Peacemakers in a Violent World

We live in a violent world.

Some violence occurs so far away that it’s hard to comprehend, even when the images of it flash across our consciousness night after night on the evening news. Some is as close as the air we breath, making it difficult to even acknowledge and overcome. Near and far, day after day, violence inflicted by human beings on other human beings steals life, scars spirits, and inflicts fear.

I must admit that sometimes when I think about all the shooting and bullying and beating and bombing in our world – and the often rancorous and so far ineffectual debate over what to do about it – the psalmist’s words express my own thoughts:

I would hurry to find a shelter for myself from the raging wind and tempest…for I see violence and strife in the city…and iniquity and trouble are within it; ruin is in its midst. [Psalm 55]

Yet those of us who are marked with the cross of Christ and sealed with his Spirit are not called to lock ourselves in some underground bunker. We are called to do something about the violence around us and within us. We are called to own up to and address our own violent tendencies and to wage peace in the world around us.

The sixty-five synodical bishops of the ELCA crafted a pastoral letter about violence when we were together in Chicago at the beginning of March. This letter calls us to active participation in the cross-formed reign of the Prince of Peace. It also provides a list of resources to assist you, your congregation, your circle of friends, and your family to discuss violence and to do something about it. 

Kathryn Lohre, ELCA Director for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations and President of the National Council of Churches (NCC) also suggests these helpful resources:

•  2010 NCC Resolution, “Ending Gun Violence: A Resolution and Call to Action by the National Council of Churches of Christ, USA” 

• World Council of Churches Decade to Overcome Violence 

Through the prophet Jeremiah God once said, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” [Jeremiah 29:7]. As we seek our world’s peaceful welfare together through repentance, prayer, and action, we walk in the promise sung by that old prophet, Zechariah, ages ago and echoed every time we sing the Gospel Canticle of Morning Prayer [Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 303]:

In the tender compassion of our God

     the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

To shine on those who dwell in darkness

     and the shadow of death,

And to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Come, O Come Emmanuel

O come, O Wisdom from on high,

Embracing all things far and nigh:

In strength and beauty come and stay;

Teach us your will and guide our way.

The “O Antiphons” have been part of the church’s worship for many centuries. In some traditions, one verse is sung or read each of the last seven days of Advent (December 17 through 23). Each antiphon expresses a deep, nearly inexpressible yearning of the human spirit for release, healing, guidance, peace, joy, or new life.

The cry for Wisdom’s embrace rang ‘round the globe on Monday, December 17, the day of the first funerals for victims of the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

The need is so great, yearnings run so deep, after something like the Newtown shooting. Hearts are broken. Spirits ache. Whole communities wonder “Why?” and individuals wrestle with “If onlys.” Ire rises. Bewildered minds seek answers. Blame slips from trembling lips and through Facebooking fingers and into broadcast and newsprint commentary. Whole communities cry for change, demand action. And we cry out…

O come, O Wisdom, embracing all things far and nigh:

In strength and beauty come and stay. Teach us your will and guide our way.

Wisdom, not raw reactivity, will guide us in the way of peace. Strength and beauty will provide more permanent and fruitful companionship for this journey than unfettered fear or ugly accusation ever could. Humility, not arrogance or strident stubbornness, will teach and guide us well.

Perhaps this and the other O antiphons can lead us forward through the post-Newtown fog. They call us to allow space in our hearts and our gatherings (as church, as family, as friends, as civilians) for the full-throated expression of our own deepest longings and the sighs too deep for words of the people of Newtown and of all the suffering people in the world who stare at the horizon looking for a way forward.

We make this space through prayer…praying the antiphons (see Hymn #257 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship, see below)…praying the psalms (especially psalms of lament)…praying the liturgies (such as Evening Prayer).

We make such space by walking together…listening…sharing…sitting in silence…lighting candles…singing...sharing peace…holding trembling hands.

We can make such space for the hurt of the world because we trust that if the cradled Christmas child offers anything, he offers the promise of healing, reconciliation, and joy right now, right here where he is born, in the midst of the world’s deepest sorrows, hurts and mysteries. For he is Wisdom, Lord of Might, Branch of Jesse, Key of David, Dayspring, King of Nations, Emmanuel who walks with us, with the people of Newtown – with all the suffering ones of the world – in compassionate companionship every step of the groping journey toward tomorrow’s promised light.

The Advent longing is deep. The Christmas promise is sure. We pour out our hearts and we proclaim the promise, entrusting all broken hearts to the babe of Bethlehem. 

Rejoice; Emmanuel shall come.

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December 17

O come, O Wisdom from on high,

Embracing all things far and nigh:

In strength and beauty come and stay;

Teach us your will and guide our way.

December 18

O come, O come, O Lord of Might,

As to your tribes on Sinai’s height

In ancient times you gave the law

In cloud, and majesty, and awe.

December 19

O come, O Branch of Jesse, free

Your own from Satan’s tyranny;

From depths of hell your people save,

And give them victory o’er the grave.

December 20

O come, O Key of David, come,

And open wide our heav’nly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

December 21

O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer;

O Sun of justice, now draw near

Disperse the gloomy coulds of night,

And death’s dark shadow put to flight.

December 22

O come, O King of Nations, come,

O Cornerstone that binds in one:

Refresh the hearts that long for you;

Restore the broken, make us new.

December 23

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Evangelical Lutheran Worship #257