Greetings,
Even as we Christians continue to celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace, we as a society are in the midst of terror and war. Even as we celebrate the Good News of God’s redemptive intervention on our behalf we are caught up in the process of bringing death and destruction. We, the United States and our allies, lay claim to acting on behalf of justice, and imply very strongly that it is God’s justice we are serving. Yet, there are so many questions raised by any such massive military actions which in our patriotic fervor we are not inclined to ask. It is so obvious that we must stop the evil of terrorism that we sometimes may not consider that God’s way almost always is not the way humans do things. When, in classic Star Trek terms, does the good of a few outweigh the good of the many? When are you justified in rebelling against authority? When are you justified in joining with those who have evil intention in order to accomplish your good intention? When does one disobey an order of your superiors, or of your country? Does the end ever justify the means? (Jesus clearly holds that it does not.) How does one stop evil and accomplish God’s will without following the ways of the world?
The country is in a state of, what? Tedium?, stupor?, anticipation?, frustration?, or hope?, as we move into the primary elctions. Nineteen years ago we were preparing to inaugurate “The Man From Hope,” Bill Clinton, who was going to change everything. Four years ago we were told that we were about to enter an era of Hope and Change. (I even remember the inauguration of John Kennedy and the era of Lyndon Johnson and the War on Poverty which was going to change everything and bring Hope to the world.) Regardless of your political positions, we need to pray that there might be a true change in our society and the way we do things. We need to pray fervently that the message of Hope, the only true message of Hope, Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God, may come to be the reality of our society.
The whole incarnation experience speaks to these issues. The good news of Jesus’ birth will lead to the martyrdom of Stephen, to the slaughter of the innocents of Bethlehem, and countless ill-conceived and evil “holy wars” and persecutions. Jesus teaches that the end never justifies the means. We are called to do that which is right, and just, and true, and loving at all times, at all costs. If others choose to oppose that which is good with evil, that is their sin. We must proclaim the truth and love even to those who sin. We must be God’s love for all people, knowing that indeed, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
In the midst of our continuing celebration of Christmastide, we must be ever mindful of our responsibilities before the God who sent us Jesus, the God who calls us to follow him, the God who loves us, and loves justice perfectly. May we offer that Hope and Change to those who are the truly hurting, the poor, the oppressed, the hungry, the homeless, the mentally ill, the depressed, the suffering, the lost. May we offer that Hope and Change to the young, the old, the rich and the poor, the hard working citizen and the hard working alien, to those who are examples of goodness and love and to those who are caught in the struggles of sin and selfishness, and all of us who are in-between.
The world has put away Christmas. We Christians are just getting started with Christmas and the message of Hope, Change, and above all, Love.
Yours & His,
DED
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