These past days I’ve heard various versions of phrase “closest to war in Europe since WWII,” in news reports and commentary on the events surrounding the Ukraine. Whether or not that’s completely true, certainly tensions are as high as they have been since the Cold War, at the least, and that’s saying something. I realize that we can war with words at times in an attempt to avoid the kind that involves bullets and bombs, but I also know it has gotten our collective attention.  

This is also the week the verdicts came down from the Jury on the Federal Hate Crimes trial for the three men who were earlier found guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery two years ago today.  Today is Ahmaud Arbery Day in Georgia, and I have been prayerful about the trial and our community and all those involved, even though my schedule did not permit me to participate in some of the gatherings. I’ve also been reminded, both locally, and through national-level media, that there is a sense that justice is ongoing as we look at the systems and authorities who allowed things to initially go off the rails after the murder. Justice will involve addressing those things in the weeks and months to come.  

With all this going on, it can seem like the world is falling apart. There are moments of light and moments of darkness, progress and retreat, coming together and tearing apart. As the scriptures and the song say, a time for everything.   Sometimes it can all happen at once. History tells us that it does. We get to choose what we focus on and what we seek.  Our faith, as followers of Jesus, calls us to be aspirational in all things, looking for the coming of God’s Kingdom wherever we can find it. It’s a slow kingdom coming, but we still believe it’s coming. 

We seek peace, justice, reconciliation, prosperity, compassion, love, and so much more, even when such things seem to be out of reach or unlikely. We seek peace, even when we know violence may be unavoidable. We seek justice, even when it is hard to know exactly what it looks like. We live with hope for the promises of God, even as they remain unseen and unattained.

This past weekend, I was officiating a wedding literally at the very moment Mother Ashton sat with a parishioner and his family and drew his last breath. In one place, a hopeful celebration built on the promise of tomorrow filled those gathered with joy, even as deep grief challenged our faith in what tomorrow holds in another. Ultimately, both sacramental moments point us towards God and God’s goodness; joy and pain can both get us to the same place, as it turns out.What is common to both experiences this weekend is God’s faithfulness and the reality of the power of faith.

Whatever challenges we face, personal or corporate, God reigns over it and over us. We will always do our best to live out our faith and seek the best for one another that we can manage, while seeking God’s forgiveness when we come up short. We may not know peace now, but we are always being drawn towards peace. We may not know justice now, but we will always strive for justice. We may not know love as a universal bond now, but we are always being called to love and challenged to see it around us. There may be darkness, but we are surrounded by light, too. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, yet I trust that God has us in the palm of God’s hand.  

Tom+

God of all creation, who set the sun in the sky to create light out of darkness, we thank you for your glorious craftmanship in forming this world for us to live in. While things ebb and flow over time, we praise you for your steadfastness and love. We pray especially for all those who have been affected by the death of Ahmaud Arbery, and those involved with the trial that will soon conclude. We ask for your loving embrace to surround his family and friends, the men held responsible for his death and their families, and all those who have been involved with the justice system, from first responders to the judge, to the attorneys and jurors. We pray for the people of the world, and especially for the people of Ukraine, asking for a spirit of peace to diffuse conflict. We pray for wisdom and restraint among world leaders. We pray for our enemies and those who consider us their enemies. We rejoice for those who are recently married or about to be married, including Philip and Gigi, and Jack and Darby. We grieve for those who have died recently, especially Bill and Pep, and ask for your comforting presence to be with their families. Help us to continue to hope in faith for the promises of your creation’s final completion, and until that time, give us all we need to navigate this world, assured of your presence. We ask this in the name of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy spirit, now and forever. Amen.  

Photo Credits:  Ukraine Map, by Schlenger86, and  Light and Dark, Thitiwat Dutsadeewirot, via Dreamstime.com subscription.