May Peace Prevail on Earth

I was resting in my dorm between classes when my roommate burst through the door and ran to turn on the news. We watched the television screen in disbelief as the first tower tumbled, and then the second. I will always remember the smoke, the screams.

Classes were cancelled and a candlelit vigil was held that evening. In the commons, I stood between the wooden poles that declared peace in Arabic and English. I couldn’t begin to interpret what was happening.

We collectively stood, silent and somber. We gave space for fear and confusion. We all seemed to be holding our breath at the same time. Between those two poles, replaying those two buildings, I looked across the student body as my eyes were being baptized with holy waters. There we all were. From all over the world, in all of our glorious colors and cultures, and all were united.

In these current days with the polarization of politics, a global pandemic, and wildfires devastating the west coast, I hope that we can summon the spirit of who we were in 2001. We didn’t ask for destruction, but we were united in creating a way forward.

May our collective grief usher the remembrance of what we can be when we stand together. Right now, the Peace Poles have been felled and have taken on the shape of a splintered cross. The message will appear to you in whichever tongue you need it to read. Do you see the words carved in blood-stained letters, “May peace prevail on Earth?” It’s not a command, it is a beautiful invitation.