In 2005 Stephen Spielberg directed a film entitled Munich that retold the story of the terrorist attacks on Israeli athletes during the 1972 Olympic games. The film follows the lives of 5 Israeli militants as they seek to avenge the murder of their countrymen by killing each of the perpetrators in retaliation. The movie does a fantastic job of capturing the cyclical nature of violence and the endless pursuit of justice, justice that never seems to come. The film came to mind for me this past week as our country marked the 11-year anniversary of 9/11. On the same day this week Islamic fundamentalists stormed the U.S embassy and murdered American Ambassador Chris Stephens. They were reacting to a new movie (and I use that term lightly here, the film is deplorable in every possible way) that was released on YouTube that depicts the prophet Muhammad as a bisexual pedophile. That video was released because, according to the director, “Islam is a cancer.” The director made his statements in reaction to the violent events that took place on 9/11 when terrorists flew plans into the twin towers killing thousands. The terrorists hijacked planes because of their hatred for Americans who have supported Israel and stolen their land. In response to 9/11 America launched attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq killing thousands. In turn, terrorists around the world planned more attacks on Westerners in in New York and London and in subways, resorts and buses. Americans have responded by extending the war on foreign soil and taking more life by force. Terrorists respond by killing Americans, Americans retaliate by killing terrorists. Everyone claims the pursuit of justice. Eye for eye, child for child, city for city, country for country. The world is looking for a justice they can never find. This is the world’s system bent on defending rights and asserting influence by force. It is the lust for power, and it is a toxic “might makes right” mentality. But those who claim to follow Jesus are people of a different Kingdom who live by different rules and different values. We are a people who know that no one is innocent and everyone is guilty, save for one. We believe that our blood-stained hands include the blood of the Son of God who let us murder him so that we could receive eternal life. We know that if the world ever received the real justice that we all claim to pursue that the whole earth would be laid bare with no one left standing. We are a strange people indeed who follow a King who has told us to let HIM have the final word because he is the only one pure enough to know with certainty who is really right and wrong. He is the judge and he is the jury and he is the scapegoat for this darkened world, taking this perpetual story of murder and war and hatred and piling it all on to his own flesh while his father unleashed the ultimate and final penalty for every bullet, suicide bomb, hijacked plane, ethnic slur, beating, kidnapping, and religious murder in human history. In this Kingdom we who carry the name of this great King have but one task, expand his Kingdom until it covers the Earth he created. This is no passive calling. Indeed, the Kingdom of God is expanding with great intentionality. It won’t be accomplished by those who have closed their eyes, silenced their mouths or muted their ears to evil; just the opposite. It will be accomplished instead by those who are wiling to seek out the darkest corners of God’s creation and re-claim them for the rightful owner. Not with video-propaganda, anti-Islamic legislation, or drone attacks but by faithfully responding to one of Jesus’ most audacious commands…“Love your enemies.” It looks like this. Watch from 41:38-48:30 of the following film. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/amish/player/
Second, place this prayer from Francis of Assissi in a place where you can see it daily.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
