*The Season of Creation originated in the
Anglican Church of South Africa and was formalized in 2008. It is designed for
us to explore our faith from a Creation perspective. We use Biblical and other readings,
chosen locally, that pertain to the specific theme of each of the 7 weeks of
the Season. Alternate readings used are posted with asterisk.
Click here
for more information about: Season
of Creation ~ In The Beginning
Week V's Theme is:
The World at Peace
The World at Peace. Of course! Who doesn't want that? Yet the
concept is exponentially large and is well beyond the scope of my abilities to
achieve alone. It then remains a mere concept, too big to be a goal, and
reduced to a conversational platitude. Or, is it? When you think of world
peace how do you define it? Is it merely the end of all war on the
planet or are there other considerations? A few formal definitions describe it
as the absence of war, a cessation of hostilities, and/or tranquility. In an
ironic construct, whole armies are deployed ostensibly to achieve peace by ending
war ~ where am I in that? The words of Rosemary Power say it
clearly: We build barriers to
hide what we fear to see, we draw lines in other people’s hearts, we trample
underfoot what others hold dear, we wear wounds unhealed with anger, we defend
ourselves from other people’s rights. Of course no army is ever really deployed to
make peace but rather for power and control, domination, and/or subjugation.
It’s so much easier, isn’t it, when war or violence or riots are far away from
me and, after all, what could I possibly do to help? In watching or just
reading the news, a day doesn't go by when my anxiety and frustration levels
aren't challenged even by headlines or political comments on social media, and
I find myself, also ironically and sadly, highly intolerant of
the intolerance of others as my blood pressure rises.
Others wiser than me have said that peace
begins within oneself. And so I must earnestly search to find some peace within
myself, somewhere. Perhaps by breathing very deeply in and out regularly,
stepping away from the noise of all that disturbs a tranquil moment. Listening to
the birds ~ even when they’re fighting ~ calms me. The laughter of children
makes me laugh; as puppies and kittens and butterflies, and turtles sunning on
a rock warm my heart. Even in the depth of winter's cold, there is the peaceful
quiet of a snowy day.
As I breathe deeply again, the feisty, feckless, fuming, and fraying
world is still there, but within it I can find a small moment of inner peace
that remains. Yet I must not simply live into a false peace-filled denial in
which I only love those who love me. It is the quietly, steadily,
holding fast within myself, that calls me to return to a place of quiet
regularly, in prayer, meditation, and in simple moments of beauty, and then I
must give it out so that I can offer a smile,
a kind word, and some serious restraint in response to a severe difference of
opinion. World Peace, it seems, does, frighteningly, begin
within me, at least in some ways. We must have peace ~
and hope and joy ~ at our core that centers and steadies us. We can support,
defend, write, march, care about and join organizations that give us
useful tools to at least help those who are in the midst of war whether in
their homes, on our streets, or far across the globe.
Yet first I and you must each invite
the Lord to build a house within us, to seek and sustain the joy that
helps us to radiate God’s Eternal Light from the windows of our souls. Let us follow
the teaching we are given in Matthew’s Gospel for today ~ The Sermon on the
Mount ~ to find even small ways to mingle a moment of peace-filled breath
with all the air that flows around this fragile Earth, our island home.**** Will we end war ~ sadly, no.
But from me, peace is in my hands for one person, one moment, one less argument,
one less angry retort, one full moment of intention and attention to breathe
the breath of God toward and for another may be all the peace and perfection we
have to give; and to give that is what we are called to do. We are Christ’s
ambassadors of continuing hope, inner joy, and the peace that surpasses all
understanding [Philippians 4:7] and for each and every phrase of The Sermon for all and
everyone, evil and good, righteous and unrighteous ~ as it still and always not
ours to judge who is worthy. Within myself and out into the ether I say:
You
cannot take my hope away
nor steal my inner joy
no matter all the plots and schemes
no matter intent or ploy.
My
peace will continue
to grow and to give
to all I encounter
each day that I live.
LET
US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ O
God-Within-Us at schools, shopping malls, and borders, in anger, complacency,
and peril, energize us to discover and embody Your Peace within ourselves so
fully, that it radiates through us to reveal Your love-without-end to all.
O Lord, in
Safety and in Danger
RESPONSE: We put our trust in You
~
O God-Within-Us, as you come into our midst, impel us to vigorously witness for
peace to every governing authority on this Planet, in this Nation, and in every
Community. May our own words and actions break down all walls of separation,
that hide only what we fear to see, to flood your love through us to the whole
of Your Creation. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O
Lord, in Safety and in Danger
We
put our trust in You
~
O God-Within-Us, lay Your healing hand upon those weary of unhealed wounds,
fear, and isolation, and hold fast to those who offer caring help. We now
join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions
O
Lord, in Safety and in Danger
We
put our trust in You
~
O God-Within-Us, turn our grief to joy for those we have sent Home to never die
again and now raised in eternal splendor to new life in Christ. We pray
especially for… add your own petitions
O
Lord, in Safety and in Danger
We
put our trust in You
~
O God-Within-Us, we pause in this moment to offer You our
other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud
or silently… add your own petitions
O Lord, in Safety and in Danger
We put our trust in You
~
O God-Within-Us, ease the path of all who are anointed to call us to Your Word
and Sacraments, inspiring us to serve in this world together in Christ’s holy
name. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O
Lord, in Safety and in Danger
We
put our trust in You
The
Celebrant adds: Creator
Lord, Spirit of Hope, 106 years ago tomorrow, Your people breathed in the
promise for the future at the official end of World War I. Yet we restive
humans continue wars on battlefields, social media, in parking lots, and in
threats about benches; wars of racial, gender, religious oppression, and more. Hold
us closely as we strive to fill the needs of our neighbors, cry out for justice
for the downtrodden, and work to flourish the peace, truth, and the universal
love in Christ’s Gospel for all of us, every day, everywhere. We ask through
Jesus, our Divine Example; and the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom Guide; who together
with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.
**Psalm 85:7-14: Turn, revive us,
nourish our joy. Show us mercy, save us, Lord. I listen to God speaking:
“I, the Lord, speak peace, peace to my faithful people who turn their
hearts to me.” Salvation is coming near, glory is filling our land. Love and
faithfulness embrace, peace and justice kiss. Fidelity sprouts from the
earth, justice leans down from
heaven. The Lord pours out riches, our land springs to life. Justice
clears God’s path, justice points
the way.
[From
The Psalter: A faithful and inclusive rendering, Liturgy Training
Publications (International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc.), 1994.]
***2nd Reading: Seven
Days
Creator Lord of the unclaimed
place and of clashing claims, of no one’s land where some have homes, in danger
zones, in human souls, in nations’ claims: we are all guilty. We build barriers
to hide what we fear to see, we draw lines in other people’s hearts, we trample
underfoot what others hold dear, we wear wounds unhealed with anger, we defend
ourselves from other people’s rights. Drive out the demons that divide
neighbours.
Jesus, in the land where your
feet were tired, where you carried the oppressor’s burden, broke the chains of
the prisoners, demolished walls, made wounded lives blossom, and set our hearts
free to turn and to serve: may you be the potter in our lives’ neutral zones;
in divided land, may justice return.
Spirit of hope, may those who
build houses live in them, those who plant olive trees harvest them, may they
shelter under fig trees, give water to strangers, tell stories to children,
keep Covenant with God.
As we honour the graves of our
neighbours may we face those we fear, cry justice for the oppressed, tell of
love without end: may peace flourish till the moon fails.
~ Rosemary Power, From Seven Days - Stories and reflections
for the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel by members of the Iona
Community, 2018
****The
phrase this fragile Earth, our island home, is from Eucharistic
Prayer C, in the US Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, 1979. See bcponline.org, page
370
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