A sermon on peace and justice. A call to action. A reminder to be the change you want to see in the world. Sometimes seeking justice and making peace involves controversy, dissent, and debate. Being a Christian isn’t all about being a pleasant, well mannered, conformist. Often seeking justice requires more fire than “nice.”
I like this sermon because I recognize the need to question authority, to dare to make a public stand, to be willing to say that even though a certain political leader prays and quotes the Bible and talks about God, his or her actions may not be just. While wars generate lots of press, other injustices unfold nearby, ignored by reporters seeking bigger, better, “sexier” stories in more photo-worthy locations.
Peacemaking, however, isn’t limited to the world arena or the local political agenda. Peacemaking is also played out on the stage at Chez V as we move to the end of a summer where we have been together 24/7, all day, every day. We’ve had ample time to enjoy one another and plenty of opportunities to jangle nerves. As the summer wears on and school looms on the horizon, there’s been plenty disturbing the peace at my house.
My son, in particular, is entering adolescence and assuming some of the surly attitude we associate with that. He’s too old for toys and at an age where he frequently declares the outings and activities he’s always enjoyed as being “boring.”
He doesn’t want to go out and he doesn’t want to stay home. Sometimes he can’t get comfortable in his own life—and other times he gets too comfortable. He’d rather lay on the couch and play the same video game over and over and over again than take a walk or a bike ride or a trip to the library.
Being with friends is everything and when friends aren’t available, he’s agitated and prone to keeping himself busy by being annoying. He dishes it out and his sister tosses it back in his face. Lately, the air at Chez V has been vibrating with discontent.
Meanwhile, She Who is Sensitive to Negative Energy finds the low level bickering intolerable. The turf battles and pointless arguments and complaining about “nothing to do” makes the pressure in her Crankometer rise until her mouth explodes with words that send the offensive parties upstairs, outdoors, or to separate rooms. Aaargh.
She pulls out ugly parental sayings like, “School is the cure for boredom,” “I can’t wait until August 27,” and “You can always clean the bathrooms if you’re out of things to do.” This is when she is not delivering the classic command: “Go read a book” and listening to the timeless teen response, “Books are boring.”
So on this Sunday, it was good to hear “Blessed are the peacemakers” and consider their role inside and outside our doors.
And I’d just like to add: Blessed are the margaritas, for they bring the Kingdom of Heaven a little closer to earth, at least until the tequila runs out. Y'all, some days I'm ready to swallow the worm at the bottom of the bottle.
August 19, 2007