When Peace Won’t Wait
I'm scrambling to put together a South Florida Observance of the United Nations International Day of Peace, would you walk with me?
This Sunday, September 21st, is the United Nations International Day of Peace.
I’ll be honest with you: until very recently, I didn’t realize there were no plans in our area to mark it. And once I knew that, I couldn’t let the day slip by unobserved. Peace matters too much. Silence would have felt like agreement with the way the world is right now… and I couldn’t live with that.
So here we are: pulling together an Interfaith Vigil at Holy Angels National Catholic Church with barely any time to plan. Some people would call that crazy. I call it faithful.
The Weight of Last-Minute
There’s an anxiety that comes with doing something like this on short notice. Will anyone come? Will the music come together? Will the microphones work? Will people roll their eyes and think, “They should have planned this better”?
That voice of self-doubt is always loudest right when God is calling us to act.
Why We’re Doing This Anyway
But then I remember: this isn’t about me. It isn’t about perfect planning or polished details. It’s about gathering people who long for peace but don’t always know what to do with those feelings. It’s about giving voice to the ache we all carry when we watch the news and wonder what the world is becoming. It’s about standing together, even if the candles are crooked and the program is simple.
Because peace cannot wait until next year’s calendar looks tidy.
Trusting the Lord With the Rest
So I’m leaning hard into trust. Trust that the Lord will multiply our little efforts the way He multiplied loaves and fishes. Trust that one song, one prayer, one shared moment of hope can ripple outward in ways I will never see. Trust that showing up is enough.
We may not have weeks of preparation, glossy flyers, or big budgets. What we do have is faith, friendship, and a God who never tires of calling us into the work of peace.
My Hope
My hope is that when we gather on Sunday night, the people in that room, and those watching online, will feel less alone in their longing for peace. That we will remind each other that we are not powerless. That even in Wilton Manors, Florida, our voices can rise with countless others around the world to say: peace is possible, and peace begins here.
If you’re local, I hope you’ll join us:
📍 Holy Angels National Catholic Church
1436 NE 26th St, Wilton Manors, FL 33305
📅 Sunday, September 21st
🕢 7:30 PM
Livestream: www.holyangelsfl.org
Bring your prayers, bring a friend, bring your longing for peace. The Lord will take care of the rest.
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