Colossians 15-17 (MSG)
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of Jesus, thanking God every step of the way.
It is the second Sunday of Advent. The theme for this week is Peace. We love the quiet, gentle images of Christmas: stars shining over a passive flock of sheep, the sweet (and strangely tidy) mother holding her quietly sleeping newborn, the farm animals clustered about, three kings riding majestically (and alone – why are they out there alone with no guards, no slaves, no retinue?) across a featureless desert.
But surely, we all recognize that these are fantasy, not reality. No one set out across the desert in those days without guards and servants and, preferably, a large caravan of other folks for protection. Farm animals are certainly not all that quiet, now or then, especially if you disturb them in the middle of the night. And anyone who thinks childbirth is a silent, tidy event where you come out looking like a magazine cover has never been there.
Peace is a hard-to-come-by commodity in so much of our world. We are often blessed, here where we live, with times of real peace – and I am grateful - but for much of the world – every day is a struggle to feed your hungry children, to find a spot safe from the missiles or guns. So many live where walking down the street or sitting in their own living room can be an occasion for violence.
We want so badly to hold to our images of peace – but Jesus experienced little peace, you know – from the beginning to the ending of his life. No one has ever tried to kill me, personally, as they did Jesus, but my country has been in war all my life. We haven’t always called it war – we call it different names and think that makes it different, but it’s war.
And that is only counting military wars. Right now we appear to be caught up in vicious cultural wars – where we are required to hate anyone who is not of our tribe – anyone who does not agree with us 100%. Not only hate, but demonize.
At any moment people around the world are caught up in desperate battles against drugs and alcohol, against domestic violence, against ignorance, against illness - physical, mental, or emotional – against poverty. For too many people, peace is nothing more than a word. We continue to hurt each other in so many, many ways, both big and small.
So where then is peace to be found?
Last week in our discussions I referenced a quote I couldn’t quite remember – so I looked it up this time. It is in a book by essayist Rebecca Solnit titled Hope in the Dark. The line I quoted (badly) is from a British writer and activist named John Jordan. Solnit quoted him from a discussion of how to successfully build political change. This is what he said: When we are asked how we are going to build a new world, our answer is, “We don’t know, but let’s build it together.”
That line has stuck with me for two or three months now, since I first read it. We don’t know – how we can do this, how we can change the world – but let’s do it together.” While he was talking politics, not faith, the line is quite similar to the first verse of our reading today by the writer of Colossians (who was probably not Paul) 2000 years ago: Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. Whatever we’re going to do, let’s do it together.
And I love the fact that not-Paul reminds us to sing our hearts out! Don’t just build, but if at all possible, do it with joy.
And speak out to counter all the ugliness out there. Be vocal about the goodness you see around you. Thank the ones who continue to build up rather than tear down. Live at peace with everyone. Share your stories. Proclaim the reign of God.
And this is where I find hope in the midst of seemingly hopeless violence – that so many people are out there, each doing their own things, but overall working together to build a new thing – a better thing – a peaceful thing -- a thing that will be good for everyone, not just the lucky and the rich. Acting to build the Reign of God with both peace and hope.
O Come, Lord Jesus. Come.
But surely, we all recognize that these are fantasy, not reality. No one set out across the desert in those days without guards and servants and, preferably, a large caravan of other folks for protection. Farm animals are certainly not all that quiet, now or then, especially if you disturb them in the middle of the night. And anyone who thinks childbirth is a silent, tidy event where you come out looking like a magazine cover has never been there.
Peace is a hard-to-come-by commodity in so much of our world. We are often blessed, here where we live, with times of real peace – and I am grateful - but for much of the world – every day is a struggle to feed your hungry children, to find a spot safe from the missiles or guns. So many live where walking down the street or sitting in their own living room can be an occasion for violence.
We want so badly to hold to our images of peace – but Jesus experienced little peace, you know – from the beginning to the ending of his life. No one has ever tried to kill me, personally, as they did Jesus, but my country has been in war all my life. We haven’t always called it war – we call it different names and think that makes it different, but it’s war.
And that is only counting military wars. Right now we appear to be caught up in vicious cultural wars – where we are required to hate anyone who is not of our tribe – anyone who does not agree with us 100%. Not only hate, but demonize.
At any moment people around the world are caught up in desperate battles against drugs and alcohol, against domestic violence, against ignorance, against illness - physical, mental, or emotional – against poverty. For too many people, peace is nothing more than a word. We continue to hurt each other in so many, many ways, both big and small.
So where then is peace to be found?
Last week in our discussions I referenced a quote I couldn’t quite remember – so I looked it up this time. It is in a book by essayist Rebecca Solnit titled Hope in the Dark. The line I quoted (badly) is from a British writer and activist named John Jordan. Solnit quoted him from a discussion of how to successfully build political change. This is what he said: When we are asked how we are going to build a new world, our answer is, “We don’t know, but let’s build it together.”
That line has stuck with me for two or three months now, since I first read it. We don’t know – how we can do this, how we can change the world – but let’s do it together.” While he was talking politics, not faith, the line is quite similar to the first verse of our reading today by the writer of Colossians (who was probably not Paul) 2000 years ago: Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. Whatever we’re going to do, let’s do it together.
And I love the fact that not-Paul reminds us to sing our hearts out! Don’t just build, but if at all possible, do it with joy.
And speak out to counter all the ugliness out there. Be vocal about the goodness you see around you. Thank the ones who continue to build up rather than tear down. Live at peace with everyone. Share your stories. Proclaim the reign of God.
And this is where I find hope in the midst of seemingly hopeless violence – that so many people are out there, each doing their own things, but overall working together to build a new thing – a better thing – a peaceful thing -- a thing that will be good for everyone, not just the lucky and the rich. Acting to build the Reign of God with both peace and hope.
O Come, Lord Jesus. Come.
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