 Dear
friends,
These days,
no one would blame you for asking “Is there any hope
for Peace and Justice?”
Certainly
the news is filled with evidence to the contrary. Recently someone
confronted me in angry terms about mixing religion and politics.
As calmly as I could I asked him just where he got the idea that
church was supposed to be about the salvation of the individual,
but not about getting involved in saving the planet or the human
race. He talked about the Baptist church in which he grew up,
and with just a couple of questions it was easy to trace the roots
of his attitude directly back to his southern church’s refusal
to get involved in the civil rights movement in the 1960’s.
I gently tried to remind him that the church in which he grew
up was part of a denomination that was born in defense of the
ideal of slavery.
These days
the very churches which refused to get involved in the fight to
end segregation are registering voters, and making political activism
a sign of morality. On the other hand the African-American church
has long been politically active and liberal and progressive churches
were a vital part of the peace movement during the Vietnam era,
the women’s rights movement, and the fight to end racism
in this country. Why now are progressive Christians sitting on
the sidelines? It seems to me that the ONLY hope for peace and
justice is our faith.
The Bible
bears convincing witness to the fact that peace and justice are
the absolute and ultimate will of God. In this season of Lent
I want to invite us all to repent of our apathy and despair. Let
us repent of believing more strongly in the news than we do in
the scripture. Yes the news paints a gloomy picture, but our faith
calls us to believe in a day when, according to the Bible we shall
all:
“Beat
our swords into plowshares, and our spears into pruning hooks,
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and they shall
study war no more.”
Isaiah 2:4
Perhaps if
we renew our faith we may yet see God's will done on earth as
it is in heaven. Let us get to work to make it so!
Issues
and Articles of Interest and Concern
- All too
often we have arrogantly underestimated the radical right in
this country, and as a result they have kicked our butts. The
media and many of us ridiculed them over the recent SpongeBob
SquarePants flap. Maybe
we are the foolish ones.
- Some of
the most important things we learn are from people with whom
we disagree. That may be the case with Jack Lessenberry’s
article which is provocatively entitled "Why
We Must Lose This War".
- Is America
about to abandon retired citizens? President Bush was careful
to assure older Americans that his changes wouldn’t affect
them. That was a politically astute way to silence the people
who know the most about Social Security and retirement. Still
some are speaking out.
We are asking
everyone to Make Room for Peace. To help us get
Hope for Peace & Justice started, we are asking people to
get their family and friends together and have a yard sale. Together
we can raise more money with our junk than most of us could afford
to just donate. Our goal is to get 100 people to gather their
friends and raise $1000. If you are willing to make some room
in your life in the cause of peace and justice please check
out the details HERE.
Until next
time, keep believing in the God who is the ultimate source of
our hope for peace and justice.
Blessings,
Rev. Michael
S. Piazza
Executive Director, Hope for Peace & Justice and
Dean of the Cathedral of Hope
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