Reflection & Prayer – January 7, 2020
So… What Now?
A reading from the first letter of St. John:
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.
Reflection
Did you turn on the TV last night or look at your phone? How did you feel?
Typically, when a new year starts one tries to be optimistic. After a year violence, economic instability and health crises I feel emotionally drained? For some of you all these challenges were additional weight to personal challenges. For some of you, what you saw last night is the last thing you needed and may have crushed any reminisce of optimism you had for the new year.
So what now?
Let me share with you a brief story.
An Unintended Friendship
Seven years ago the director of a retirement home asked me to lead a Remembrance Day prayer service for their residence.
At the end of the prayer service I met a man who was a former Canadian navy officer in the Second World War. He was stationed on a battleship in the North Atlantic Ocean. One day they captured a German submarine. After the submarine pulled up next to their ship, the Canadian officer recalled how he opened the hatch of the submarine to find the Nazi soldiers ready to die. One of the Nazi soldiers spoke English, so through him, the Canadian sailors were able to give them instruction.
When the German soldiers came on board, the Canadian sailors didn’t shoot them and throw them overboard, but gave them food, conversed and even played cards with them.
The former Canadian sailor was the son of German immigrants. To his surprise, he discovered that one of the German soldiers they captured was his cousin. What are the chances?! He told me that the rest of the time out at sea, it was like a family reunion. No hate, no anger, but laughter.
The retired navy officer told me that it didn’t take long for his Canadian crew and German soldiers to ask each other, “What the hell are we even doing?”. In other words, what’s the purpose of all this violence?
The Victory that Overcomes Evil
This encounter between the two men is an example of Christ’s great commandment lived out: “Love God above all things; and love others as yourself.”
In today’s reading, the apostle John writes, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.”
John then continues to say, “For his commandments are not burdensome.” Was this encounter a burden on the Canadian sailor? No! In fact, it was the opposite, it led to reconciliation. Yet, if his crew executed the German soldiers, that violence and hatred may have haunted him for the rest of his life.
John then concludes with the words, “…this, is the victory that overcomes the world. Faith.” In the Bible “the world” is characterized as being under the influence of satan (the devil; the great deceiver). St. Paul writes, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Not only did this man overcome hate, but by his love, he conquered evil…he conquered the devil, just as Christ did. The man was a devout Christian.
So what to do? If you want peace in the world, start by loving those people whom God has placed in front of you every day, even if you find it difficult. For many of you, that’s your friends, teachers and families.
Mother Teresa once said, “If you want peace in the world, go home and love your family.”
Let us pray,
Prince of Peace, today we pray for the peace in our hearts, in our minds, and in our actions. In the world that is struggling to find meaning and often itself witnessing deliberate acts of violence, help us to be peacemakers. Grant us the wisdom, insight and prudence to be able to distinguish the need and necessity to resolve issues and conflicts without violence. Grant us the vision to recognize that although we are all unique and different, we share a commonality rooted in our humanity, dignity, and worth. Help us to embrace the model that you lived and to love one another as you continue to love us. Amen.