We are blessed if we only know the sound of gun shots because of movies and television. We are blessed if the sounds fireworks don’t trigger PTSD. We are blessed if we have never had to flee our homes because of violence. We are blessed if we have never had to worry about loved ones who have been sent off to fight in yet another war.
Sadly, human beings are not known to behave in peaceful ways. From the very beginning, according to the Bible, we have a story of violence with Cain and Abel, the children of Adam and Eve. The story of Israel entering the promised land is yet another story of violence that continues to influence relationships in the Middle East as we have been hearing about on the news in recent days. Violence seems to permeate too many relationships throughout human history. We are blessed if we have somehow been sheltered from such violence. We are blessed and we are also perpetually challenged to learn and do better.
Jesus said: Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.’
It is said that we will never look on the face of someone whom God doesn’t already love. God loves Israelis and Palestinians. God loves Ukrainians and Russians. God loves Syrians, Afghanis, Iraqis, Somalians, Ethiopians, Sudanese, Columbians, and those in all the other places where conflict is happening right now!
We don’t hear about all the places where conflict exists. Some places don’t even warrant footnotes in the news. This says something about the world’s priorities. It doesn’t change how God feels about the people on all sides of the conflict. God loves God’s beloved children across all of creation. Jesus embraces the full diversity of humanity without conditions or expectations. Whether it is a member of Hamas, a soldier in the Israeli army or a civilian that has lost their life in the conflict, God’s love transcends it all. This has been the truth throughout every conflict for the entire history of the world. God mourns those who are lost and brings them home.
To love as Jesus loved is to likewise care about every person no matter what we may think about the reasons for conflict. We are called to love the individuals and, in so doing, to pray for peace. We are also called to challenge human beings to put aside prejudice, greed, pride, selfishness, and all those sinful desires that create the contexts in which conflict is bred. We are called to see the other as God sees us. We are called to remember that God has created all those who inhabit this world. We are challenged to love all those God has created.
Jesus said: Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.’
There is no one whom we can look upon that God doesn’t already love. In God, none are lost, all are raised. Following the example of Jesus, we too are called to love all people. That means we are perpetually called to seek peace in our world. May that challenge for peace begin with ourselves and the ways we treat all those around us. May we be examples of the love and peace embedded in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. May we continually challenge those who would otherwise enable conflict, to see with new eyes, to love with transformed hearts, and to create spaces where all people can feel safe and hopeful about tomorrow.
May we seek peace in our world by living in peace with all of God’s beloved children. This we pray as we sing: (SNC) #137 Called to Faith