Yesterday, December 7, 1941— a date which will live in infamy— the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

God shall judge between the nations,

and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

and their spears into pruning hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah 2:3b-4

Days of Peace, Days of Infamy

As I write this piece, Tuesday after the Advent Sunday of Peace, word has come that Russia is amassing troops on its border with Ukraine. Seems we haven’t gotten to that place yet, where “neither shall they learn war any more.” I know Russia has a sovereign right to defend itself, and I know Ukraine does too. And I know they are bound in webs of alliance around the world. I pray for peace.

On the other hand, today I remember that the day after December 7th, 1941 was a lot like the day after September 11th, 2001: people hugged and cried. They pledged that we would rebuild our structures and our lives. They returned to churches and to synagogues en masse, promising that faith would be at the core of our lives again. Our nation was more united, in those days after great tragedy, then we ever seem to be now.

But still I pray for peace

Not as a pie-in-the-sky dream, but as a real thing that we work to achieve together. This past Sunday, I preached on John the Baptist. He’s the firebrand in the desert who reminds the people what the prophet foretold in Isaiah 40: “A voice cries out: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isaiah, writing in the time of exile, reminds the people that God’s path is the path of peace: peace in our hearts, peace in our actions, peace in our reverence for God.

John reminds the people, as I said on Sunday, that peace has a price. In fact, I imagined him saying it the way protestors say it today: “No justice, no peace!” I know this is a challenging phrase, but I believe Christians should look around us and reckon with those who have less…and why they have less. We should consider that justice and peace are linked forever in the work of Jesus. It’s not always comfortable work, but it’s very important.

The Gifts of Advent

Last week I mentioned a resource for exploring the concept of HOPE: I lifted up the film King Richard. It stars Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis as the parents of tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams. Richard gets his crown by never giving up hope. Times get hard, the endures physical and emotional trauma, but he believe in the girls, and their story is one of hope for all people.

This week, I mentioned a book that addresses the justice/peace disparity, There There by Tommy Orange. This fictional account of a number of Native American families includes Orange’s account of the history of native peoples in the United States. It’s a strong reminder that the past is complicated, and that historic wrongs breed contemporary violence.

I appreciate your attention as we journey through Advent together. Stay tuned Sunday, December 12th for our Advent Celebration of JOY!