Matthew 5:38–39, 43–45a, 47–48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’
But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer.
If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other also.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
so that you may be children of your Father in heaven…
And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?
Be perfect—be mature and complete—therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
1 Peter 3:8–12a
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another,
be compassionate and humble.
Do not repay evil for evil or insult for insult,
but on the contrary repay with a blessing—this is your calling,
so that you may inherit a blessing.
For, “Whoever would love life and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from speaking deceit;
they must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it;
for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are open to their prayer.”
Colossians 3:12–15
Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Bear with one another, and if anyone has a grievance against another, forgive—
as the Lord forgave you, so you also must forgive.
And over all these virtues put on love,
which binds everything together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
to which indeed you were called in one body.
And be thankful.
James 3:17–18
The wisdom from above is first pure,
then peace-loving, gentle, willing to yield,
full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace
by those who make peace.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and love and self-discipline.
We do not live in a safe world.
This past week, we saw Poland invoke article 4 in response to continued Russian aggression, triggering new meetings of the North Atlantic Council.
Iryna Zarutska, a 23 year old Ukrainian refugee was stabbed to death on a commuter train in Charlotte, North Carolina.
This week there was a school mass shooting at Evergreen High School outside of Denver Colorado. Everyone there did their jobs and did their best to lockdown the school and respond rapidly to the situation, but it still ended with 2 teens shot, another teen, the shooter, dead, and a community full of traumatized families.
This week there was a panic at the University of Massachusetts at Boston when a swat team was deployed in response to unlocated gunshots on campus.
In a similar story The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., was placed under lockdown on Thursday after a post on an anonymous chat platform set off concerns that an active shooter was roaming the campus, the panic led to a student being shot by security.
Alabama State University, Hampton University, Virginia State University, Southern University and A&M College, and Bethune-Cookman University, Atlanta Clark University, and Spelman College locked down on Thursday as these Historically Black schools received a series of violent and terroristic threats.
And in the latest case of domestic political violence, prominent internet and political figure Charlie Kirk was murdered on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
The internet has surged with hate in response. Hate for Kirk, hate for his killer – a now identified 22-year-old Utah man. And before his identification and capture, venomous hate was spewed at anyone who held views contrary to Kirk’s … venom that was returned in the dehumanizing chaos of social media.
But this is only the latest…
Just last month Dave Rose was killed when a man attacked the CDC headquarters in Atlanta.
In June, state politician Melissa Hortman and her husband were murdered in Minnesota, with state lawmaker John Hoffman and his wife also wounded by the same attacker.
In May Two Israeli embassy employees were killed in Washington D.C.
In April our Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and his family, were the targets of an arson attack.
Last year in Butler, Pa, a 20 year old fired eight rounds at Donald Trump, grazing the president, hitting two spectators and killing firefighter Corey Comperatore.
Shortly after, another man was arrested while stalking the president with a rifle on a Florida golf course.
Two years before that a man attempted to kidnap Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the house, and nearly killed her husband with a hammer.
In 2020 a plot to kidnap Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer was foiled by the FBI.
In 2018 a man mailed 16 bombs to past government officials and political commentators.
In 2017 a gunman shot Congressman Steve Scalise, and three others at a softball practice.
And we can keep going.
Outside of politics (if there is such a thing), there have been hundreds of mass shootings this year; so far 403 people have died and 1488 have been wounded in these events.
The Violence is out of hand.
The word Violence comes to us from the Latin vīs, and by way of the French language.
The word Vis, meaning force, is the root for several different modern words, in our modern English we can recognize it in some of our vocabulary, like VIOLENCE and VIOLATE.
Violence is FORCE used to Violate – it transgresses, it breaks, it coerces, it dominates, it kills…. It kills bodies, It kills truth, and kills community.
Violence is force used to VIOLATE. Does anyone else feel violated by what’s been going on? I know I do.
It seems like our culture has given itself over to the way of violence and violation.
But to follow the way of Christ is to reject worldly power, to reject revenge, to reject violence…
Jesus never violates, Jesus venerates.
And as Jesus reminded Peter in the garden, when the disciple drew a sword to defend Jesus from his captors, “those who choose the sword, die by the sword.” (Mt.26:52)
To follow the way of Jesus is to reject the way of violence in favor of the way of veneration. Showing honor and dignity to all, especially those who we are tempted to think of as our enemies.
We also refuse to accept violence and violation as an unchangeable part of our world. But we face it and name it plainly when we see it…
Violations of Bodies: shootings, assaults, threats, murders—using power against the vulnerable.
Violations of Truth: disinformation, slander, dehumanizing labels—using words as weapons.
Violations of Covenant: broken promises, divisive rhetoric, betrayal of public trust—using position to take instead of serve.
Violations of Sanctuary: schools, houses of worship, hospitals—spaces meant for safety turned into sites of fear.
Violations of Conscience & attention: the spectacle of outrage that hijacks our hearts and leaves our minds numb.
As followers of Jesus we choose a different path.
We do not violate; we venerate.
We do not desecrate; we consecrate.
We do not dominate; we serve.
We do not coerce; we honor consent.
We do not exploit; we protect.
We do not degrade; we dignify.
We do not betray; we guard community.
We do not lie; we tell the truth.
We do not seek revenge; we reconcile.
And we evaluate and confess, before we accuse…
In this posture, would you prayer with me?
God of peace, search us.
Reveal where our words have violated truth.
Reveal where our anger has violated our neighbor.
Reveal where our silence has violated the vulnerable.
Reveal where our habits have violated hope.
Christ our peace, forgive us.
Teach us the things that make for peace.
Make us protectors of the weak, keepers of covenant, tellers of truth.
Plant in us power, love, and a sound mind.
Spirit of the Living God, lead us.
Let us pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding.
Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.
Make us peacemakers in a violating world.
As we join together, as your people, unify us as we pray the words Jesus taught us, saying…
…Our Father…
Who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom Come
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory forever.
-AMEN