Jesus is naming the terrors rulers will devise and is en-couraging people to be brave. Always rulers and their soldiers will devise “wars and insurrections.” Always in a ruler’s name “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” Always in a ruler’s name will soldiers “seize and persecute you, hand you over to…prisons, lead you before kings.” Furthermore, “You will be hated by all because of my name.”
Then what, in God’s name, are people who name themselves ‘Christian’ doing fighting for rulers? What, in God’s name, are self-named Christians doing fighting wars and insurrections, fighting for nation against nation? Why do they seize and persecute, hand people over to prisons and before kings? And what, in God’s name, are such Judas’ doing by complaining they are the ones being persecuted? Caesar’s U.S. military currently has over 60% of its members self-naming as ‘Christian.’ They complain they are being persecuted when asked to take down Bible verses from unit computers or signs that say, “My God is bigger than your God.” They make these complaints at the same time they are fighting wars and killing people throughout villages in Bahrain, Cyprus, Pakistan, and the Philippines – at the same time they are fighting nation against nation in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, and Sudan – at the same time they are seizing and persecuting people and handing them over to prisons and kings in Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Why do they do it? What, in God’s name, explains the out and out blasphemy and betrayal against Jesus’ teaching and witness? Do we name it ignorance, a lack of knowledge? Possibly. These soldiers may claim, ‘I know my Bible,’ but they obviously do not know Jesus. Do we name it indoctrination, uncritical acceptance of beliefs and ideas? Quite likely. Rulers’ many empires thrive on unthinking slogans, e.g. ‘My country, right or wrong.’ Do we name it insanity, a disordered unhealthy mind? Certainly. People are certainly of an unhealthy mind who name themselves Christ-like and yet act against Christ’s teaching and witness so as to fight wars and insurrections, to fight nation against nation, to seize and persecute, hand people over to prisons and before kings. Do we name it cowardice, a fearsome failure of character in the face of challenge? It seems these soldiers fighting all their rulers’ many wars and insurrections are afraid to live Jesus’ Way.
“War, What is it good for, Absolutely nothing … Oh, war, I despise ‘Cause it means destruction of innocent lives War means tears to thousands of mothers eyes When their sons go to fight And lose their lives … it ain’t nothing but a heart-breaker, friend only to the undertaker Oh, war it’s an enemy to all mankind The point of war blows my mind, War has caused unrest Within the younger generation Induction then destruction … Oh, war, has shattered many a young man’s dreams Made him disabled, bitter and mean … Peace, love and understanding Tell me, is there no place for them today … Oh, war, What is it good for … Stand up and shout it ‘Nothing.’ (War – Barret Strong, Norman Whitfield sung by Edwin Starr)
Prayer: Spirit of Courage, we face the terror of war with your peace.
Question: If I name myself Christian/Christ-like and yet, in Christ’s name, support war and warriors, what am I good for?
November 17, 2019 Gospel Luke 21:5-19 Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time