Solidarity

 

No one gave Jesus a rose on His way to the cross;
we can bring Him one consisting of our love and solidarity.

I watched a video which stated that the universe had no beginning. It took me aback. The holy Spirit told me that the universe indeed had a  beginning, and it has an end. It was punctuated by the life of Christ the Lord, because He came into it  in a particular way, taking on our fleshen life and suffering death.

In a couple months, we will celebrate the coming, or Advent, of Jesus into the world through birth into a human life.

That life had an end in torture, disfigurement and the suffering of crucifixion. May our ends be kinder than that. 

In that life and death was the revelation of the truth of God's love for us, a truth given each of us to discover for outselves and respond and react to it. 

We are asked to believe and trust and affirm, that truth given us, that God loves us, and has loved us always. We must ratify the truth and respond affirmatively and decisively in solidarity.

Politics is part of life, even in spiritual matters. Either we believe and affirm the Lord or we don't. If He asks us to take up His cross in some way, we must still accept or refuse, and take our stand on His side or not.

The seasons of Lent and Advent both ask us to affirm what He asked of us, and to confirm what we said one way or the other. The world may well hold us to account; do we accept the powers of the earth as our soverign and legitimate ruler, or not. each of the martyrs made their statement and surrendered their lives, not their faith. 

The world may grow to be more and more filled with death, suffering and destruction, but what will still  matter most  importantly, will be our affirmation of Jesus, and our decision to remain His friend.

In asking us to follow Him, we choose to be peace for those most troubled, certain that He will give us peace to contain and share with others. The world is certain of the things it thinks will bring us peace; we are the statement that Jesus is Lord. Those who join us in conviction will know peace, and anyone who chooses anything of this world for peace, have been cheated by lies. Those who are thieves are also liars, and their morality is not capable of standing up to the judgement of God. Those enlightened by the presence of Jesus are peace to His people, and to ourselves. Only good and holiness will give that peace, because it is imperishable. 

The universe as we know it is coming to an end, and something wonderful and new is about to be revealed like a splendid dawn.