I sat down to write a nice reflection on peace. Full of those platitudes that we pastors treasure. Then in the background I heard the local news. Three students killed by a fellow student in a high school in Oxford Michigan. It is not a time for platitudes. The second Advent candle of peace is about far more than an end to hostilities. That is the secular definition of peace. Tonight, in a small town in Michigan there is no peace. Prayers will be raised. Memorials will be held. But, in the end, three young lives were tragically denied their futures. It is hard to think about peace in the context of such unjust realities. But we must. The peace we celebrate in Advent is about God’s peace. That unshakeable trust in the promises that God has already made. In a broken world of senseless violence, hate fueled actions, and socially acceptable prejudice, we all need to know God’s peace. God’s peace is simply and unequivocally knowing that we are in a grace inspired and grace filled relationship with God. A relationship that can lead us through the darkest night and rejoice with us on the days of endless sunlight. May the people of Oxford Michigan know that peace today. That is the Good News. Blessings, Pastor Tom
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. Comments are closed.
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October 2022
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