Wednesday 6 August 2008

Included here is yesterday's piece to move us into today's.

To some people peace merely means the liberty to exploit other people without fear of retaliation or interference. To others peace means the freedom to rob others without interruption. To still others it means the leisure to devour the goods of the earth without being compelled to interrupt their pleasure to feed those whom their greed is starving. And to practically everybody peace simply means the absence of any physical violence that might cast a shadow over lives devoted to the satisfaction of their animal appetites for comfort and pleasure.
Many people like these have asked God for what they thought was "peace" and wondered why their prayer was not answered. they could not understand that it actually was answered. God left them with what they desired, for their idea of peace was only another form of war. The "cold war" is simply the normal consequence of our corrupt idea of a peace based on a policy of "every person for him/her self" in ethics, economics and political life. It is absurd to hope for a solid peace based on fictions and illusions.

Just the other day I was listening to some pundits talking about the war in Iraq and the tensions in the middle east. Everyone is pointing fingers and threat and fear is in the air. At one point, there was conversation about the threat Israel feels about the development of nuclear power in Iran and thus the potential for building nuclear weapons. I then wondered about the threat that must be in the air in Iran when they keep hearing that Israel is ready to attack them to prevent such work. Threat and fear hangs over everyone and every side is good at creating such an atmosphere. In the end, all sides are only looking out for life as they have it and want it and, you could say, "hell to the others." Sounds like "cold war" attitudes to me...and attitudes between the U.S and Muslim countries as we hang high the banner of terrorism.

Connection: We all must work day-to-day to get by or push to the side our "fictions and illusions" so that our days will be ones in which we really do have the opportunity to walk in peace.

Within your Reign, O God, we are given the gift to see clearly. Much of that gift is to help us see ourselves and our motives and our wants, needs, and greeds. When we begin to see all that keeps us separated from others we are given a glimpse of your peace and we long to be there. Amen.