This is the final post for this Easter season from Walter Brueggemann's Lent devotional, A Way Other Than Our Own.
We find ourselves in the Saturday of the story; just as the disciples had no idea of when their "Saturday" would end and whether or not there would be a "Sunday", neither do we in our present world, whether that be in our personal life or in national or global conditions. We wait, not knowing but hoping that there is another way of living in our world other than the way of power and money and violence.
Our faith and hope are bolstered by remembering the story in John 20 of the appearance of Jesus among his fearful followers on that Easter day. Brueggemann says of this moment:
"He (Jesus) stood there in the midst of the violent restless empire, and he said, 'Peace be with you.' ...when they recognized him, he said a second time, 'Peace be with you.'
"And then, 'He breathed on them.' ...He gave them spirit. He performed artificial respiration on his bedraggled followers...He gave them the surging gift of surprising life, so unlike the lifeless charade of the empire that only knows about violence and control but nothing about giving life.
"...Imagine that you and I today are part of the Easter movement of civil disobedience that contradicts the empire...Let's see if life is longer than death...we have been breathed upon..To us he said, 'Peace be with you' three times, and then he charged us with forgiveness (healing, transformative reconciliation)..."
"You summon us to life in the midst of death, peace in the midst of violence, praise in the midst of despair. Filled once again with your unruly Spirit, may we answer your summons and be part of the movement of life. Amen."
No comments:
Post a Comment