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SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

different in your mind’s eye now that you have contem- enemy. Seek it in your place and pursue it in other places.
plated these sacred images. Has anything changed in the Seek it with your body and pursue it with your material
energy, the attitude, the feelings you bring to the conflict resources. Seek it for your own benefit and pursue it for
now? If these exercises evoked more pain in you, can you the benefit of others. Seek it today and pursue it tomor-
bring more kindness and blessing to your own suffering? row. With reference to “seek it tomorrow,” it teaches that
one should not despair, thinking that one cannot make
Implications peace, but rather one should pursue peace today and also
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the very tomorrow and on the day afterwards, until one reaches it.
contemplative awareness that spiritual directors cultivate (Kagan, chapter 17)
every day is exactly what is needed to ease the pain of
destructive conflict. But this insight has wide-ranging Rabbi Kagan, building on an earlier tradition of Jewish
implications. Whether we are using these practices in interpretation on this verse, asserts that the two verbs—
connection with a relationship challenge in our own life, “seek” and “pursue”—come to teach us that the pursuit
praying for resolution of painful discord in a spiritual of peace is not a passive, occasional practice. It is not
directee’s life, or contemplating the state of uncivil dis- enough to stay in our homes or in our comfortable circle
course in the society in which we live, it is important for of like-minded people, pursuing peace only when conflict
us to remember that our daily contemplative practice is comes to our doorstep. Rather, the biblical command
perfectly suited to the work of healing interpersonal rela- to both “seek” and “pursue” peace means that we are to
tionships, intergroup relations, and even the state of the be active, even relentless, in our pursuit of peace, not
human family in our world today. only in our own comfort zone, but far beyond. Perhaps
Specifically, we might want to keep in mind in our most strikingly, this commentator finds in the doubling
own contemplative practice that many of the virtues we of verbs an exhortation not to give in to despair that so
already seek to deepen in our spiritual lives are essential many feel in the face of painful, intractable conflict. We
to the work of pursuing peace—be it in interpersonal, are called not to give in to inevitable moments of discour-
intergroup, or even international conflict. As we have agement and hopelessness. We are to serve the cause of
seen, kindness, compassion, and equanimity are spiritual peace with all we have, every day, praying and trusting
capacities that lie at the core of peacebuilding practice. that in time, we will succeed.
So, too, self-awareness, humility, and generosity of spirit In the words of a beloved Jewish prayer, “May the One
are soul-resources that serve as a foundation for interven- who brings peace on high bring peace to us, to all people,
ing wisely and helpfully in situations of painful discord. and to all the world.” ■
Thus, the spiritual practices we pursue for our own soul
growth and well-being can help us better serve a world References
torn by dissension and separation. We cultivate these Eilberg, Amy. From Enemy to Friend: Jewish Wisdom and
virtues not only for our own benefit, but to prepare us the Pursuit of Peace. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books,
to serve as peacemakers, however we are called to do so. 2014.
I close with a favorite Jewish text on the pursuit of Jacob Joseph Katz of Polonnoye. Toldot Ya’akov Yosef,
peace. In the following passage, Rabbi Kagan reflects on Chayye Sarah, 1780. Translation adapted from Rabbi
a central verse in the Psalms, “Seek peace and pursue it” Jonathan Slater, from teaching materials for Institute
(Ps 34:15), the source of the command to pursue peace in for Jewish Spirituality.
our lives and in our world. The rabbi, in good Jewish tra- Kagan, Yisrael Meir. Hafetz Hayim, Shmirat Halashon,
dition, wonders why the Psalmist uses two verbs (“seek” Sha’ar Hat’vunah, 1876 (Hebrew), republished,
and “pursue”) when one would have sufficed. Surely the Jerusalem: The Book Center, 1999.
two verbs must reveal additional layers of wisdom. Lew, Alan. Be Still and Get Going: A Jewish Meditation
Practice for Real Life. New York: Little, Brown and
Seek it [peace] for your loved one and pursue it with your Company, 2005.

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