John
13:31-35
The
Lamb of God is one of our classic Christian phrases for Jesus. The
one who shows the Way, with a capital W. The one who showed us that
the only way to take on violence and evil is to give ourselves –
that word “sacrifice”. To let go of holding tight to our own
lives, not to see ourselves and our needs as always first importance
– including when our puku is rumbling like it was for the Old Wolf.
Rather giving ourselves for the sake of the world. The new
commandment. Which was in fact the old one going back to the
beginning with God Yahweh – love God and love your neighbour. It's
just that with Jesus we see it in action, how to do it: love one
another as I have loved you. What's more, he says, if there's an
enemy around, try the love method and see the impact it has.
I
can't ever feel okay about war. But it happens, and has happened for
people I love, choosing to give of themselves and be part of it.
My
Dad and I had many conversations over several decades about Christian
faith and his choice to sign up in the Air Force in 1941 (at least
he'd get a bed at night, he reckoned). There's been a lot more
pondering since he died as our family have worked together with his
letters home – from training in Canada, active service with the RAF
out of England and North Africa, and various prison camps across
Europe. Letters now published in a book. His experience included
the forced march from Fallingbostel as the war ended and panic set in
among the German leadership. Plenty to imagine how my siblings and I
might not have been.
Dad
was a sheep farmer and the Lamb Who Came to Dinner was his kind of
story. No romanticism though, but the reality of enemies and
politics and being true to the Master Jesus in the face of all that.
Jeremiah's
words, as māngai/mouthpiece of the Lord God, point to the vision we
hold on to.
Kei
te mōhio hoki ahau ki ngā whakaaro e whakaaro nēei ahau ki a
koutou, e ai tā Ihowa, he whakaaro mō te rongo mau, ehara mō te
kino, kia hoatu te tūmanako ki a koutou i o koutou rā whakamutunga.
For
surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for
your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Jeremiah
29:11
In
the long game – with God it is always the long game, no giving up,
no change of ultimate goal. In the long game, the vision remains
firm: welfare, rongo mau. In the long game, i o tātou rā
whakamutunga, God is going for peace on earth, justice and well-being
for all nations. In a
word, a future with hope.
Nō
reira,
kia
hora te marino
kia
whakapapa pounamu te moana
kia
tere te kārohirohi
i
mua i tō mātou huarahi
May
peace be widespread
may
the sea glisten like greenstone
may
the shimmering like
guide
us on our way.
This reflection/kauwhau was presented to a Community service in Kaeo, Northland, NZ on 24.04.2016
No comments:
Post a Comment