I love this picture! I don't know how many readers have followed the Monks for Peace in their 2,300 walk to Washington DC, but I have been watching this day by day and holding them in prayer throughout. The Buddhist monks crossed into Washington DC this week and completed their long journey on 11. February. They came to the Washington Cathedral and were greeted simply by Bishop Budde. Aloka, a dog who has walked with the monks despite injury and the need for surgery for his knee, is shown above with Bishop Budde and one of the monks, completely vulnerable as he submits to scratches and belly rubs.
Pannakara, the leader of the group, noted that the gathered faith leaders in the Cathedral were “here together for the same mission – peace.” He added, “This is the first time that we are working together, we are walking together on this path to find peace for ourselves, to share that with our nation and the world.” He emphasized that he and the other monks didn’t walk to bring peace, but rather to help people understand that peace already exists but is often overlooked. “It never left us. It’s just that we cannot see it. You have locked it and put it in a box, and you have left it somewhere. You’ve forgotten it,” he said.Over the months, the monks and Aloka captured the hearts, minds, and imaginations of much of the entire country with this message. Aloka has been "christened" "The Peace Dog" and inspired a song celebrating this. The trip was accompanied by multitudes across the country, much to the surprise of the monks! Every day people lined the route and offered the monks thanks for undertaking this walk, though there were also horrific and scandalous events as well. Fairly early on the accompanying vehicle was hit by another car and one of the monks was severely injured. He lost a leg, and yet, rejoined his brother monks later. At another point the monks were met by groups of Evangelical Christians trying to proselytize and warn the monks that Christ was the only way and that their souls were endangered! Fortunately, hospitality was also offered all along the way, and it was especially wonderful seeing Bishop Budde and other faith leaders welcoming the monks to the National Cathedral --- hearts of peace greeting hearts of peace --- in an act of true Christian hospitality.
I am especially grateful to these monks for undertaking this walk at the same time the current administration has done its best to spread extraordinary violence, hatred, and fear throughout the country -- and throughout generations to come. Persistently, day by day, step by step in good and terrible weather, the monks reminded us all that this "way of peace" -- a way of radical vulnerability -- is the only way we will come to truly defeat the powers that seek to destroy this country. We have that potential. It resides within us. We have seen the people of Minneapolis tapping into and mobilizing that power in song, in truly peaceful protests outside ICE hotels, reminding ICE agents that "they can change their minds", and in so many other ways -- all, despite the killings and terrible and widespread and generational trauma CBP and ICE have also brought! Peace, as the Buddhist monks have reminded us, is something we must discover within ourselves and renew every single day of our lives as we walk, step by step, our own true (and costly!) path.
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