On Hiroshima Day, pause to remember the bombing

August 6, 2020

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Two years ago, I had eye surgery to restore my sight.  As I glanced at the bottle that I use to put in contacts that give me my vision back, I noticed the writing was in Korean.  It was a bottle that I had purchased in Seoul, during our Presbyterian Peacemaking Travel Study Seminar, and once emptied have used for these drops. It reminded me how easy it is to also lose sight of major issues facing our world today. 

Today is Hiroshima Day. With all the problems surrounding us, it can be easy to forget the devastation that was wrought in 1945 when the atom bomb, Little Boy, was dropped on Hiroshima, destroying 90% of the city, immediately killing 80,000 people, with tens of thousands more dying later of radiation exposure.

As we visited Seoul, I was taken back by the beauty of the city, its history, and the friendliness and faithfulness of the people. Ten million people live in Seoul and its neighbor city Inchon. These two cities sit only 35 miles from the DMZ between North and South Korea. We later visited the DMZ. At the border, one could feel the tension between the two nations, the constant threat of a nuclear attack and the inevitable death of untold millions. 

It is easy to lose sight of the major issues of our world. For the bombing of Hiroshima to fade from our memory. For future threats to fade from our vision. I do believe that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. Let us remember the past and pray that we will never repeat it.

Rev. Eric Markman was a participant in the Presbyterian Peacemaking Travel Study Seminar to the Korean Peninsula in November 2018.  He serves as the pastor of Hartford Street Presbyterian Church in Natick, Massachusetts.

Today's Focus:  Hiroshima Day

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Emily Kiefer, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation

Janice Kim, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation

Let us pray:

Be thou our vision O Lord of our life. Restore us to love that Christ has for all.  Walk with us always and help us to see, by your love only our world can succeed.  Amen.