Lent 4 – Refreshment Sunday

May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you, O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

SEASON: Lent 4 – Refreshment Sunday
PROPER: B
PLACE: St. John’s Episcopal Church, Kingsville
DATE: March 30, 2003


TEXT: John 6:4-15 – The Feeding of the 5,000.

ISSUE: Shock and Awe: In the midst of the war with Iraq we must keep two things in mind: the prophetic utterance of the church through the Spirit of God, and the pastoral concerns of the military and their families. In the midst of the conflict, we must remember that Shock and Awe belongs to God, not to us.
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This past week, Bishop Ihloff called together as many clergy from our Diocese that could be present to enter into a discussion with him concerning our countries war with Iraq. The Bishop felt that it was important for us to share with our people the stand that has been made by our Bishops in the Episcopal Church as well as mentioning the stand of some of the other major mainline Christian denominations. And it is important too that each of the clergy make clear to their own congregations what they felt about the war.
You should know that all of the bishops of the Episcopal Church were meeting together at a meeting of the House of Bishops just prior to the bombing of Baghdad. The Bishops who rarely agree on anything anymore, according to Bishop Ihloff, unanimously passed a resolution in opposition to our country going to war against Iraq. The feeling being, as I understand it was that pre-emptive strikes against Iraq, and any other country did not meet the criteria of what has long been established as a “Just War.” There is also a great concern over what appears to be an American arrogance in the United Nations, without a continuing negotiation and listening to other world leaders. The Archbishop of Canterbury has announced his opposition to the war. Not all bishops in England agree, but the majority of bishops do. It was also pointed out that the Papacy and the Roman Catholic Church is not in favor of this war. Note that the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic church are world wide communions of faith. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the retired Anglican bishop of South Africa is concerned that the United States of America does not know how to use the power that it has. The leadership of the Methodist church has also registered its opposition to the war. There is concern for the escalation of the conflict with other middle eastern countries, and a considerable irritation of the Israeli-Palestinian. More needs to be done through listening, and creative negotiation and patiently attempting to settle these issues.
The other side is that there are also many people, regardless of their religious denominational affiliation are in support of the war and our troops in the American Iraq war. Since the 9/11 event, it appears to many that the world has significantly changed, and that we must be more aggressive through pre-emptive strikes for the protection of American people and innocent people around the world who are being made to live in fear at the hand of terrorists and their insidious acts of cruel and what seems at times senseless violence. These are not exactly off the wall feelings and have their merit in these very difficult times.
What we must be so very careful about as Christians and as Americans is that while there are two sides to the story, we must all learn to listen to each other, and remember that no one of us, clergy, lay or Archbishops are likely to have the whole truth about this situation. If we become divided and become hateful and begin name calling, the evil forces of the world will have made great strides. We must not say that those who oppose the conflict are not patriotic. Neither must we say that those who agree with the armed intervention of Iraq is the result of warmongers, killers, and murderers. Name calling affords no solution. Healthy dialogue in this country is now, and always has been the way to understanding and acceptance of one another, and the way of love.
Bishop Ihloff pointed out in our discussions that while the leadership of the church may take a stand in its efforts to be prophetic, that the pulpit is not the only way, or even the best way for us to proclaim our views on the conflict. Sermons are inclined to be very one-way communication. Parish discussion with clergy and lay persons is more given in many instances to understanding that prophetic pronouncements from the pulpit.
Still another very major concern for all of the leadership of the church, and for the members of our congregations is to remember the importance of our pastoral role in the midst of this conflict. Many people in the Episcopal Church both serve or work for the government and the military forces of our country, especially here in Maryland. Many in these positions may have their own feelings about the action of our country in this conflict both pro and con. All men and women in the military are facing a real threat to their lives. Their families suffer from anxiety and fear for their loved ones, and they need all the support, and comfort that can be given to them by their church, their clergy, and their fellow Christian friends, parishioners, and families. There is in our bulletin each Sunday a list of the men and women from families in our parish that are serving in the Armed Forces of our country. The war and its constant coverage is also depressing to many people in the country whether they have family in the conflict or not. It is not fun to hear little else than the hardships, the pain and suffering that this conflict as brought about. With depression often comes anger and withdrawal. We need to be there for one another, and do what we can to offer the peace of the Lord to one another.
We must therefore be ready to listen to one another and for the voice of God’s spirit to help us keep within the realm of reason without hostile emotional outbursts that stifle reasonable thinking and contemplation. . There is nothing to be gained by hostile anger and division in the country or in the church, or among one another. In such a situation evil wins. We must all be open to other ideas and the heart felt feelings of one another. Mac Carthyism has no place in our country. The polarization we hear about conservatives and liberals on some of the popular radio stations is heart breaking. In my heart, I believe that the great great large majority of our people are solid citizens with varying views that come out of their backgrounds and thinking. As Christians and as Americans, we do have a commitment to respecting the dignity and views of all other folk.
As for myself, I lean toward Bishop Tutu’s statement concerning how we as a country use our power. I believe that a more patient stance in the United Nations would have been a better approach. For us to take a less aggressive stance and to work with and through the leadership of some of the other Arab states and people may well have been a better leadership approach to the situation than show our power and stamping our foot with 4,000 pound bombs. If I am naïve, it isn’t the first and won’t probably be the last. I am very sensitive to the fact that the explosions over Baghdad and the conflict in Iraq, and the dead men in the cities and deserts, both Iraqi and American, is traumatizing to the human spirit, and many people and especially children, and even our own children and military people. Like so many who came back traumatized from Vietnam by the horrors of war, we are in a similar situation.
I wish also to make very clear that I have every respect for the young men and women of our country that are serving in our armed forces. Many of them are following their call to serve this country, and often other peoples in the world as well. It takes very fine men and women to pick up the wounded enemy and carry them to safety and for medical attention. These men and women are following the instructions and orders of their leadership, which is the way that system works. All of us should not dare forget to honor and respect their sacrifice and their dedication to their country. We should take our Sunday bulletins home and remember the names of those listed, along with all the others, and keep their families in our prayers as well. Whether we like it or not, the military personnel are there in Iraq and they need our prayers and support.
Here are some final thoughts from me, or whatever they are worth. Enter into dialogue with one another. Listen and remember no one of us has the whole truth. But be careful about getting caught up in rhetoric and popular jargon. Remember your faith and the teachings of our Lord which needs to be and probably is in the hearts of all of us gathered here today. I have been especially disturbed by the popular phrase bantered about in this conflict that we will be “Shock and Awe” to Baghdad. The presumption that 4,000 pound bombs that light up the sky like a fireworks display, and reign down destruction are the great works of a mighty nation under God. This rhetoric has religious undertones that war is blessed by God. Please remember that every bomb takes its toll on human life, another life of God’s creation is snuffed out. Another one of God’s own creation is destroyed, some of our own.
Look to the heavens on a clear night, folks. There is shock and awe. The wonders of this marvelous creation, the stars and the galaxies are the might wonders of shock and awe in the universe. The coming of the mighty God to his people through the prophets, and through Moses leading his people out of oppression and evil, parting the Red Sea, is a salvation of shock and awe proportions. Raining down manna from heaven to hungry people is shock and awe. The coming of God in Jesus Christ as a Good Shepherd to his people, who leads them to green pastures, feeding his flock like a shepherd, with two little fish and five measly barley loaves is shock and awe! The immeasurable abundant grace of God in Jesus Christ who calls his own to turn the other cheek and to walk the extra mile, and who enters into dialogue at meals with his enemy is shock and awe. Shock and awe does not belong to us, in comparison to the mighty works of God, we have little power even though we sometimes attempt to delude ourselves into this kind of thinking.
The work of God now begins to heal, and bandage the broken, to rebuild the destroyed cities, to work diligently to embrace those traumatized by the conflict, and to help show the world as Christians what real shock and awe is, in our service with Jesus Christ our Lord.