Psalms of Lament, Walks of Peace

Last week, many of us eagerly awaited the arrival of the monks as they passed through the Charlotte region on their Walk for Peace from Texas to Washington. I didn’t get to see them in person, but just knowing they were nearby gave me a feeling of much-needed joy.

These monks have captivated the nation with their simple, humble approach to sharing peace. Step by step, mile by mile, state by state, their quiet pilgrimage offers a profound antidote to the national and global strife we are experiencing. Their walk is a living prayer.

The juxtaposition of the monks’ peaceful journey with the images, videos, and stories coming out of the Minneapolis region is striking. It seems we are living in multiple realities. Tension and violence are one reality we see on the news often, but it is not the only reality. The crowds who are tuning in to follow the monks on their Walk for Peace tells me that so many of us are hungry for an end to the tension and violence of our times. We crave unity. We crave compassion. We crave peace.

Lately, I have been going to the Book of Psalms for solace and solidarity when the lack of unity, compassion, and peace becomes overwhelming. This collection of 150 ancient Hebrew poems/songs gives voice to the full range of human emotion—joy, pain, grief, awe, anger, and more.

Some days, I find myself most drawn to the psalms of lament, written long ago by faithful humans who wrestled with many of the same questions we do: ‘Where is God in the midst of evil and violence?’ ‘Why does injustice persist?’ ‘When will peace prevail?’

“Surely, you behold trouble and misery; you see it and take it into your own hand. The helpless commit themselves to you, for you are the helper of orphans. Break the power of the wicked and evil; search out their wickedness until you find none.” (Psalm 10:14-16)

“Many are saying, ‘Oh, that we might see better times!’ Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O LORD. (Psalm 4:6)

In our faith tradition, lament is a powerful form of prayer that is raw, honest, and does not hold anything back. By taking us directly into the place of pain and suffering, lament can help us move through our pain to the place where we are galvanized to action.

Perhaps I can manage my own daily walk for peace, even if it the distance is short. Seeing the masses turn out to glimpse and greet the monks walking across our country for peace, I know that I am not alone in my desires for unity, compassion, and peace. Let’s keep on going until this is the only reality in which we live.

Yours in Christ,

Carmen