O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, 815)
On Friday the 13th we once again heard of a fearful act of violence in Paris that left many dead and many more wounded and fighting for life. A organization that bases its meaning on violence has claimed responsibility and the whole human community is crying out for increased security and judgment against those who committed these crimes. Although the news from Paris has captured our media and our attention for two days, it is not the only place where senseless violence has claimed the lives of people who were going about their daily lives in peace—celebrating a wedding, enjoying a movie or a music concert, gathering in a house of prayer, mourning the death of a loved one—and in an instant of madness, anger, and hatred were taken from us. We know too well that this has happened recently in Bagdad, in Syria, in Lebanon, and in the United States.
It is an understatement to say that we live in times of violence and disruption. It is a deeply complex and difficult time. And because we are instantly aware of every heartache, we may seem to believe that our times are the worst of times. But indeed this is not true. It has always been difficult for people to live together in peace. But we are reminded as we gather together in the aftermath of one more act of brutality, that we are never alone, that God will never abandon us, that love is what lives, and we can always turn toward the God who walks with us in hope. We follow Jesus who tells us, “do not be alarmed.” (v.7b)
This can be hard to hear. The writer of Mark’s Gospel is writing near or immediately following a time of great violence and destruction. Many scholars believe that this Gospel was written around the time of the destruction of the great temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE.
These great stones described in our reading today give a small glimpse of what these Galilean fishermen must have experienced on seeing the majesty and indescribable splendor of the temple built by Herod the Great.
Dr. Kathryn Grieb relates, This magnificent structure “begun about 20 years before the birth of Jesus occupied a platform of more than 900 by 1500 feet—twice as large as the Roman Forum and four times as large as the Acropolis in Athens with its Parthenon. The huge retaining walls that supported the temple were composed of great white stones as long as 40 feet in length, some of which still stand as a part of the Western Wall” [1] where our Jewish brothers and sisters gather today to pray and celebrate rites of passage. The front of the temple was covered in gold and silver and it was reported that the outside walls had so much ornamentation on them that it was simply blinding when the sun struck its surface.
Sitting on the temple mount, it could be seen from miles away by pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem to worship. Even today, its size and its importance is breathtaking to all who see it.
And yet even this great wonder of the world, was reduced to burning rubble—a place of smoking devastation and awful carnage. The Gospel of Mark is set in this stage and so is a companion as we try to navigate the world in which we live. We quickly switch from the disciples admiration of the great temple and Jesus’ prediction that not one stone will be left on another–to the next part of our reading where the disciples, now sitting at a distance ask to know when this will happen; what will be the signs of this horrible event.
Jesus tells them that though these events will be terrible, they are not to give into fear and panic. They are “not to be alarmed.” He tells them that these events are not to keep them from remaining faithfully engaged in working for the kingdom of God. That while some will tell them that these are symbols of God’s judgment and the coming end of the world, that they will be speaking falsely, because no one knows when the end will come. Rather the disciples are to continue spreading the good news of God’s love–God’s covenant of faithfulness with God’s people–and leading all they meet to healing and wholeness through God’s mercy.
This passage is seen as being one of apocalypse–a telling that sees the passing of the present time and the coming of a new creation. It is often relayed through frightening language such as we hear today: “wars and rumors of wars” “earthquakes” and “famine.” And yet Jesus says, “Do not be alarmed.” He wants to keep his beloved disciples from giving in to fear. He wants to keep them from being diverted from seeing the day to day faithfulness of people all around them. He wants them to know that God can be trusted even in times of uncertainty—even in times of calamity.
There are many things that I fear and possibly you do as well. There is the fear of illness that will take me away from all that I love. There is the fear of insecurity—not being confident of financial or vocational or relational security. There is the fear of death.
There is the fear of the lack of courageous and faithful leadership in addressing the mounting problems in our country and in the world. Each of these fears could lead me to pull in, to wall off, to disconnect from the world as well as the dreams and the needs of the people who inhabit this world.
But Jesus tells his followers as he continues to prepare them for his coming arrest, prosecution, and death on a cross, that they are to live as ones whose future is held by a loving God. That the future belongs to God and God is of love. And so what we fear, what we experience in times of trouble, suffering, and hardship is not what God intends. It is not a sign of God’s judgment.
Now I do not believe that Jesus in Mark’s Gospel is discounting that suffering exists nor that in times of crisis we should not be vigilant and awake. In fact, Jesus calls these times “birth pangs” meaning that pain often accompanies transformation. But Jesus is aware of our very human reaction to be disoriented by powerful forces that lead us to be paralyzed by and react in fear due to threats, violence, war, the changing face of the church, our own finite self, and then to be seduced by voices that promise false security, quick fixes, and persons to blame. Instead Jesus invites us to draw on three important spiritual practices to lead us in these changing times.
First we are to remain alert to God’s movement in our lives and in the world. We are to pay attention to threats from without and within that tempt us to fall for easy answers and false security. We must listen carefully for God’s voice in our lives that is countercultural—that always leads us into relationship rather than drawing lines of separation; that is always based in love; that points us toward the hope that God is always doing something new—that God is always out ahead of us calling us into a new creation.
Second we are to be faithful and patient. We are a part of the movement of God. We follow the One who came to give us life and to guide us in living with abundance. But the coming of the kingdom takes time. There is much work to be done and so many dreams to be realized. In his installation service as Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry says that we are a part of the Jesus Movement–we are the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement and this movement has the power to “raise up those things that have been cast down. It has the power to take things that are old and make them new. It has the power to give life to God’s church and God’s people; and to give life to this world.” He said that we have been called into the world not to settle for what is, but to dream and work for what shall be.”
We are called and sent to point beyond the “nightmares of our own devising, into the dream that God intends.” But though this requires our patience, which can often be difficult–being a part of this movement helps us see that it does not begin or end with us. That we are a part of a great cloud of witnesses that have been marching through history walking beside God who brings life out of death, who leads us in faithfulness and in love and who calls us to work beside God in the kingdom that is now and at every moment showing us the path of life where there is a fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore.
Trusting that God is transforming the world and that those who follow Jesus are called to be a part of God’s saving work is fundamental to Mark’s gospel. In this work, we are sustained by the belief that for the Christian there is always hope. There is hope
in the words of Bishop Desmund Tutu, where we give our hearts to the belief that:
- Victory is Ours
- Goodness is stronger than evil;
- Love is stronger than hate;
- Light is stronger than darkness;
- Life is stronger than death;
- Victory is ours through Him who loves us.[2] (Desmond Tutu’s An African Prayer Book)
We live in challenging times both for our church and for the world. But Jesus tells us that even when stones fall on stone, even when the day appears dark and foreboding, even when scary things happen, we are not to be alarmed. God is always out in front of us and God’s love for us can never be destroyed or reduced to ashes. We are not to be afraid of what might be, but we are to live with faithfulness and hope into what is. And what is is God’s ever present and faithful love. By looking to God, by acting with faithfulness and patience, and by living always in the hope of the resurrection, we are called to live into the brightness of the dream that God intends, keeping our eye and our heart on the future that is built on a love that never dies.
So this week reach out to those you love, pray for peace, not only from guns and bombs, but from hatred and fear and as the writer of Hebrews preaches this morning
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.
[1] A, Katherine Grieb. Living by the Word, November 15, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 13:1-8. http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2015-10/november-15-33rd-sunday-ordinary-time
[2] Desmund Tutu. An African Prayer Book. New York: Doubleday, 2006.