The Illusion of Peace

Reading the paper and watching the news on TV can lead to despair and anxiety.

What is the world coming to?

How can people be so cruel?

The events in Paris over the past week, then yesterday in Mali, and terror type attacks that are regular events in Nigeria and Syria and other places. We think it will never happen to us, yet we also fear that it will.

What if the wrong kind of person is allowed into the country?

Well, Jesus was the wrong kind of person.

Jesus,

the country hick from Galilee

The pain in the neck of the religious leaders

The one who was followed by unpredictable crowds

Jesus was a threat to national security

Unauthorised groups gathered to listen to him

And a week before the gospel reading we heard read this morning, a parade. How dare he!

Jesus was a threat to Jerusalem and Rome – not because he might bomb them, or destroy the buildings, or kill people.  

Jesus was threat to Jerusalem because he was a threat to the religious elite. The leaders of the Temple were collaborators with the Roman leaders. The Jewish people were allowed to follow their religion, as long as it did not interfere with the Roman law. It was in the interest of the Temple leaders for the people of Israel to stay calm, peaceful and law abiding citizens.

The Roman Empire has been described at times as a peaceful period in world history – Pax Romana. This isn’t Shalom, peace that comes from harmony, this was peace in the midst of fear. Peace by dictatorship.

 And I think it is the Pax Romana that we try and turn to in our current time. Peace that is surface, peace that seems secure, peace founded on power.

But deep down we know that isn’t peace or security.

Having more complex screening at airports, more surveillance, tighter controls on the movement of people, doesn’t make for peace.

This is a false peace, peace founded on fear and power. The people with power do more and more to maintain their position and power.   

And often fear is used as the motivator for people to be obedient to increase in the use of force.

So much of what we see on TV, feeds into our insecurities –

Is our house up to the standard of Better Homes and Gardens?

Are our meals as well presented as on Master Chef?

Are we failing our children by not buying a house for them when they finish school?

We see the latest trends in fashion, house decoration and food

We see people living perfect ‘adverting world’ lives, and we wonder when did we get left behind.

We see images of death and destruction and we are fed the lie that this could be prevented by more police power

We live in an illusion.

We live in a world that sells us a lie

A lie that peace comes from fear and force

A lie that more stuff will make us happy

A lie that we are not good enough

Jesus is dangerous because he comes to break that illusion.

Jesus is dangerous because he says peace comes from love not from fear

Jesus is dangerous because he is willing to die rather than live the lie.

Christ the King Sunday has always seemed ridiculous to me – partly because we don’t have Kings in the way people did in previous eras, but also because Jesus doesn’t look like the fairy tale king many of us grew up with.

Jesus doesn’t have a throne with velvet cushions,

There is no crown of Gold or fur lined robe

He didn’t have servants waiting on him hand and foot.

The disciples questioned his activities – you didn’t do that to the Roman Emperor or you didn’t last long.

“The truth of his kingship is that he rules not with political power, but with humility, not with physical might, but with mercy, not with violence, but surrender, even surrender unto death.” Michaela Bruzzese

Do we hear the voice of Jesus calling us to a new way of living; or is his voice drowned out by the noise of fear and insecurity?

Story: You are Special by Max Lucado

What would your life look life if we no longer lived the illusion we are being sold?

How different would our lives be?

if instead of the lie that we are not enough, we accepted Gods word that we are precious

if instead of the lie that peace comes from fear, we lived in the peace of the presence of God?

A Quote by Martin Luther King Jr.

"There is a little tree planted on a little hill, and on that tree hangs the most influential character that ever came into this world.  Never feel that that tree is a meaningless drama that took place on the stages of history, oh no it is a telescope through which we look out into the long vista of eternity, to see the love of God breaking forth into time.

It is an eternal reminder to this power drunk generation that love is the only way.  It is an eternal reminder to a generation depending on nuclear and atomic energy, to those who depend on physical violence that love is the only creative, redemptive and transforming power!"  ~ MLK

Martin Luther King Jr. http://blog.gaiam.com/quotes/authors/martin-luther-king-jr-1/55806

Time for reflection:

What would be different in your life:

if instead of the lie that you are not enough, you accepted Gods word that you are precious?

if instead of the lie that peace comes from fear, you lived in the peace of the presence of God?