Seeking peace in a time of violence focus of interfaith program

Nestled on a gentle hill in Watchung lies Mount St. Mary House of Prayer, often referred to as a spiritual oasis on Route 22. The mission of Mount Saint Mary House of Prayer is rooted in the Gospel and the charism of the Sisters of Mercy, giving rise to a multitude of spiritual activities and prayer experiences.

On Nov. 8, the House of Prayer convened its 7th annual interreligious interfaith program on the theme of faith and nonviolence. Dominican Sister Laura Arvin, director, introduced the event along with Sister of Mercy Eileen Smith, co-director. Nonviolence is one of the Mercy Sisters’ critical concerns.

What followed was a two-hour conversation on nonviolence led by Father Anthony Randazzo, pastor, Holy Trinity Parish, Westfield. This event, said Sister Laura, is the “most important program of the year, since today we are numb due to violence in the world, but there are messages of hope.”

Five speakers from various religious traditions addressed the topic of “How Do Our Faiths Inspire Us to Live Nonviolently?” They spoke from foundations in Christianity, the Quakers, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam.

Each identified a principle of nonviolence in their respective traditions, which underscores the unity of humanity. Arlene Johnson, a member of Chatham Summit Quaker Meeting, specified nonviolence as a major belief of the Quakers, She described how their worship service conveys this principle. Nonconfrontation and the avoidance of negativity or disagreement are hallmarks of Quaker meetings, emphasizing in practice the principle of nonviolence.

Michelle Weintraub, a Jew and also a practitioner of yoga in the Hindu tradition, noted that the two traditions complement each other: “Most religions point to peace,” she stressed, expressed in the Hindu principle of ahimsa, nonviolence. Yoga promotes internal mind-body-breath integration, fostering internal peace from which one can contribute to social nonviolence.

Ilana Goldman, a Jewish cantor, spoke about the tradition of kaballah, Jewish mysticism, and its understanding of the shattering of God’s creation into pieces, each of which is imbued with the divine. It explains the relationship of all humanity in the finite universe to the unchanging, eternal God.

Dr. Reverend Ursula Cargill, a Christian and minister of the Reformed Church of America, noted the centrality of Jesus and his suffering on the cross as key to understanding nonviolence, citing the passage of Matthew 26:52 regarding Jesus’s exhortation to Peter to put away his sword when soldiers came to arrest him in the garden of Gethsemane.

Farah Hussein, a Muslim and Koran student, spoke about her personal family experience wherein conflicts with her mother-in-law caused rifts within the family. Her Koran studies caused a behavioral change when she stumbled upon the admonition, “Do not break blood ties.” This led her to resolve those issues and taught her the value of her tradition’s teachings that promote peace. 

Father Randazzo posed another question to the panel: How can we talk with those who are not necessarily drawn to nonviolence? Johnson stressed the obligation to resist violence: “You must witness even in the face of apparent failure. Nonviolence is activist, not passivity.” Reverend Cargill echoed these sentiments: “We are called to witness that love is more powerful than hate.

The program closed with a discussion about self-defense, which panelists agreed is permissible when confronting violence, with the exhortation to “try radical love.”

For those so interested, the House of Prayer offers programs and special events year-round on many subjects of a spiritual nature. See www.msmhope.org for more information.