Knowing Peace in the Midst of War
Not only must we have complete faith in Spirit and Its ability to know and to do, but we must have complete confidence in our approach to It. We must not be lukewarm in our conviction. We must know that we know.
— Ernest Holmes, “The Science of Mind,” page 159
Message from CSL Home Office
October 13, 2023 — Given the current level of escalation in Israel and Palestine, we bring our awareness and love to all of those touched by this crisis, to all whom suffer.
The loss of life is devastating, and we decry violence in all forms. To quote the patriarchs of Jerusalem, “We unequivocally condemn any acts that target civilians, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity or faith.” Further, the patriarchs said, “We implore political leaders and authorities to engage in sincere dialogue, seeking lasting solutions that promote justice, peace and reconciliation for the people of this land, who have endured the burdens of conflict for far too long.”
Read the Christian leaders’ call to end violence here. We, too, pray for a cessation of violence and for the rights of the Israelis and the Palestinians to live free from fear, violence and war.
As we explore the power of paradox as CSL’s global theme this month, we’re aware that war and peace form the biggest paradox of all. How do we continue to know peace in the midst of war? We cannot move toward a more peaceful world until we address the underlying causes of violence, inequity, injustice, colonialism and oppression of all forms.
Our founder Ernest Holmes declared, “The promise that comes from practicing a conscious sense of union with the Divine is a deep, abiding peace even in the midst of personal or planetary challenges. We can create a spiritual chain reaction which can bring peace in the midst of chaos.”
What We Can Do
We can unite in focusing the energy of love to bring peace to Israel and Palestine, to Ukraine and to all areas of the planet where there is no peace through the creation of a spiritual chain reaction. Allow the energies of peace, love and harmony to rise up and become strong. Peace begins at the center of our own being, where instead of moving to fear, anger or anxiety, we focus on the greater powers of love, peace and harmony.
We hold space for peace to be realized. We convene peace vigils, prayer calls and read sacred texts while also engaging in sacred activism. We band together to remind each other that there is an infinite and divine creative force of life that is wholeness and truth. We stay in constant prayer without ceasing to remember what we know, rekindle our sometimes-dwindling faith and continue to seek the light amid the dark abyss.