8 August 2006

Once again from The Cross in Our Context by Douglas John Hall.

When an entire culture is held in the grip of a worldview in which death is allowed no voice, death's power over life is immensely increased. Such a society is greatly in need of (shall we say?) liberation...- this society that perennially searches for "the enemy" outside itself because, perhaps it half recognized how painful it would be to confront the enemy within.

When we were in Europe the European poll came out that listed the ten greatest threats to stability and security in the world. The poll did not receive much attention here at home. That could be because the United States was number one and number two was - terrorism. We are very good at acknowledging how often and by what amount we are able to achieve the status of being number one...but when it is not on the "sunnyside" of our showing, not much is said. In fact, when nations begin to be seen in a negative light - that is, the truth that simply shows the rest of the story - we tend to turn away and not listen. It is quite like the comic gesture of a child stick his/her fingers in both ears and yelling, "I'm not listening." No one wants to hear the dark side of the truth. That is too close to death. No one wants to be called the enemy. We want to be the savior. And yet, in our many ways of trying to be the savior - the good guy - there is often much that we destroy or ignore or simply eliminate so that our mission will appear right and good and pure. Lies often come in such colors. We often lie because the enemy within does not want to be seen in the light and exposed as a power that wins the day by the power of death and not new life.

Connection: More and more I find that I can be ruled by some ugly powers within me. Most of the time they are not seen - some times...I think you can actually see their ugly heads come flying out of my mouth. Actually they are my ugly heads of fear - fear of death - and therefore it is death pulling my strings. Have you ever seen that part of you? We need to help one another see it and not be moved by its power.

Lord of the Light and the Darkness, it is because you create and rule in all times and places that we come to you to lift us up to face that which will destroy and that which will bring life so that we can see what it is that pulls us and tries to rule us. We ask that you encourage us to face the life with a holistic vision in which we move along the way graced by your love and peace. Amen.