Rizpah’s Remembrance / Peacemaking begins with bodies

2023 11 12 Toronto United Mennonite Church
Season of Peacemaking III. Opening Litany and Peacemaking Practice.

Colossians 3:9-17 – Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

This reading comes from the book of Second Samuel. It tells the story of a parent whose children are dead. The biblical text tries to “make it make sense” with a story about royal guilt and genocide, power, blood, and memory. But it remains a strange and troubling story, and it is okay if it doesn’t make sense. The story goes like this… 2 Sam 21:1-14

It is very easy to be cynical and suspicious, to feel hopeless and powerless when it comes to war and peace. It’s easy to be numb and disconnected, or helplessly furious. Whatever you are feeling, I pray that the words I have to offer today will help us move towards God’s vision of peace, and I pray that all the powers of our world will align to bring God’s peace here on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.

I used to think that pacifism was naive and idealistic. I used to believe that nonviolence was a good thing, but that sometimes you needed to fight the bad guys with the only force they would understand – violent power. Were these really my thoughts? Had I studied global conflicts, lateral violence, and interpersonal hatred, and reached these conclusions? No, I had not. I was five years old.

These were the conclusions of the culture I grew up in. Evil had to be restrained. Trying to appease evil, failing to stand up for yourself, giving in to bullies – foolishness. Once the battle is won it is important to be benevolent, to forgive, to make peace. But violent power can only be met with violent power. It is the nature of things. It is the harsh reality of the fallen human world.

I used to think that way.

Show us the Rock of our Salvation, our Source of Living Water

2020 03 13 Toronto United Mennonite Church
Show us the Rock of our Salvation, our Source of Living Water

Exodus 17:1-7 – God tells Moses to strike the rock and water comes out for the people.
John 4:5-42 – Conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be ever acceptable in your sight, God our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

I tend to think that it all comes down to planning. Whenever we want to predict how a person or a group will respond in times of crisis, we look at their preparation. Did they have a plan? Had they practiced the plan? Had they brainstormed alternatives and roleplayed options? I am a fan of the plan, that’s just the kind of man I am. How will people act in emergencies? They will act the way that they are prepared to act.

Advent II Bearing Light: Shiprah & Puah, Peace

2019 12 08 Toronto United Mennonite Church
Bearing Light: Shiprah & Puah

Advent II (Peace) introducing ‘Bearing Light: Women in Scripture’ series. Children’s Time and Sermon.
Exodus 1: Midwives foil Pharaoh’s genocidal plan
Lectionary – Isaiah 11:1-9: A ruler with the spirit of Wisdom shall come to transform the world into God’s peaceable kingdom.
Matt 3:1-6: People from all Jerusalem and Judea come to hear from John the Baptist

Many Hands, Small Acts (We’re Smarter than This!)

Many Hands, Small Acts (We’re Smarter than This!)

2019 09 29 TUMC – listen here

Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 – Jeremiah offers a prophetic sign that God’s work continues, that life will again return to normal after catastrophe.
Luke 16:19-31 – Jesus affirms the continuity of his movement with the prophets, in a scary parable about two men dying, one rich and one poor.

An accountant dies and goes to heaven. He reaches the Pearly Gates and is amazed to see a happy crowd all waving banners and chanting his name. After a few minutes St. Peter comes running over and says, “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to greet you personally. God is looking forward to meeting such a remarkable man.”
The accountant is perplexed. “I’ve tried to lead a good life, but I am overwhelmed by your welcome,” he tells St. Peter.
“It’s the least we can do for someone as special as you are. Imagine, living to the age of 160 and still looking so young,” says St. Peter. The man looks even more dumbfounded and replies, “160? I don’t know what you mean. I’m only 40.”
“But that can’t be right,” replies St. Peter “we’ve seen your time sheets!”

Apologies to any accountants present! I tell this joke not to pick on you, but to remind us all that understanding a story depends on shared cultural references. When I start talking about the pearly gates and St Peter, many of you understood the set up – trying to get into heaven. Hopefully by the end of it, whether or not you thought it was funny, everyone knew that I was telling a joke, not making a serious commentary on what happens after death.