Witnessing, Listening for Justice and Peace

“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. ”
-- Matthew 13:16-17

What does it mean to see, to hear? When news of violence, oppression, and war are our daily bread, where do we find justice and peace?

• When trauma and death from gun violence are in our schools and neighborhoods — whether in a mass shooting all at once, or in the steady drip of killing in our streets — where do we find justice and peace?
• When poison and contamination trickle down to the disenfranchised and poor — whether in an oil pipeline under the water supply of a reservation, or in the lead water pipes of an inner city — where do we find justice and peace?
• When unarmed people-of-color are profiled, harassed, and even killed by police — with little or no accountability — where do we find justice and peace?
• When women are held back from progress in their work, and sexually demeaned and assaulted — by men in positions of power — where do we find justice and peace?
• When LGBTQ+ people still face marginalization, exclusion, and aggression — whether in commerce, at work, or in church — where do we find justice and peace?
• When immigrants are greeted with hostility, blame, and fear — whether by their neighbors or our government — where do we find justice and peace?
• When the people of Palestine remain subject to removal, occupation, and apartheid — with the support of our nation and society — where do we find justice and peace?
• When political leaders continue to promote, trust, and invest in violence, oppression, and war — as false solutions to our problems — where do we find justice and peace?

The good news is, we have people working on all of these challenges, and many more!

On Earth Peace supports individuals and groups who are most affected by these problems. We witness Jesus at work in great leaders and organizations that arise among the people — often led by the young — and so we listen, and we follow them. And more are on the way!

We’ve often heard the famous quote by beloved TV personality Mr. Rogers about when he was a boy and would see scary things on the news: “My mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world.”

Jesus was one of these helpers, a practitioner of justice and peace. This is what he lived. As we witness and listen together for justice and peace, we witness and listen to Jesus. When we find people working in love for justice and peace, we find him in our midst.

Truly, our eyes and ears are blessed. To see Jesus working in, through, and all around us!