Christian Witness Against the War

by Rev. Madeleine Beard, Deacon, St. Marks, Diocese of Maryland.

After gathering for prayer early in the morning at New York Avenue Presbyterian, after an afternoon of visiting the Episcopalian Senators' offices to give each a copy of the General Assembly Resolution opposing the war, after walking around Washington in the rain and with wet feet, we arrived at the National Cathedral and joined over three thousand others in Christian witness against the war.  

The organ swelled and the procession began, The cross was covered in purple for Lent, concealed, expressing sorrow and repentance.  We sang and prayed.  We listened as an American mother grieved her dead son and as an Iraqi nun mourned her wounded neighbors.  We heard preaching, such preaching.  It rang in our ears and stirred our hearts.  Called to remember, we heard again the words of Martin Luther King, words from another war, another time, words still true for this war, for this time. 

 Then we marched.  The rain had changed to snow as we prayed, so we marched from the Cathedral into a night sparkling with snowflakes.  We marched by candlelight down Massachusetts Avenue.  We marched down to the White House and then around the White House.  We marched "in the light of God."

 We may have come to Washington as Episcopalians or Mennonites, Catholics or Presbyterians, Baptists or Lutherans, come as individuals but in our praying, we were one. We may have come from Chicago or Florida , from Washington State or Washington DC , from Ohio or California , but in our marching we were one. 

 As one we said and continue to say:  “End the Occupation, Rebuild Iraq , and Cease all Torture Immediately”.  As one we support our troops who are our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters.  And as one we pray that God's justice will prevail and that God's peace will come.  Amen.