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EPIPHANY PLOWSHARES
"And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks ; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2:4
We witness here at Willow Grove today as a people of faith, to responsibly say "no" to our nation's nuclear and interventionary war-making policies. These policies are at present killing innocent people and seriously endangering the existence of all life on our planet
We choose this day to act here because it is the Christian feast of the Epiphany, which celebrates the revelation of the Christ child to the nations. This feast is also known as "little Christmas." when the Magi traveled great distances, guided by the Star of Bethlehem, to find the child who came in the name of peace for all peoples. Epiphany anticipates the peaceful co-existence of all nations, which was also the vision of the ancient prophet Isaiah who proclaimed the message of the Lord: "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. "
With these inspirations, we beat with hammers and spill our blood on these modern swords: the P-3 Orion aircraft, which represents an integral part of the U.S. first-strike nuclear arsenal; and the CH 53A Sea Stallion assault helicopter, which is a tangible symbol of our intervention in wars in other lands. Like the Magi who disobeyed the command of Herod - who planned the death of the Christ Child - we reject the lawlessness and terrorism of our government.
We are ordinary people: a former Army Officer, an advocate for the poor, and two Catholic priests of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Together we share a concern for the victims of present war and injustice, for the lives of our families and friends, and for all our sisters and brothers in the human family.
In this action we plead with the nations and their people to seek the disarmed way of peace - learn the way of war no more.
Greg Boertje Rev. Dexter Lancot Rev. Thomas McGann Lin Romano
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