18 August 2006

We will end the week continuing with the theme of suffering and the church as presented by Douglas John Hall in the book "The Cross in Our Context."

The point is: the suffering of the church is not the goal but the consequence of faith...
The church is a community of suffering because it is a community whose eyes have been opened to the suffering that exists. The first assumption of this ecclesiology is not that the church should suffer but that it should be..."attentive" - namely, attentive to the suffering of that is simply there and that is usually bypassed by the world, as in the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Bible assumes that human and creaturely suffering is perennial and manifold. If the church does not see this suffering and if, seeing it, it does not take the burden of it upon itself, then its whole life must be called into question.

We can choose to look away or we can be attentive to the world around us and look more deeply at the world. We can choose to walk away or we can choose to walk right into the middle of the condition of the world. The way of the cross is to keep our eyes open and to walk into the needs of the world around us. This is not at all easy. It is like the young Union soldier who was on trial for desertion. When Lincoln talked to him about it the soldier said he was sure he had the heart like that of a great epic warrior but when the battle started his legs would take off running. The church must be a courageous bunch of people as we enter into the trials and suffering of our world. Everyone can easily criticize the Priest and the Lawyer in the story of the Good Samaritan, but it is not easy to walk across that street and tend to an unknown situation even when it is crying out for help. Therefore, we continue to listen to the stories of those who stepped over the lines to be with those who suffer...we continue to look again at the vision of God's Reign and how the world longs to be saved from its present suffering and live within God's shalom...and, we continue to pray with one another in order that we will remember to keep our eyes and ears aware of the things we would usually walk by if we were to live along our own way.

Connection: Yes, the day is filled with the stuff that calls out for assistance and intervention. Yes, we cannot do everything. And yet, there are many ways to reach out into the lives of those who long to be uplifted by the lives of others.

Lord, when we are afraid to take a look at the needs and the suffering of those around us, rest your reassuring hands upon us so that we will re-view those needs in the light of your walk to the cross. Help us each to find a community of people who will encourage us to live boldly within your gracious Reign even as walking along such a path will place us on your way that leads to the cross in our day. Amen.