Today was a full day. We had a great time at church followed by Arby’s. Our Wednesdays are always enjoyable. Chris was with me today as usual and he really brings great joy to the day for me. I spent some time this afternoon getting ready for a liturgy tonight at St. Mark’s in the West end of the city. I like to call it St. Mark’s –by-the-Medical Clinic. It was the annual legion service over there and I was called upon to be the guest preacher. It was a great opportunity to speak about peace. I was so pleased to see our parishioners out to the service. It was good to bring two communities together.
I began my comments tonight with these words from Martin Luther King Jr. “Returning violence for violence only multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” I think there is something wonderful about the simplicity of King’s message. It always cuts through all of the rhetoric to look at the basic issues around violence and its senselessness. This of course is a message which goes mostly unheard in a world where fear has gripped leaders of powerful nations and they have decided to govern us with a politics of fear. As Christians we have to seek the way of Peace-Making. Peace-Making has nothing to do with political ideas of peacekeeping. In that case, the assumption is that the tenuous arrangements between groups that hate each other is called peace. It is not. The peace of which Jesus speaks is really about being free to be God’s child without fear. Despite the fact that we are all being lead to believe that there is some way to win a war on “terror” – we need to start believing in what we pray for. We need to change our lives and begin, each of us, today, to live peace. I also quoted La Tzu tonight who said –
“If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbours.
If there is to be peace between neighbours,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.”
I am just pinko-commie peacenik enough to believe that we call all effect peace. I know for certain that Dr. King was right – Violence will never end violence and hate will not dispel hate. Love is the answer – but it is a difficult choice.
In any event it was a good day all round I think. It was a perfect Fall day. I just delivered Chris home. We were at a reception following the liturgy. It was at the Legion and he was hit as always in any social setting.
Thanks Chris for making a great day for me!
It's Just Kevin's Corner 
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