An Advent Thought
Christians around the world have commenced the celebration of Advent. Celebration of the past -- the birth of Christ, the Prince of peace; and the celebration of the future-expectation, the imminent second appearance of the Messiah, the King of Kings. As part of the Eucharist on the first Sunday of Advent, we were reflecting as a worshipping community, on the Lectionary readings from the so-called 'Minor' prophetic books. Minor not because of their status or influence or the content of their prophecy: Prophets Joel and Micah. Micah Ch. 4 V.3 - reads that 'in the latter days nations will hammer swords into ploughshares. They will beat their spears into pruning hooks.' Nation will NOT lift up sword against nation. There is absolute universal peace as opposed to artificial peace that is manufactured out of threat of violence or universal annihilation. Deterring violence by greater and even more powerful violence. Micah's vision however, envisage in reality, a universal disarmament.
Prophet Micah presents us with a very rosy picture - there is prefect peace. The tools of war have been transformed quite literally into farming and gardening equipments. There is now as a consequence abundance of food; splendid gardens; golden fields; fruitful orchards, every thing looks plentiful and pleasant: creation at its very best!
However, Prophet Joel Ch. 3 V 9ff gives us a shock treatment; 'earthing' us to ground reality, as it were. In Joel's prophetic vision, ' Nations are up in arms - literally! They have already hammered their ploughshares into swords, pruning hooks into spears' - in short they have opted for an arms race but while talking peace – perhaps. That looks very much like our familiar territory isn't it?
The question we shall endeavor to grapple with this Advent season would be as to how we reconcile these seemingly contradictory visions. Are these contradictory or complimentary? Sounds controversial? We can’t always tread on safe ground. Safety in what?
In a world where food - the basic human need, the fundamental human right is denied – in places like
The basic right to life is denied. Right to life and the freedom to live.
Life and liberty. One without the other is pointless. As the above mentioned Old Testament prophets challenge us with the vision of choice. Free and pragmatic choice.
Tools of war or farming equipments? Destruction or creative engagement?
The interesting thing is, the so-called powerful nations always find themselves preaching about peace in a climate of subtle finger-wagging threat of force. When violence is ‘legitimate’ its called force. Choice of words. The much tattered phrases such as disarmament, and putting weapons beyond use have become synonymous to "not applicable to me but to you." The idea is that I must build my armory for the sake of peace – And that is, peace on my terms. Being bullied into line. But you will not have that same right or privilege – it depends where you draw the line, as it were. The message is, I will not allow that to happen. Not least for any altruistic reasons.
Therefore, the world goes round and round...swords and ploughshares; pruning hooks and spears. What goes around, comes around.
Baby Jesus is often described as the Peace-Child. As a vulnerable infant, Christ’ life was far from safe. Even as a child, Jesus’ very existence was under the threat of a tyrant. That is when the massacre of the innocents happened. In the end the tyrannical system caught up with Christ at the Cross. “It is finished.”
All these crimes against humanity happened then and its happening now!
Advent reminds us all that we are called to make choices in an imperfect world. Peace on earth; justice to one and all.
_by Chandi Sinnathurai, Tontaimannarru____________________________