Waging Peace in the Age of Coronavirus — St Mary's Centre for Peace and Reconciliation

(Shared at St Marys Church Luton monthly service for Peace, Justice and Reconciliation)

As I pondered what I wanted to share today, my thoughts centered around what does it mean to wage peace in this Age of Coronavirus. I imagine all of us have heard or read over the last few months that we have an “Invisible Enemy” who has invaded our land. But it isn’t just an invasion of “our land”, the UK, but an invasion of the whole world, and it has grown into a pandemic which nearly no-one alive today has ever experienced. In this respect, the spread of this invisible enemy has been similar to the beginning stages of any conflict. There was fear and confusion that was generated as we first heard the news of the virus’ destruction of lives in China, and then we all watched and read of its gradual spread to Europe, the UK and beyond. As it spread, the level of fear, chaos and misunderstanding increased. A conflict often is heightened as participants seek to divide through seeing the conflict as between us and them and slowly looking for ways to blame or to demonize the other side…but this is not a normal conflict.

A virus isn’t going to be stopped by labelling it as the enemy and holding it responsible for the disasters it has caused. It won’t be showing up at the UN for meetings where it is held to account for the deaths and carnage to our economies. In one sense, this pandemic has hit us as the human race, all of us in the same camp together trying to figure out what is going to stop this Invisible Enemy.

Our future lives and health are in the hands not of a mighty military that will fight to take back stolen territory or to protect our individual countries. Instead, we find ourselves in the hands of medical personnel, frontline workers, scientists, carers and protectors of all varieties who are racing to heal the sick and to find a vaccine that will eliminate Covid 19 someday. Most of our political leaders have tried to follow the best advice of the scientists and doctors and also to hold in tandem their responsibility for the financial livelihoods of their citizens. Not an easy job for ordinary human beings.

So in response to this invasion how do you and I, the ordinary people of this land and the world, respond with our biblical tools of building peace through living well with one another?

Let’s look at a few scriptures to guide our call to action in these days.

In 1 Timothy 2, we find two scriptures that can help shape our response to stopping the “Invisible Enemy”. Verse 1 reads: “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” Our call is to pray for the whole world recognizing that all are now suffering the consequences of this pandemic, it is so needed for us to see beyond our borders and pray for everyone. Our Invisible Enemy is not stopped by our earthly borders and the good news is our loving Heavenly Father is the father of the whole earth’s population who he wants to see healed, comforted and blessed.

Then verse 2 reads : “Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

Our leaders in the various spheres of society nationally and internationally are in a battle greater than any they have ever experienced. Pray for them to have the wisdom to lead well and in harmony with one another seeking to serve the common good.

In normal conflicts, a lasting peace is one which is built on years of helping not just leaders agree to work together to build a new future, but it is built on the bedrock of the “grassroots”, this is you and me, of the conflicted lands learning to live peacefully once again.

I now want to turn briefly to Romans 12: 9 - 21 for a few more thoughts on building peace in these days. I have picked a few verses here to illustrate actions of love that we have all seen over the last couple of months. Part of peace building is being creative and may we see even more creativity in the days to come.

Verse 9 says: “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. …and take delight in honoring each other. “

Here are a few examples”

● Whole nations stopping and isolating to “flatten the curve” has been costly, but it has also been honoring and loving as we sought to save lives by slowing down the Enemy’s spread.

● The Italians led the way in showing us how to live out love when they started to sing to their neighbors each night.

● Here at home, the clapping for the NHS has called out communities to try to reach out beyond their home to encourage our frontline workers..and while they were outside and at safe distance, had conversations with neighbours they may not have known before.

● There have been many photos posted of a family member coming to the window to wave at their elderly parent or grandparent. Their gestures of love speaking volumes to their loved one.

Verse 12 reads “rejoice in our confident hope” With this verse, I think children have led the way in showing us how to rejoice in our hope that this will end someday.

● Remember the rainbows children drew and then taped to the windows worldwide.

● Children began to draw pictures on their neighborhood sidewalks for others to be blessed as they walked by on a quiet street.

● A group of UK churches united to produce a UK blessing video that has touched our hearts

● There are also those who have had the virus and are now well who are volunteering to serve others in the community

Verse 13 says: “Always be eager to practice hospitality”

● Zoom has become the meeting place of the world as we seek to be able to chat freely with one another.

● I’ve participated and know many others have well sharing a breakfast or dinner together from their separate homes.

● Children have given their parents a date night with the children cooking and then serving the meal all while at home.

● Church services online have found strangers logging on to watch who feel comfortable visiting the church. And even those we are all worshipping apart, a community is being built.

And finally verse 15 which is very needed: “Be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep” Thankfully the majority of people who have had the virus are recovering well, but then tragically many precious members of family and the community have died. We need the sensitivity to be with both groups of people and to include both emotions as we hold fast to hope and healing.

I could go on fleshing out these verses to give examples of living them out because it is so encouraging to see how God is inspiring us to live with hope. But it is time for me to stop! I would encourage you to take some time to connect the rest of this passage to real life examples or new creative acts that show God’s love in action.

There will come a day when this Invisible Enemy is defeated but until we see it defeated, let’s us keep praying and in praying move into the actions that flesh out bringing joy and well-being to our families and neighbours so that we will hopefully in the near future come through this as a more united and peaceable community.

(Scripture verses New Living Translation)