There doesn’t seem to be
much going on in the world these days that is good. All that the news seems to report is
shootings, rapes, wrecks and fires. In
the international community, we are focused on wreckage all around us; the
horrible execution of a journalist in Iraq and Syria by the so called Islamic
State that yearns to recapture the lands that were restyled before the First
World War with the borders that they now have.
Our intervention in Iraq has obviously contributed to much of this, and
our troops leaving not only Iraq, but also Afghanistan is leaving a political
void that is being filled by those with a yearning for power to impose their
religion on all of humankind.
When I look at all of this, I can only wonder what it is
that I can do about any of it. It
certainly looks very dark and hopeless.
We are used to seeing this country as the protector of freedom
throughout the world, but that doesn’t seem to work very well any more, and we
are looking more and more impotent as the days go on. What are we to do with all of our military
might in the face of a world that isn’t impressed with hardware? One of the things that we seem to be doing is
giving the weapons to local police departments who are using them in ways that
are also being increasingly criticized.
Why are unarmed black men being shot by police in questionable
circumstances? What are we going to do
about any of this?
I am attracted to St. Paul’s letter to the Romans where
he says pointedly:
If it
is possible, so far as it depends on you, live
peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge
yourselves,
but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is
written,
"Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says
the Lord."
No, if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if
they are
thirsty, give them something to drink; for by
doing this you
will heap burning coals on their heads."
Do not be overcome
by evil, but overcome evil with good.
All of this is said in light of the crucifixion and the
resurrection of Jesus by a man who did some very evil things in his own life;
holding the coats, for example of those who stoned the martyr Stephen to
death. This, it seems to me is advice
that we also need in our own time, faced with the turmoil in the world.
When Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he took his
disciples aside and told them that when he got there, that he would be
persecuted and finally killed, but that he would rise again. This was too much for Peter to hear. He took Jesus aside and said to him: God
forbid it Lord, this must never happen to you! But Jesus answered Peter
sternly: Get behind me, Satan, you are a stumbling block to me; for you are
setting your mind not on divine things, but on human things.
So how do we set our mind on divine things? I suspect that it has less to do with
armament and military strategy than with care and compassion. We aren’t very much attracted to compassion
and care when we have aggression in front of us and great concern about what
the mission of the enemy is all about.
We think about the events of 9/11 and worry that something like that may
happen again. It is a delicate balance
that we seek; to protect our country and still be concerned about those who
suffer. I have no easy answer to all of
this except to suggest that our prayers ought to be directed at both sides in
these difficult moments; to hope that somehow the divine plan will make itself
known to all of us and that we may find ourselves in a better place than we can
now imagine. May God bless us all in our
ignorance and sustain those who suffer and bring us together somehow in the
Kingdom.
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