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Reflections
on the Gospel of Matthew At the beginning of this new calendar year I invite us to reflect on the call to follow the example of Jesus Christ, the maker of peace. Within the global village, how are we making peace in our thoughts and actions? Are we willing to engage with our neighbors and listen and learn their perspectives and understand the we all are beloved children of God? There is evil in the world, but is military violence a response that we can support with our lives and with our taxes? Comfortable life styles are expected in our communities, but how can we look into the eyes of those across the table from us who are on the edge of survival? Can we continue to benefit from a system that protects some and considers others expendable? Many questions came to mind as I reviewed the story of Jesus as told by Matthew. Jesus called people to leave what was known for what was unknown. He
blessed the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, those who are hungry
and thirsty for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers
and those persecuted for righteousness sake. He taught with word and deed.
He healed a leper as well as a servant in the household of a centurion.
He healed the many sick people that were brought to him. He identified
with the homeless. The storms and the demons responded to his commands.
Women and men were drawn to him and he shared meals with them. He seems
to have spent more time with the sick, marginalized, and disabled than
with rulers and kings. He taught, "Have no fear. What is covered
will be uncovered and what is secret will be known. Don't fear those who
kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear the one who can destroy
both soul and body in hell. Know that creator God values you greatly.
Walking in this way will cause conflict in relationships but it is in
surrendering one's life to this way of loving that life can be found.
Welcome people into your life and know that small deeds of kindness are
worthy of their reward." He spoke directly and powerfully as well
as in stories and parables. The people of his home town were offended
by him and they rejected him. He fed people by the thousands and walked
on the water. Jesus taught that earthly possessions can keep us from having
heavenly treasure. He confronted the sins of the religious leaders and
reaped their fear and hatred. It was that fear and hatred that sent him
to the cross. Jesus knew what fear and hatred given to an evil system
could do. So while he continued his journey of teaching, healing, and
caring for people, he knew that he was walking toward his death. Entering
Jerusalem, a center of power, triumphantly, he took action to clear the
temple of consumerism. His teaching continued through actions and parables.
He stated clearly that the greatest commandment was to love God with one's
whole being and our neighbor as our self. Jesus lamented people's rejection
of God's messengers and human violence to each other and to the earth.
On his journey Jesus continued to wish for watchful commitment from those
who followed him. Then he was anointed and betrayed. Yet he spent time
with those he loved and pointed them to the importance of remembering
his life and death with hope and commitment. The trial and death of Jesus
was a time of darkness and despair. Death was not the end of his life,
for it continues to inform, instruct, and challenge those choosing to
follow his example. So we who follow Jesus must choose how to live the
days given to each of us. May we allow our imaginations and hearts to
be open to understanding that the way of peacemaking is truly a viable
response for each of us in all areas of our lives. [top] Voices from around the
world From Dr. Nurit Peled-Elhanan, mother of Smadar Ethanan, 13, killed
Sept 1997 in a suicide bombing in Jerusalem. From Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero murdered on March 24, 1980,
Prophets of a Future Not Our Own We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent
enterprise that is God's work. No statement says all that could be said. This is what we are about: We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realizing
that. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between
the master builder and the worker. From Ricardo Esquivia, director of the Christian Centre for Justice, Peace, and Nonviolent Action, a ministry of the Colombian Mennonite Church, and Coordinator of the Commission for Restoration, Life, and Peace of the Evangelical Council of Churches in Colombia. He has been trained as a human rights lawyer. "My dream is that we, as an Anabaptist church, revive ourselves. I dream of a time when the church wakes up and understands its role not only as a historic peace church, but also as an active peace church today in the current world circumstance. How can we bring about the day when Anabaptist churches no longer see the term 'historic peace church' as a trophy to store away at home but that no longer means much and that could even be dangerous or problematic? How can we rescue that first love for justice and peace and recover our leading role in this world that suffers so much and lives in confusion? War is becoming the only tool used today for resolving problems. Anabaptist churches can no longer spend time just focusing on their glorious past. We need to define a relevant response to the world today and connect with the realities around us. "Many Anabaptist have become comfortable. They soothe their consciences
by building good universities and organizing peace and justice committees
in their congregations, but they do not necessarily practice what they
teach. I dream of a church that is active in peacebuilding now. I dream
of a church committed to providing light to this confused world. I believe
that the Anabaptist churches have been blessed by God. For many years
they have sown seeds of justice and peace. I dream of a church that now
reaps this harvest and offers it to the world. We need to give the world
a model that shows that it is possible to live at peace. We need to show
that Jesus' message is not in vain; the church is living it." [top]
2. Iraq: Emerging Voices, a different picture than is shown in mainstream media. Listen to Iraqi people expressing what they have experienced over the past 30 years and their dreams for the future. For grades 9 to adult. 3. The System Belongs to God, a set of seven videos with
author and teacher Walter Wink as well as conversation with James Forbes
and Janet Wolf, help us understand the spiritual forces in powers such
as governments, corporations and even families. Grades 11 to adult
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© 2003 Mennonite Central Committee |