I was not alive to bear witness to the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. My understanding of those events was primarily shaped by two sources: history lessons in school and the stories my family recounted of their lives during U.S. involvements in war. My grandparents and elderly family members offered precious glimpses into what it was like to live through and after the tragic events of Aug. 6 and 9, 1945.
My family wove stories of both tragedy and joy, prosperity and suffering, heartbreak and resilience. It fills me with gratitude to carry the role of messenger of my ancestors’ experiences. Yet, reflecting on the horrific bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki stirs anger, sorrow and conflict within me regarding the rationale of the U.S. behind that decision.
Nuclear Victims’ and Survivors’ Day commemorates the day that generations of lives, and their stories, were cut short. While I know these souls and stories are safe in the arms of God, I wrestle with the weight of these lives that were taken to justify ending a war. I ponder the histories that were never told, the wisdom that was never passed down, and the art that was never created. Even today, what stories are too daunting or too intense even to begin to articulate from this harrowing time?
The biggest question I wrestle with of all is this: How do we, 80 years later, honor those lost stories and wrestle with our place among these complex narratives to move toward reconciliation and a future of peace without fear that our stories will be ended too soon?
When ruminating on these lofty questions, I turned to Psalm 34 for guidance.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
He delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
When we cry out about the horror of war, God will be crying alongside us. I have no fear when these stories are recounted because I have faith that God was suffering alongside those who lost their lives that day. I have faith that God was mourning alongside the hibakusha survivors in Japan and the downwinders in the American Southwest. I have faith that God is singing the songs of the ones who were lost right alongside us as we sing. I know that our loving and merciful God will be right there next to us, guiding our way and holding our hand, as we learn, grow, and fulfill our call for justice and peace.
Psalm 34 continues:
Turn from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
We are taking steps toward peacemaking and reconciliation when we take the time to learn about the histories and lessons of peace instead of letting them be forgotten. When we remember and tell difficult stories for generations to come, we are doing a courageous act of truth-telling to understand our past, so we don’t repeat it. When we share stories and histories, we are carrying out God’s call to seek peace and pursue it, working for a world where peace is guaranteed for all of God’s children.
Grace Kromke, Peacemaking Fellow, Office of Public Witness, Interim Unified Agency
Let us join in prayer for:
Tom Taylor, President & Chief Executive Officer, Presbyterian Foundation
James Tebbe, Pakistan Property Representative, Global Ecumenical Partnerships, Interim Unified Agency
Let us pray:
Holy and Gracious God, we thank you for the stories that endure and your comforting presence in our troubled and aching hearts. Help us to carry out the memory of those who lost their lives and had their stories cut short, not as a burden, but as a sacred promise of truth, trust and peace. Guide us as we seek justice, pursue peace, and work toward reconciliation in a world still longing for unity and harmony. United by love, we lift up your name and the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen.
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