Mark 13
In my earliest memory of a moment of awe, I am standing on my tip toes, looking over a stone wall at a great expanse of green water. I have never seen anything so immense. As far as I can see there is water. Having lived in a dry place without lakes, I have no frame of reference for a scene like this. The feeling of wonder practically lifts me off the ground.
The water I am looking out upon is the Indian Ocean. Back then in the late 1950s the place is called Bombay. It is our last day in India, and we are watching the sun go down. As we walk along the sea wall of Marine Drive, the water is on our left. On our right are large hotels including the Taj Mahal Hotel.
As I watched the reports of the terror attack this past week, I thought about that wondrous walk seen through the eyes of an almost five year old. What a terribly sad place it has become for so many. This morning’s apocalyptic reading from Mark 13 does not feel out of place.
In my earliest memory of a moment of awe, I am standing on my tip toes, looking over a stone wall at a great expanse of green water. I have never seen anything so immense. As far as I can see there is water. Having lived in a dry place without lakes, I have no frame of reference for a scene like this. The feeling of wonder practically lifts me off the ground.
The water I am looking out upon is the Indian Ocean. Back then in the late 1950s the place is called Bombay. It is our last day in India, and we are watching the sun go down. As we walk along the sea wall of Marine Drive, the water is on our left. On our right are large hotels including the Taj Mahal Hotel.
As I watched the reports of the terror attack this past week, I thought about that wondrous walk seen through the eyes of an almost five year old. What a terribly sad place it has become for so many. This morning’s apocalyptic reading from Mark 13 does not feel out of place.
Neither does a psalm of lament.
Peter
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1 comment:
A scary thought. God arrives on the scene and decides, on the spot, whether you join the sheep line, or the goat line. One goes on to eternal glory, the other gets roasted for all time. And worse, if you believe the fundamentalists, what you do here on Earth, has absolutely no effect on which line you join. Doubly scary.
You take this approach to life, and couple it with my God, fill in name here, is the only way to Heaven, and you have a very serious situation.
What happened in Mumbai is only the tip of the iceburg. Those who cannot see beyond their own closed little community. As the world economy worsens and people are squeezed even more, this type of violence is unfortunately going to spread. People are not going to rationally look at the economy, they are going to listen to the "prophets" who are going to stir them up against this group, or that.
I am often amazed that the US has not had an upheavel spurred on either by the underpriveledged black or Hispanic contingent. The ons who work their butts off and don't profit from their labours.
Perhaps, we in the United Church, are in a position to have a really positive influence on the world. Others call us wishy-washy, the church for everyone, pick your cause and we will support it. I don't believe that is the case, at all. I think that we UCCers are very committed to God, to what we belive, to what we do, and have "evolved" to look beyond the "single entry point to Heaven" concept.
Just a thought.
Imagine
by John Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Russ
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