comfort my people

funeral
Originally uploaded by neonangel.

Mrs Scrabs sent me this bit from London Institue of Contemporary Christianity

"He was crushed for our iniquities and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Isaiah 53:5-6

"Because Auschwitz was liberated 60 years ago last week, we are asked to remember how an urbane, civilised, Christian, European nation murdered intentionally, with planned and systematic efficiency, millions upon millions of men women and children. It is a haunting memory that raises many tormenting questions.

...That failure and other 20th century failures that have shamed Christians (Rwanda, racism in the USA, apartheid in South Africa) have made our witness that much more difficult. To ensure that such things are not repeated, we, the church of Christ, have a deep responsibility to make our voice heard and to stand up to inhumanity and racism from any kind of power, including the state.

Above all, we need a profound understanding of the gospel. At the cross Jesus was crushed for our iniquities and there is no evil that humans can do that cannot be forgiven. However, those who have been forgiven in Christ are called to challenge wickedness in his name, and that can be very costly as those who did challenge Hitler found. "


I believe strongly that Christians have to learn to tell it like it is, without fear of reprisal or threat. If we are called to uphold Truth and Love, and already made to understand that entails a natural life of suffering, then we must be prepared to step up to the plate when the time comes.

But I always wonder though how long i will allow myself to hesitate before doing what i clearly know is the right thing to do. Sometimes, even in simple circumstances where I see someone doing something wrong in public (like eating openly on the bus!), I stew in one corner for a couple of minutes while contemplating whether to tell the person off. Often, by the time I am done thinking, the moment to tell the person off has passed me by. It's mostly stupid trivial incidents but its my behaviour in there that makes me less quick to say with confidence that I will uphold God's righteousness bravely and fearlessly.

There is a famous quote by a German pastor called Martin Niemoller who spoke regretfully of his compliance with the status quo and lack of timely initiative:

"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up."

(if you are wondering... yes...that's yet another product placement picture from Naruto. I love that little throwaway scene. Am such a sucker for scenes of father figures comforting tiny kids. the sad yet hopeful mood seemed fitting.)