Dear Siblings in Christ, for the following week we will follow the pattern of the Iona Community’s worship. I live in Iona, Scotland, and work on behalf of the Iona Community. The Iona Community is a dispersed ecumenical Christian Community who seek new ways of living the Gospel with attention on peace and justice, social justice and worship. Although we will not be using the liturgy of the Community, each day has a difference focus. Today we will focus on peace and justice.
Matthew 10:34: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword”
These words of Jesus are hard to hear. How often do we sanitise the Bible to suit our needs? What does Jesus mean when he says this? I invite you to view the following video presented by the World Council of Churches on Peace and Justice concerning Korean Comfort Women and reflect on the passage from Matthew.
Our prayer,
Jesus, your words are sometimes difficult to understand, and even more difficult by times, are understanding the world created by the Word and is broken by our humanity. May we strive to understand your peace and enact it in our daily lives. Forgive those who work against peace, and those who have knowingly or knowingly, been unjust. Work in us and others by your Spirit that the whole world may be reconciled to one another. Amen.
