Bible reading
As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs. “As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them. And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13. 1 – 11)
Meditation
How to live in wartime? That is essentially the guidance that Jesus gives his disciples in the teachings recorded for us in Mark 13. In the light of recent terrorist attacks, it is particularly pertinent to us today.
Jesus was talking about a very specific conflict that would affect his disciples in the near future and which occurred in AD70 when the Roman army attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple there. When this happened, as Jesus prophesied, “Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” The essence of Jesus’ teaching comes in verse 13 when he says “the good news must … be proclaimed to all nations.” The conflict he describes and prophesies will, he says, be an opportunity for his disciples to tell the Good News, if they stand firm: “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines … As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them.” (Mark 13. 8 & 9)
That is what Jesus looks for from his followers in wartime and he promises his support and enabling in doing so: “When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” The situations in which we are called to do this change throughout history but what is unchanging is the call to tell the Good News, as here, in situations of military defeat, but also in times of victory, while the outcome is uncertain, and in times of peace.
The Early Church saw the spirit of the world transformed by God as they stood firm in their faith and told the Good News. That is how we are called live in wartime - in the battle of ideas or clash of civilizations which we now face - to stand firm in our faith and tell the good news. The challenge of this passage is whether we can do and see that within our changed and changing world.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, we know you understand evil, because you stared it in the face as you were terrorized on the cross. Give us your courage to choose love. Show us a 'third way' that is neither submission nor assault, neither passivity nor war. Help us to oppose evil without mirroring it. Help us resist our oppressors without emulating them.
May we continue to develop courage and wisdom to work together to build a peaceful earth community for all.
A prayer from the Muslim community: God, you are pure and perfect. Help us find purity in our hearts and minds, and make sense of the senseless as we try to assemble a puzzle that should never have been taken apart. You are our source of healing and comfort. The magnitude of our collective pain has brought your people together, kneeled in prayer; help us rise again.
May we continue to develop courage and wisdom to work together to build a peaceful earth community for all.
God of justice and compassion, you walk with your people and show us your face. In you we find consolation. Be close to the people of Paris, in the shock and trauma of recent days. Speak your peace and bring your healing to all who are grieving and wounded and turn the hearts and minds of those who would kill and maim and destroy. Show us how to seek your kingdom; a life beyond violence, a future beyond hatred, and hope beyond tears and pain through the love of your Son, our peacemaker, neighbour and friend. Jesus Christ our Lord.
May we continue to develop courage and wisdom to work together to build a peaceful earth community for all.
A prayer from the Buddhist community: We pray for those who have lost their lives in Paris, in Beirut, in Mali, in Nigeria, in Baghdad and in the world, caused by terrorist attacks. May we honour and remember their lives to bring peace and unity, not fear and division. We pray for those who have lost their loved ones, houses and communities to find inner strength to overcome the challenges. May we open our hearts and hands to help their recovery, as we are all in this together. In these days of shock and sorrow, may we continue to develop courage and wisdom to believe in humanity and work together to build a peaceful earth community for all of us.
May we continue to develop courage and wisdom to work together to build a peaceful earth community for all.
Blessing
A life beyond violence, a future beyond hatred, hope beyond tears and pain, opposing evil without mirroring it, resisting oppressors without emulating them. May those blessings of almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon us and remain with us always. Amen.
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Sabrina Johnston - Peace.
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