As we approach Christmas, Deacon Gary encourages us to actively promote peace this season and find ways to support those who are suffering. This Christmas, let your gratitude to God be expressed through practical acts of love, following the example of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. By reaching out and helping others, we can embody the true spirit of the season and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need.
Transcript
Welcome everyone, and may peace be with you. I’ve been invited to share an Advent reflection on peace and I thought, what a better place to do it than here at our Veterans Care retreat on the side of Mount Tambourine. Where veterans and their families come to find new peace after having served in times of conflict.
In the lead up to Christmas, and the hope of the coming of a Messiah, our scripture readings tell us how the people of God longed for peace. The prophet Baruch proclaims that the Messiah would bring peace, through integrity and justice. Here in Australia, we could expect to have a peaceful and joyous Christmas, but in Lebanon, in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, and in the Ukraine, unimaginable suffering continues. Now, having spent most of my life as a peacemaker deployed to various conflicts. I know, it is not only important that we pray for peace, but we must actively do something practical about promoting peace. In most of the conflicts I was deployed in, I didn’t carry or use a weapon. But I became present to the belligerents, listened, and engaged in dialogue. But I also called out their bad behaviour, knowing how the truth can set us free. True peace can only come when the people of God come together and implore those who have the power to influence or stop conflict or promote peace, to act justly, and to act with integrity.
In both times that I served in the Holy Land, it was so obvious to me that God came among us in the person of Jesus in that particular place, a place where there was rampant tribalism, racism and injustice, to witness a new way of living that was characterised by loving our neighbours. Jesus of course witnessed to that in practical ways by helping and caring for peoples of all races and religions. Now, it’s clear that many people in the Middle East who even identify as Godly people, still haven’t got that basic message. We must love our neighbours. As people of God, we must not approach conflict situations from simplistic polarised positions, a third approach, a non dual approach is possible. I support peace, I support justice, I support caring for those that are suffering. I reject the indiscriminate use of weapons, I demand that humanitarian aid be provided to those in need.
Well in practical terms what can we do? This Christmas we can support those that are suffering by making financial gifts to those charities that are assisting the millions of people displaced from their homes, that are wounded, that are sick, that are starving, living under plastic sheets in a freezing winter. And we should also be asking our politicians, as I have done already, to be working in bi-partisan ways to see that these conflicts can be brought to a close, by proactive diplomacy to promote peace, and by taking measures to stop the flow of weapons, weapons of massive destruction, to the belligerent combatants. War crimes of monstrous proportions are being committed by all combatant groups. But they’re facilitated by the governments of member states of our United Nations, including the United States and Iran, who continue to provide the flow of many weapons that are killing thousands of children and non combatants. Integrity demands that we call them out.
Look, as a military man there is no military solution to these conflicts. No side can win by trying to wipe out the other. Ceasefire is necessary now. We must thank God for the relative peace that we have in our nation, but we must also be peacemakers here. When conflict arises in our families or communities. It can certainly be more comfortable to avoid getting involved, but the Christian imperative is that we should get involved, get involved in promoting peace, in de-escalating disputes, in searching for solutions. Integrity and authenticity as a Christian demands that we act. And finally, as Jesus was of to say, may peace be with you. And make peace go out from you. May your Christmas offering, and your gratitude to God, be expressed this Christmas by some practical act of love, following the example of the Prince of Peace, Jesus our Lord. May God bless you all.