Violence... the struggle to overcome violence

The suffering caused by the violence of our time is almost incomprehensible. When we consider such tragedies as the Oklahoma City bombing, the murders of the children in Scotland, the unbelievable tragedy of children killing other children, it is difficult to believe there can be redemption in this suffering. It is hard to find it meaningful as our society falls ever more deeply into the clutches of violence. Some find the answers through more violence, and the spiral continues. Yet people all over the world are working to counteract violence, and this must give us hope.

In Chicago residents of a housing project and other citizens come together on the first Sunday of each month and read the names of the South Side victims of violence. Parishioners from several Chicago churches regularly attend the funerals of the victims of violence even outside their own neighborhoods. In 1995 hundreds of leaders gathered for an Archdiocesan conference exploring the causes of violence. The local region of the Leadership Conference for Women Religious funds a position in the state capitol to lobby legislators to work for non-violence.

Many people are learning non-violent communication, training themselves to avoid violent language, gestures, reactions. Many promote the cause of non-violence through actions, writings, prayers. Several helpful resources are listed below.

All of this gives us hope and strengthens us in believing that this violence can be overcome. And yet the violence continues. The children are still dying from gun shots, from beatings, from abuse.

Decades ago, the voices of peace were seeking to ban the bomb. It was satisfying to write letters supporting the noble few who went to jail for these convictions, and easy to stand in solidarity with them. Now many of those voices for peace are no longer heard. The Cold War is over, but the need for peace and justice is far from over.

We hear the cries of the children murdered as they walk to school or play in the playground. We see the blood of the young spilled in foolish gun play. We know that violence is eating at the heart of our cities, our towns, our neighborhoods. We grieve for the victims of violence, for their families, as well as for the families of the perpetrators, and we feel a sense of helplessness. The spiral continues, the violence persists.

We ask, "When will our God hear our cries?" "When will the voices of the nonviolent be heard over the violence?" The face of God is reflected on the faces of those affected by violence. But how can we believe that God is present in this suffering? We have to be convinced of God's love, we have to believe with all our hearts that God's grace is stronger than sin.

Sr. Dolores Lytle, CSA was principal of St. Ambrose School, 1012 E. 47th St., Chicago. She is currently involved in the Pritzer Grinker School, an alternative school for teenagers who are working towards their high school diploma.

Click here to read a Reflection on this Article by Sr. Adela Gross, OSF