many advocated for marginalized communities and made room for them within the church. Each offers us an example of how peace can be pursued in tangible ways.
Our focus on particular individuals also invites one disclaimer. The Season of Peace is not unlimited. We weren’t able to include every Presbyterian worthy of note. The list is not exhaustive, ranked, nor perfectly representative of all the Presbyterians whose examples shine forth for our consideration and emulation. The priesthood of all believers and the kingdom of heaven are, after all, notoriously resistant to our ordinary habits of ranking and classification. But these vignettes are representative of the many saints who have come before us whose lives can encourage and edify us. This fall in particular is a tense and tender time in our church, country, and world. Our hope is that these reflections will spur personal spiritual and moral growth while also serving as a sorely needed balm and a breath of fresh air. May they provide a counter-narrative of good news, true hope, and stirring inspiration that moves us all to work together along the path of peace for the well-being of all of God’s beloved creation.
You have the option of subscribing to these reflections for daily delivery into your inbox or downloading and printing the written portion of the reflections as a devotional resource.
This year’s reflections were written and edited by Andrew J. Peterson.
Subscribe to daily reflections that will be delivered directly to your inbox.
We hope that you will be encouraged, inspired and challenged during this season of peace to continue and expand your work for peace in a world that needs all it can get.
Taken, in part, from https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/peacemaking/season-peace/
Comentários