Sisters, brothers, friends, we’ve called this Peace Sunday
It’s the proverbial string we tie around our finger every
year so we won’t forget
On Peace Sunday we remember who we are,
who we propose
to be
We are children
of God’s Peace
"We who were formerly no people at all, and who knew of
no peace, are now called to be...a church...of peace. True Christians do not know vengeance. They are the children of peace. Their hearts overflow with peace. Their mouths speak peace, and they walk in
the way of peace.” (to quote Menno Simons)
We are followers
of this Jesus who in his sermon
described the blessed vision for the kindom of God
We have decided not to adopt a procrastinating “eschatology
that justifies apathy”[1]
Let me rephrase that
We’ve decided not
to just put it off until “some heaven light years away”[2]
We believe peace
is to be dared “here in this place”,
We believe peace
is to be imagined in our times
In God’s name, by Jesus’ example, in hope of his truth
We believe these beatitudes are not just a pretty metaphor
We don’t just pine away for peace,
we believe that with God’s direction and protection
we can actually work
for peace — like the button says
We take this job description seriously: this blessing and
being blessed
We are the ones
who value the poor in spirit, the humble, the meek
We are the ones
who will comfort the mourning,
and find comfort with each other and with God
We are the ones
who seek nourishment and fulfillment by seeking justice,
who break this bread and drink this cup with others and on
behalf of others
We crave and
serve up mercy, because God is love and has loved us first
We do not see the
world with malice but with purity
We choose to be peacemakers, in the big
things and in the little,
we choose not to
be bullies – not to put others down so that we can look good,
we choose to be
friends – even to the ones who are … different,
we choose not to
use nor defend violence against others in any way
– even if we think they deserve it ,
even in our cars and on our facebook comments
even if we have to choose to do this everyday
over and over again
we choose to see
in the face of the other
the face of
another human being like us
We are game for the hard work of disagreement
of not walking away on first
instinct
of looking for
reconciliation,
of regarding others through
the eyes of God’s love
When facing indignation,
we have imagination for
transformation[3]
We know this is
misunderstood and terribly misinterpreted
by those who believe
that we are naïve,
that war is necessary,
ordinary
that questioning is unpatriotic, idiotic
Yet
we persist in
living out the kindom of God
Sisters, brothers, friends
We are people of
God’s Peace.
[sung response: What
does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly
with your God]
Michele Rizoli
Peace Sunday Sermon
November 7, 2010
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