I am still in Sewanee, completing coursework in my final year of classes in the Doctor of Ministry program. I could not be with you for in-person services this weekend, although I worshipped with you online. I look forward to being back with you next weekend.
Like many, I brought my concerns and fears to worship today after receiving yesterday’s news that the United States had carried out an attack on the nuclear infrastructure in Iran. Whether or not we agree with this action, we all realize that the unstable situation in the Middle East is even more complex than it already was. We naturally worry about escalation and retaliation. It is far too soon to know what may come next for us, Iran, Israel, or any other nation that is or may become caught up in the geopolitical violence of recent days. Naturally, we are processing our thoughts, opinions, fears, and hopes amidst the tumult and uncertainty of our world.
If you were in church today, you likely heard the story of the Gerasene demoniac in Luke’s Gospel. It tells the story of a man driven to madness by a legion of demons living inside him. The demons knew who Jesus was and that he had the power to destroy them, and they were afraid. Ultimately, Jesus banishes them into a herd of pigs who drown in the lake. The naked, formerly ‘crazy’ man ends up at Jesus’s feet and in his right mind.
The evils of this world are legion, yet I assure you, they are afraid of the power of Jesus and his Church to destroy them. We are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world, and although it feels like we have little power to cast out evil in our world, we are assured that we can do all things through the One who strengthens us. I don’t know exactly what it will take to get the powers of this world to sit at the feet of the Prince of Peace, but that is our hope and prayer in the face of war and violence. What I do know is that we are called upon to offer the world a vision of a kingdom that has not yet fully arrived.
Amidst our fears and concerns for the state of the world, we form communities that project an alternate reality, where the ways of this world are stripped bare and seen for their brokenness. We love our neighbors, stand with and for the vulnerable, and proclaim that one day, there will be a world of peace without sickness, sorrow, or death. In and through that holy work, God is very much at work to reshape the world. It is in remembering the loving work of God that this morning’s collect proclaimed, “You never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness.”
As we look to the future with concerns about escalation or retaliation, we lift our prayers of peace to God. We pray for the leaders of all nations that they would follow the Spirit’s wisdom and see the folly of war. We pray for those whose lives have been taken by violence and war. We pray for those who serve on our behalf to keep us safe at home and abroad, especially those who are now very much in harm’s way. We pray for ourselves that we will not be paralyzed by fear but motivated by love. We pray this because we know the power of Jesus Christ's love in our lives and in our communities. We can get up from our place at Jesus’ feet and declare and proclaim this truth to all who are seized with fear in the face of evil and madness. The madness of this world will not always be so.
We will wait together to see what unfolds in the coming days, weeks, and months, yet we need not wait to do the work that is ours in the meantime. Thank you for your faithfulness and your good works, Christ Church. It is needed now more than ever.
