An Evening of Reflection and Hope: Building Peace

This last Sunday at 6:00 PM, I joined many civic and religious leaders at the Islamic Center of Manteca.  We gathered to share our grief over yet another massacre of innocent people; this time as they worshiped in their mosques in Christchurch New Zealand.  And we gathered to show our support of our local Muslim community.  It was a very meaningful and uplifting experience for Christians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, and Baha’i to gather together in peace!  I was honored to have been asked to speak and am sharing my comments below. 

In Christ’s Love, Jason

When I heard of the massacre of Muslim men, women, and children, while they were gathered at their mosque for Friday prayers in Christchurch New Zealand, I thought, “Not again! . . . Not again.”  Shooting a crowd of unarmed people at prayer is an act of an evil coward – I felt anger!  I thought of the tremendous pain and horror of those who had been shot; I thought of the children who had lost a parent and parents who had lost a child; spouses who had lost their life partner.  I thought of what it would be like to lose my own wife, my own children – I felt sympathy, I felt deep sorrow.  We hear this news and feel helpless!  We brace ourselves to hear of more violence – because violence begets violence; evil begets evil.  We wonder if there is a way out.  What can we do to stop the violence? 

I’m here to tell you – just as every speaker here tonight is here to tell you! – there is hope!  There is a way out.  It’s a long path, and an often a difficult path, but it is the path that leads to peace.

We can never overcome evil by evil; but we can overcome evil by good.  We can overcome hatred by kindness; we can overcome violence by building peace. 

We build peace when we overcome our fear and reach out to get to know someone who is different than us, and become their friend.  THIS takes courage.  We must be courageous!

This is exactly what MICA, our Manteca Interfaith Community Appeal has been working toward over the last several years.  By hosting our Evenings of Respect; our Day of Peace rally; and by giving to children in our school districts who need a helping hand, we have been creating space for people who are different to come together, meet each other, share our stories, and work together for the common good – to become friends and lay the foundations of peace in Manteca. 

Being friends does not mean that we need to all dress the same, or worship the same, or think the same!  Being friends means learning how to respect our differences through mutual understanding; and then working together for the things which we all desire – we all want a city where our children can play in safety; we all want a community where we can worship without fear; we all want a community where we know there are people we can trust in and count on during an emergency.  Building peace by building friendships; overcoming fear by mutual understanding and respect of our differences; working together for the common good of all.  This is how we can stand together and be stronger than hate; this is how we can overcome evil with good.  As we mourn and grieve those who have died because of the violence brought about by hatred; I encourage you to join us in building peace – so that one day no more will have to die.  Thank you.