In the 13th chapter of Mark Jesus imagines the worst:
The temple falls…
False messiahs and false prophets appear….
Jesus’ followers are hated, and handed over to authorities
and must stand before governors and kings to bear witness…
“And woe to those who are pregnant…”
Oof. I’m glad that’s not our world. Haiti, maybe, but not us.
The institutions we love and depend on will stand forever.
We don’t have to worry about being loyal to the Emperor.
People will never turn on each other.
And, golly, we have the utmost care for pregnant women.
We’re safe.
I’m glad. I mean, imagine living in that kind of upheaval.
In that world, justice isn’t abstract, but a daily commitment.
In that world it’s necessary—and hard—to care for each other.
Christians can’t stand by and see how it turns out;
they have to be part of how it turns out.
They have to bear witness daily—not just by saying the right stuff,
but by living lives of radical kindness and courage.
They have to sacrifice for the sake of love,
and dare to be kind to the “wrong” people.
They have to risk rejection, even persecution,
for their unconditional kindness.
They have to resist injustice and stand up against the Emperor.
I mean, in that world, they really have no security but God.
They have no defender but Jesus, no hope but grace.
They basically have to live lives of death and resurrection.
And we wouldn’t want that, would we?
___________________
Weather Report
Darkness;
signs in the sun and the heavens.
Expect turbulence caused by colliding fronts.
Temperatures will rise.
Light and warmth will emanate
not from above
but from those who choose
to radiate light and warmth.
Despite strong winds
divine presence will not be blown away.
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
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