blessed are the peacemakers? yeah...right.
Laura and I moved here in Aug of 2003. A month later I was at *Ground Zero* witnessing the memorial service there. (Go here to read my account of the 2003 memorial service. You'll need to scroll down a bit.) On that day in 2003, I stood in reverent silence with thousands of others as we listened to the names of those who lost their lives on that day. I did it again in 2004 and 2005. Today's remembrance service is the first one I've missed upon moving here.
Things in the city get a little quieter on 9.11. People are still in a hurry but everyone is a little more courteous and a little bit more patient on 9.11. It is a serene environment.
The Beatitudes found in Matthew chapter five describe a strange world in which peacemakers are blessed and called children of God. These days, peacemakers are called naive or better yet, cowards.
I have a lot of questions floating around in my head that aren't settled but I feel confident that peacemakers, as described and exemplified by Jesus, isn't one who takes up arms in any case - in an offensive posture or a defensive one.
I know this is problematic in many ways (I call myself a *pacifist with problems*) but we would do well to recognize and admit that Jesus' ways are not our ways.
For more thoughts on this issue, see this post.
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Things in the city get a little quieter on 9.11. People are still in a hurry but everyone is a little more courteous and a little bit more patient on 9.11. It is a serene environment.
The Beatitudes found in Matthew chapter five describe a strange world in which peacemakers are blessed and called children of God. These days, peacemakers are called naive or better yet, cowards.
I have a lot of questions floating around in my head that aren't settled but I feel confident that peacemakers, as described and exemplified by Jesus, isn't one who takes up arms in any case - in an offensive posture or a defensive one.
I know this is problematic in many ways (I call myself a *pacifist with problems*) but we would do well to recognize and admit that Jesus' ways are not our ways.
For more thoughts on this issue, see this post.
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posted by jch at
9:22 AM
10 Comments:
It may help me to define what "blessed" really means. I like Kris Kristoffersons line, "You count your blessings with a problem, that you're dealing with today."
Theres something about 9.11 that makes my entire being sit down. Although, I'm up walking around, nothing else seems to be tagging along.
I know you love quotes on here about Bush, so here's one from an interview this morning with Matt, asking him how he sleeps at night. "I trust in the Almighty God." I admit, my emotions and flesh have desires that go against the wisdom I have from Heaven. How do we live with so much conflict among our very being. It's no wonder our actions out the front door have such a hard time resembling those of Christ.
So may I offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to the Lord, this is my spiritual act of worship. I just hope my flesh obeys my soul, guided by the Spirit.
Thanks for listening, probably has nothing to do with your post. But Steve needed to type.
I'd call myself a pacifist too....but it's interesting to note that Jesus says 'Blessed are the PeaceMAKERS' and not just the peaceKEEPERS. I think it IS an active word - we have to work to secure peace, I'm just not always sure how that should look.
"pacifist with problems" is the exact phrase I use myself.
I appreciate the open struggle with pacifism.
"Jesus' ways are not our ways."
What is it that makes Jesus "Jesus"? It's the fact that He was both fully human and fully God. Since we are not, how could we expect to be just like him - as long as we live in these mortal bodies?
Peacemaking is not always possible. "As much as you can..." Isn't that what Paul said?
Is not pacifism a matter of perspective?
The blessings will come later.
Vicki, At what point in history did Paul's words and actions start trumping Jesus?
I'm a "pacifist with problems" too. Its nice to know that I'm not alone.
I wonder if it has to be an issue of Paul's words "trumping" Jesus' words. It seems to me that Paul was saying that we are responsible for doing everything in our power to live at peace with others, but we can't control others. You can't really say that there is peace if your neighbor is still angry with you even though you've forgiven your neighbor. We must be peacemakers but others are not compelled to accept our olive branch.
Joe - Pauls' words never trumped Jesus. Jesus was one-of-a-kind. There never has been, nor ever will be, another exactly like him. But Pauls' words have a place. Jesus gave us the ideals to reach for, perfection, and Paul gave us the reality of day-to-day human life on earth, knowing that we would not, could not, reach that perfection while here. I call it the "muddle-through" philosophy. Do the very best I can with what I have. Sometimes, that isn't much.
To expect perfection of human beings is to place them on pedestals where they don't belong. They will always, always fall off, and disappoint you. Only Jesus belongs on that pedestal. We can only do so much. And beating ourselves up because we can't fix everything will only lead to frustration, disappointment, and the feeling of failing. I don't believe we are failures as long as we do what we can. By "we" I mean "me". I can only control what I do. If I am not willing to be a peacemaker, (and I'm not talking about voting - that puts the monkey on someone else's back. I have to take the monkey), I have no business criticizing anyone else for failing to live up to my expectations.
Begin at home. How many parents teach their kids that if someone hits you that it is OK to hit them back? I have always taught my children that fighting - be it physical or verbal - is not the way to work things out, and that getting even is not Jesus' way. Do I fight over property lines with my next door neighbor? Am I kind to, or have I at least spoken to, Uncle Jim who has owed us money for the last decade? Am I at odds with someone in my church family? If I can't make peace at home, I can't make peace on the other side of the world. It's kind of a log/splinter lesson. And always remember that it takes two to make peace. It can't be forced. As Indie said, not everyone accepts the olive branch.
You made me think harder than I wanted to. I was rambling before, as you could tell. I suppose I still am.
We seem to be on different sides of the political arenas, and I see that you respond to my posts to point it out. Or maybe it's just my imagination. I find that somewhat interesting. Is it because most who post agree with you, but sometimes I do not? Regardless, you are still my brother, and a baby brother, at that.
What do you do to be a peacemaker?
Funny...before I realized that you may have been referencing government, politics and such when you wrote "peacemakers are called naive or better yet, cowards", I thought of people in my own social circle who advocate the idea of peace at all costs, and how so many of us have trouble with folks who back away from a fight, especially if said folks have been treated unfairly. For me, if someone attacks me, or even moreso, the people I love, the claws come out without hesitation. Promoting peace, and letting others be nasty without retaliating, feels most unnatural to me. But as you concluded: Jesus ways' are not our ways. As much as I do not understand His way of peace and humility, I DO know I'm called to it. Now if I could just put His ways into action! (Thank goodness for Grace!)
Jana, right on! Thank you for your confession. It is mine as well.
We are called to peacemaking, peace, peacekeeping, shalom...whatever we name it. We are called to it time and again and while it feels so unnatural (it does for a far majority of us) it is no excuse to blow it off as a perfect ideal that we can in no way achieve.
And yes, thank goodness for grace that covers us when we fail and thank goodness for grace that continues to challenge us to strive for peace.
i like what stanley hauerwas says: "I'm a pacifist because I'm a violent son of a bitch."
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