Yesterday was "World Peace Day" - Ele posted on it in a good natured way.
In reality I have a great deal of cynicism about days dedicated to this cause or that - political replacements for the ancient Church feasts and fasts perhaps - to advance agendas dear to the "progressives" who think they have a monopoly on wisdom and compassion, but are often devoid of both.
Anyway cynicism set aside I left a comment in keeping with the tenor of her post, I hope. If there is one place in this wicked world where peace is to be found it is within the Church. In human affairs conflict is the natural order of things and not even the Church is immune from this of course.
But the liturgies and hymns are peaceful and we can set aside all the mess of living in a fallen and corrupt world, all its cares and woes, and turn our minds to the Prince of Peace by singing them. And be given a rare glimpse Heaven and true Peace in so doing.
That peace is the subtle meaning behind my comment - too subtle perhaps in a post Christian world.
Cynicism about "World Peace Day" returns with the news: Yoko Ono gives peace prize to jailed Russian punk band Pussy Riot.
And this comes at the end of a fortnight marked by violence allegedly sparked by a "film" denigrating Islam. And I'll guarantee you that Yoko Ono will not be awarding the maker of that piece of trash a "Peace Award".
What cannot to be understood, perhaps, is that "Pussy Riot" bought sordid worldly conflict into a place where it has no place, where it doesn't belong. It is that incongruity that makes us uncomfortable, as it was designed to do.
The idea is that we take the peace that we find within the temple out into the World where it is in short supply, not that the World inflicts its pathologies on the Church. The Church where we slowly learn how to live in peace with one another according to God's divine plan.
In reality I have a great deal of cynicism about days dedicated to this cause or that - political replacements for the ancient Church feasts and fasts perhaps - to advance agendas dear to the "progressives" who think they have a monopoly on wisdom and compassion, but are often devoid of both.
Anyway cynicism set aside I left a comment in keeping with the tenor of her post, I hope. If there is one place in this wicked world where peace is to be found it is within the Church. In human affairs conflict is the natural order of things and not even the Church is immune from this of course.
But the liturgies and hymns are peaceful and we can set aside all the mess of living in a fallen and corrupt world, all its cares and woes, and turn our minds to the Prince of Peace by singing them. And be given a rare glimpse Heaven and true Peace in so doing.
That peace is the subtle meaning behind my comment - too subtle perhaps in a post Christian world.
Cynicism about "World Peace Day" returns with the news: Yoko Ono gives peace prize to jailed Russian punk band Pussy Riot.
And this comes at the end of a fortnight marked by violence allegedly sparked by a "film" denigrating Islam. And I'll guarantee you that Yoko Ono will not be awarding the maker of that piece of trash a "Peace Award".
What cannot to be understood, perhaps, is that "Pussy Riot" bought sordid worldly conflict into a place where it has no place, where it doesn't belong. It is that incongruity that makes us uncomfortable, as it was designed to do.
The idea is that we take the peace that we find within the temple out into the World where it is in short supply, not that the World inflicts its pathologies on the Church. The Church where we slowly learn how to live in peace with one another according to God's divine plan.
Agree. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was the peace movement post WWI that effectivly moved WWII from being a small action to a huge war that engulfed the entire world.
ReplyDeleteImagine if the western governments had been prepared to stand up to the rising threat of Hittler at the first instance, instead of waiting until his strenth was so much greater than theirs. Millions of lives would have been saved.