Four Friends gathered last Sunday, June 18.
It was a beautiful afternoon, sunny and mild. I, Jorge, arrived a little late, carrying the signs. The other three Friends were already standing there, "experimenting," as one of them put it later, to hold a vigil and pray without outward words. Many tourists walked around and others just passed by. I noticed again that they seemed to ignore us. This seems to be happening more and more lately. It is as if we were becoming a regular fixture of the place and somehow their interest had waned. How could it be so, especially when the stream of tourists is always different? Towards the end of the vigil two very young Christians came over to ask some questions. They were planning an evangelical campaign and were doing a survey. They seemed touched by what we were doing, took our literature and kindly offered to pray for us.
Later, as we were sharing our experience, Friends reported that two men and one woman in their twenties had been jeering at us and laughing. What is the problem with us, vigilers? America is doing fine. "I make $12 an hour," one of the men had said.
Earlier in my meeting house I had a chance to look at the statement that PYM was preparing to make on occasion of the Republican National Convention, and I had felt very disappointed about it. What should we, Friends, be really saying? (I know, "should" is a bad word in modern psychology and culture.) Is the US doing fine? Are the groups and individuals who hold power in this country and vie for the upper hand doing fine? For several months I have written no vigil report and have contributed only in small ways to some. (This Sunday no one volunteered and our usual contributors were not there.) For a while during this period I had the image of us, the vigilers, standing on a slab that was being pushed up and broken by the wounded, the despoiled and the hungry of the Earth, stirring underground. It was as if they were calling my attention to the terrible injustices they keep suffering while I pray and do fine.
No, no basta rezar — No, it is not enough to pray, says a Colombian song of the sixties that frequently comes to me on Sunday afternoon.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE
Independence Mall Vigil for PeacePlease join us at our weekly prayer vigils for peace in the world, held in front of the Liberty Bell on Market St. between 5th and 6th, every Sunday from 4 to 5 PM. For more information, contact cityquake@aol.com.
In our reports, participants share their experiences of the prayer vigils and explore beliefs related to their participation. Reports reflect the experience of each author and do not necessarily represent the beliefs or practice of all vigil participants. We welcome your responses, which are forwarded to the individual authors (when possible). We sometimes include part of a response in a future report, unless you ask us not to.
It is meaningful to us that you share in the vigils by reading these reports and in other ways, such as joining us in prayer.
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM