We continue a brief walk with some material on reconciliation by Walter Wink.
The American nonviolent activist Gene Knudsen Hoffman observes that in every conflict she has observed, all parties to the conflict had been wounded, and that the unhealed wound was at the heart of their violence.
When there is no reconciliation, there is no end to our willingness to fight against one another. When a wound has not been healed, it is much easier to draw on its painfulness in order to return to our conflicts and warring ways. I’m sure we all know of people who have been wounded and make sure that the wound never heals. They help to keep the wound open or tender so that it doesn’t take much to build up an excuse to strike out or simply punish the one time enemy. I’m sure that the person we know may even be ourselves.
Connection: We are called to be healers within God’s Reign. There are so many ways and opportunities within our lives to work for healing and to care for our wounds so that we can turn back at our lives with a fresh face and life.
By your grace, O God, we expect to care for the wounds of the world that so easily separate us. Bless us this day with a healing balm that brings peace and new life to our world. Amen.
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