Tomorrow is World Peace Day, and we Gatherers will be using the World Peace Prayer to close our worship.

A few weeks ago, I facilitated an evening reflection as part of which we looked at the strange set of sayings that form both Matthew's and Luke's beattitudes.  After we'd played around a little with the makarios as 'happy' or 'blessed' one of the folk in my small group responded to the 'blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted' by observing the importance of the grief process in personal well-being... it is only through griving that we can find comfort and the strength to move forward.  Wow!  What an amazing insight.

So what then of "blessed are peacemakers, they shall inherit the earth"?  For the earth is not exactly a peaceful place.  What if the inheritance of the earth by people of peace is not a 'reward' but a 'calling'?  What if it is the opportunity to be the change we long to see?  To be agents of grace, hope, fulfilment?

What does it mean to be a peacemaker, a person of peace here in Scotlnad?  In the UK?  In Europe?  In the world?

Blessed are the peacemakers - to these I entrust my good creation

What a responsibilty!

What an honour!

What faith God has in we frial, failing, finite, fearful folk

Lead us from Death to Life
       from Falsehood to Truth
Lead us from Despair to Hope
       from Fear to Trust
Lead us from Hate to Love
       from War to Peace
Let Peace fill our Heart
       our World, our Universe
Peace   Peace   Peace