Palm Cross - Photo copyright 2012 John M. Kingery
Station 3: Jesus Takes Up His Cross (Memorial Park)
Theme: Jesus stands with all the veterans and victims of war
Tema: Jesús está con todos los veteranos y las víctimas de la guerra
Scripture: Matthew 5:43-45
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.”
Reflection by Keven Boyett, Unity Church of Beaverton: We are standing today in Beaverton Veteran’s Memorial Park, a place honoring the men and women who have served our country in times of war and in times of peace. As we respect and honor the warriors, let us remember that their ultimate sacrifice is for peace. This is the fourth year that I have been asked to speak about the cost of war. The message I offer is the same each year. The message offered by Jesus has been the same for 2,000 years. The message is “Love your enemies” and “act for peace.”
On these bricks are the names of more than one thousand two hundred soldiers. Each name has a face, a family, friends and loved ones. The true cost of war cannot be measured simply in numbers or dollars; it is measured by all the loss our community experiences when we choose war. There is a plaque on the sidewalk that dedicates this place as a “sanctuary for Peaceful reflection.” I wish to suggest today that after peaceful reflection, it is our opportunity to take peaceful action.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means.”
For all the dedication and devotion we commit to fighting, what would happen if we gave an equal amount of energy and devotion for peace? The first step for peace is to act for peace. Please take a moment today for Peaceful Reflection and then take one moment for Peaceful Action. Any act for peace, no matter how small, is far more powerful than an act for war.
Prayers: We thank you for those in military and charitable service who have endangered their lives to defend us and to help others. WE THANK YOU, LORD
Petitions: Let us pray for the dead, soldiers and civilians, adults and children, whose lives have been cut short by violence in all of the Middle East including Israel and Palestine and other war torn areas of the world, may they rest in peace. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
Let us pray for the living victims of war still suffering the wounds of conflict, may they experience the support of loving communities. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
We will seek non-violent means to settle our disputes and will encourage our country and community to do the same. O LORD, WE WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS