Peace In the World??? - Part 2

I want to return to the topic not to bash on church which I suppose is the way I came off and not even to talk about the play at all, but to further describe my underlying argument which I feel was over shadowed by the church argument. And if you haven’t read that one yet you probably should. Thanks.

I just finished a short book by Henri J. M. Nouwen, called Out of Solitude. In one chapter I learned that the word "care" comes from the Gothic word Kara which means lament. And I quote him "the basic meaning of care is: to grieve, to experience sorrow, to cry out with.

Maybe its not so much to solve problems, all though that is a worthy goal. But maybe its about caring enough to sit with and say I don’t understand either. A point which the author also makes, he describes it this way: "We have a strong tendency to refer to specialists. When someone does not feel well, we quickly think, "where can I find a doctor?" When someone is confused, we easily advise him to go to a counselor. And when someone is dying, we quickly call a priest. Even if someone wants to pray we wonder if there is a minister around." He then tells a documented story, of when the constitution was being drafted, Benjamin Franklin proposed they start the session with prayer since they were having a difficult time, the motion was rejected not because of unbelief but because they figured they could not afford to pay a Chaplin. He sums it up by saying "although it is usually meaningful to call on outside help, sometimes our referral to others is more a sign of fear to face the pain than a sign of care, and in that case we keep our greatest gift to heal hidden from each other."

I could pretty much quote the whole book, and SERIOUSLY recommend it , it cost 1.75 and is easily read in 20 minutes. Just read it please! Either way I apologize again if I offended anyone, and wish I could have another chance to experience the play in its entirety maybe its getting at the same point I am, but for clarification I’ll tell you more about that night as I should have done in the first place.

First off I was thinking a lot about the issues I would face here in LA, and the stories Brandi told me of her encounters with the homeless were busy attacking my conscience. But as we prayed in youth group just before going into the play, some of my friends (that though I barely knew seemed close to me as only a bond formed through ministry together can seem to bring) received a phone call that their friends who run a hotel in Arizona were gunned down. Their close friend was wounded and in serious condition in the hospital, and his fiancé was killed along with several others. I saw the pain in their faces as they cried and all we could do was pray for them. Then I turned around and walked into a service that I acknowledge was already underway where they sang there is peace in the world tonight. I hope by now it is clear that I realize the church had other intentions, but hopefully also you can understand my reactions to hearing of tragedy and then hearing peace in the world. I guess perhaps if I was stronger I could have rejoiced that God is still alive and at work, I guess I should have praised God that I can have peace in the midst of that tragedy. But I admit I was not strong enough, and though it wasn’t even my burden to bare I did and I was, wrongly, bitter.

However I still hold to my argument and hope tonight’s ramblings can further clarify that though I long for healing and peace I wish for the strength to suffer with if justice can not be served here on earth. And rather than seeking comfort and blessing, I seek to endure the same hardships that others are forced to suffer, for what makes us any better? What right do we have to experience the “good” things in life if they cant?

Maybe that’s what mother Teresa was getting at when she said “come and see“, maybe that’s what Jim Burns meant when he said, “I believe they chose to be in ministry as adults because they had a chance to have their hearts broken with what breaks the heart of God when they were in the impressionable years of adolescence.” Maybe that’s what Jesus meant when he said in Matthew 6, “25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Or what Mohatma Gandhi Challenges us with when he says, “In my judgment the Christian faith does not lend itself to much preaching or talking. It is best propagated by living it and applying it. When will you Christians really crown Jesus Christ as Prince of Peace and proclaim Him through your deeds as the champion of the poor and oppressed?”

Maybe if we “stop worrying” and really give our selves to the mercy of God’s care, and “go and see” so that “our hearts can be broken with what breaks the heart of God” we will begin to “really crown Jesus Christ as Prince of Peace and proclaim Him through our deeds as the champion of the poor and oppressed”.

Maybe…