Collect for fourth Sunday Before Advent
James 3: 17-18
Matthew 5: 1-12
At the very beginning of His teaching ministry, Jesus sets out the foundation of everything that His disciples will need to understand in order to follow Him. He says nothing about power. He talks about mercy, humility and peace; He tells them to be prepared to suffer for doing His will. He lists the attributes of a servant. Nothing could be further from the wordly values that consider the achievement of ‘success’ consists of subduing every opposition. Neither, in the kingdom of God, is there any place for vengeance; even after the most appalling treatment or behaviour, we must not seek revenge.
We hear Jesus’ words, and we try to comply. We pray for peace, but the world clearly doesn’t want it. We feel utterly powerless – we cannot imagine how our prayer can be answered in the face of such anger and hatred. Often we feel utterly powerless. What can I do? Could I possibly make a difference?
The answer is yes. It only needs a kind word. A helpful gesture. Support for those who are hurting or suffering injustice. A reconciliation where there has been division. An acceptance of difference in others. Every servant act adding another path to the Kingdom. Most of all, we make a difference through love – unconditionally.
“Why should we love our enemies? The first reason is fairly obvious. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. So when Jesus says “Love your enemies,” he is setting forth a profound and ultimately inescapable admonition.”…
…“Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”
Martin Luther King Jr
Previous Posts
The Road to Emmaus | Luke 24: 13-35
The Road to Emmaus : Luke 24:13-35
Mary’s Story
Hello little one. Pleased to meet you. It’s been an eventful few months while I’ve been waiting for you to arrive. Let me tell you all about it.
It started on an ordinary day. I was going about as normal, feeding the chickens, tidying up and that sort of thing. I wasn’t really concentrating, I was thinking about my wedding to Joseph in a few weeks time.
The Journey to the Cross
The Lent readings tell a familiar story. The story of a journey. A journey to the cross.
Let’s remind ourselves of that journey. After his baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness for forty days and forty very cold nights. The voices of Satan came whispering, tempting, but Jesus refuses to be distracted or tempted.