As a scientist, I have spent that part of my life believing that problems have answers, and hoping that such answers would be beautiful and elegant. A professor of mine once said to a class I took: “Physics is easy, if you ask the right question.”
But there are problems and situations in real life that, unlike the idealized world of a physics problem, have no simple answer, or even any answer at all. Sometimes complexity is just irreducible.
This moment in the Holy Land, with the war and the tidal wave a violence erupting in that place is such an instance.There is no simple answer. There might be clarity in a moment, but that moment passes quickly and we are plunged into the memory of millenia of violence and retribution.
Revenge, no matter how justified, is only going to make matters worse.
What can we do? We can pray. I invite you to pray this prayer with me this weekend. It was written by the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, the Primate of the Province of the Anglican Communion’s Province of the Middle East, The Most Reverend Hosam Elias Naoum.
O God of all justice and peace we cry out to you in the midst of the pain and trauma of violence and fear which prevails in the Holy Land.
Be with those who need you in these days of suffering; we pray for people of all faiths – Jews, Muslims and Christians and for all people of the land.
While we pray to you, O Lord, for an end to violence and the establishment of peace, we also call for you to bring justice and equity to the peoples. Guide us into your kingdom where all people are treated with dignity and honour as your children for, to all of us, you are our Heavenly Father.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
The direct link to this week’s sermon is here.