My Junior year in college I attended my first national
Lutheran Student Movement Gathering. The
“hot button” question that year was whether the Lutheran churches (the
predecessors of the current Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) should
divest from South Africa in order to pressure that country into ending
apartheid. During one of the business
sessions, two young men got into a heated debate over the issue. One was passionately for divesting, the other
equally opposed. Voices were
raised. Invectives tossed. Harsh words exchanged. Neither one budged. Following the session, the assembly moved
into worship. As we prepared to come to
the Lord’s Table for Holy Communion, we shared God’s peace with one
another. As I shook hands in the aisle,
I saw the same two men embrace.
“The peace of the Lord be with you.” Said the first.
“And also with you.”
Responded the other.
And it was clear that they meant it. In spite of their intense differences, these
two young adults recognized and welcomed one another as brothers in Christ.
“Now this,” I thought
to myself, “Is a church I can belong to!”
Today, our nation stands deeply divided on any number of
issues: the recent presidential
election, immigration and refugees, interfaith relationships, health care, race,
the environment and climate change, and on and on. Within our churches there are people who feel
just as passionate about these issues as the two men at the LSM gathering did about
divestiture. Yet, sometimes I wonder, as
divided as we are, can we still pass the peace with one another? Can we still see the image of God in each
other’s eyes? Can we still welcome one
another as brothers and sisters in Christ while at the same time fervently and
faithfully wrestling with the issues of the day?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches his disciples
(then and now) to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. No
easy task, especially when there is so much at stake in our world. But then, Jesus originally spoke those words
to people who lived surrounded by the tyranny of the Herods and the oppression
of the Roman army. He spoke those words
to people who walked past their crucified neighbors daily. I imagine some of his listeners made the
connection.
By teaching us to love our enemies, I don’t think Jesus was
teaching us to ignore injustice, wink at evil, or tolerate suffering caused by human
hands. Instead, I think Jesus was
encouraging us to keep at it when we disagree.
To keep looking for ways to build bridges, work for reconciliation, and
seek for peace with justice in the midst of complex, difficult and divisive
issues. To keep looking for God’s image
in one another, even as we debate and struggle and disagree mightily about the
concerns of the day. I hope and pray that’s still the church I
belong to.
Hating our enemies only breeds more hate, brokenness and fear. Loving our enemies in the way of Jesus may be
the first step toward making them friends.
Peace,
Bishop Mike.
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