01-15-25

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 15, 2025
Like you, I am filled with immense hope for the ongoing discussions in the Middle East, particularly the potential ceasefire and prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas. This has been an extraordinarily complicated situation, and to understand it necessitates individuals holding seemingly contradictory beliefs simultaneously. Most people are reluctant to even consider such a concept, preferring straightforward explanations for complex issues deeply rooted in history, politics, religion, and generational animosity that even those currently involved cannot fully comprehend. We want to be able to stand in a high place of objective virtue from where we can effortlessly declare that one group is good and the other group is bad. Oh, I so wish such a place existed from which we could offer clear determinations in regard to all conflicts, but such a place does not exist. I have been reading a lot lately, including the work of Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, a Lutheran pastor in Bethlehem (www.mitriraheb.org), and his book, Decolonizing Palestine. I just purchased the book, Rooted in Faith and Justice: Christian Calls to Conscience & Cries for Peace in Palestine. It is published by our denomination’s publishing house, Chalice Press. These writings are deeply troubling and require some honesty with ourselves in regard to preconceived ideas that we bring to this conflict. As a person who struggles to find the necessary time to learn as much as I would like on a multitude of topics, I often feel ill-prepared to enter into important conversations on issues of immense importance. But today, I think about John 9, where the disciples of Jesus see a blind man and ask, “So Jesus, who sinned to bring about this blindness? This man or his parent?” For the longest time, people had been taught that disease and ailments were a sign of divine punishment, so the disciples believed they could narrow down the one at fault pretty quickly. In their minds, it was either this one or that one. Of course, Jesus, like he so often did, presented a third option that complicated the disciples’ previously held beliefs, but also muddied the waters in regard to who was to blame. It seemed as if Jesus sought to escape the blame game and swiftly transition to the healing process. While many may express a desire for quick healing in the Middle East, I believe achieving this goal requires letting go of preconceived notions and acknowledging the complexity of the situation, which goes beyond what most are willing to acknowledge. 

Holy God, I pray for peace and healing, while achieving true justice for all. Some might call me naive, but I am full of hope because Jesus invited me to be a person of hope. Amen.