This is a link to a recent statement from Pope Benedict. It is brief. And probably for that reason I agree with all of it. Heh. Ah, yes, and I am sure that the Pope is glad that this heretic approves of his words. Heh. Of course, we Baptists don't agree with/on much.
To trust [Christ] means to enter actively in this divine love, to participate in this endeavor of pacification, to be in line with what the Lord says: "Blessed are the peacemakers, the agents of peace, because they are the sons of God." We must take, in the measure of our possibilities, our love to all those who are suffering, knowing that the Judge of the Last Judgment identifies himself with those who suffer.This is what I understand to be the crux of the trouble in Lebanon, Israel and elsewhere. We fail to do this. And this is a human failure. We fail to perceive suffering when it appears before us. We rationalize our inflicting of suffering by suggesting that by doing so we decrease suffering. We call it "protection" or "retaliation" or "peace making." The truth of it is that both the recipient of such violence and the perpitrators of such violence are suffering.
I was listening to NPR earlier today. In interview with a woman in Beirut she proclaimed that she has "lost twice." She cannot support Hezbollah. She cannot defend herself from Israel. Her home has been destroyed and she has nowhere to go. She suffers. Where is God? God is with this woman. And if she has ears to hear, she may find God working in her life...asuaging her anger, pleading for an end to her torment, working toward her safety, and maybe working quietly to bring about the salvation of the world through her. Yes, even that much. That is the example of Christ. That is the example of Mary and the Apostles. That is the example of the prophets and martyrs. Benedict is right to call us to such reflection and action.
If you want to read more thoughts on the conflict, go visit Larry or Noz.
Posted by tripp at July 28, 2006 04:04 PM