Overcoming Enemies

Overcoming enemies
Luke 1:68-79
Malachi 3:5-12
Luke 9:1-6

My life is pretty placid and I don’t think much about having enemies. There may be the occasional difference of opinion but I don’t consider someone who thinks differently from me an “enemy.” The theme of the readings today is that the enemies, the arrogant and evil doers will one day be totally defeated. When I use those words, pictures start to come to mind: those greedy ones who have made their billions on the foreclosure of homes that now stand empty while their occupants live in cars; those drug dealers whose billions have come at the cost of naturally curious young people looking for a new experience or those masking pain; those who rape our natural resources for their own profit leaving gaping holes and putrid waters behind; and those arrogant ones who think and teach that God is a figment of the imagination, an opiate for the people. And then there are the non-human evils of disease, mental illness, and death. You get the idea. The Jews at the time of Malachi looked for One to come who would destroy all evil and we look for him to come as well. We are told that one day that will happen but between the time of Malachi and the return of Christ to set up his glorious kingdom there is an intermediary stage—one that was unexpected. A child was born, the Son of God, who came to lead us into the kingdom of God. His message was the kingdom could begin right here, right now. He sent his disciples out two by two to tell the good news and heal all the people’s diseases. The kingdom can begin within us, in our homes, in our neighborhoods, churches, in our country and world. It begins with basic though not necessarily simple things. It begins when I forgive someone who has wounded me. It begins when I do not let death and loss overcome me. It begins when I take action to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. It begins when I visit the elderly and those who are imprisoned. It begins when I reach out to those who need a friend. While many in Jesus’ time stayed at home and did these basic things, Jesus sent the disciples out to change the world. They challenged the evil systems head on. Sometimes I think we sit back and think evil is too big for us to tackle. “Nothing I can do will make any difference!” And yet, there are many people who have taken bold action to make not just the small difference but the big difference as well. They have not accepted the evil resident in their midst. Yes, one is coming who will “trample evil underfoot,” but in the meantime it is up to us to trample our own share of evil. What is the piece of evil that I am called to address? For me, I want to confront the “over the hill” mindset that infects our elderly. I want to encourage the “work” of elderhood. I want to challenge them with the knowledge that prayer really changes things and that it is a powerful calling. I want to encourage them to bring healthy closure by making peace within their families and letting go of all the regrets in their lives. I want them to leave their stories to the young. I want them to understand that it is as loving to receive the gifts of others as it is to give ourselves. So far, I can’t see that I’ve made much of a dent yet but it’s my passion and I can’t stop trying. What about you? What do you feel passionate about? Where can you put your efforts to work against the evils of our world? God has sent us into the world “for such a time as this.”