— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —
This past Sunday’s bible verse was taken from 2. Corinthians chapter five verse 18:
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
The word reconciliation derives from the Latin conciliatio which can be translated connection, union, conciliation and interestingly also with desire, longing. The prefix “re-“ emphasizes the restoring of a relation, in German “Versöhnung”. It struck me because I feel our world needs reconciliation, restored relations as much as ever after COVID19, wars and our current poor political discourse which have dragged, disrupted and destroyed many personal and social bonds. Domestic violence has reached disturbing dimensions. The valleys of political disagreement have become so deep and wide that seemingly any discussion has become impossible because we don’t hear the other’s voice anymore but instead the deafening drums of the dogmas of our camp. Living in our own bubble of truths we shoot at the outside world with pre-formed opinions and our moral superiority. We leave burnt territories of silence and emptiness with few ruins of placative statements spray painted so nobody misses our view -“this is how it is”. Increasingly we are lost in this world because we are not sturdy to take this constant pressure, trying to find rest and peace in like-minded groups so at least as a group we can stand. I am worried that these wagon forts* of modern societies will increasingly endanger attempts of reconciliation.
Reconciliation doesn’t seek peace for harmony’s sake but for the other’s and my sake. It is my desire, longing to restore marriage, friendship or just a healthy relationship with my neighbor. It is interesting that the German language translates reconciliation with Versöhnung, restoring the seemingly vulnerable, tense father-son relationship. It is the prodigal son in the arms of his father which is depicted on the small picture on my desk. The re-turning home, the loving embrace, the running towards the lost son, the tears flowing over both faces and the rejoicing over this reconciliation which strike deep chords inside my heart.
God reconciled us to himself through Christ Paul wrote to the Corinthians. Do we dare to return? Are we trusting the loving welcome when we return from wherever we were? Do we feel His arms around me? Can we believe in a God who has created the universe and still cares for me? A God who is willing to reach down into my world as sad, bitter, desperate, hopeless and dark it might seem? Can we have faith in a God who didn’t spare His own son in order to reconcile a relationship which allows us to experience His presence as a source of strength, of encouragement, and not condemnation so we can stand up and embrace life and the other across from me? He gave us the ministry of reconciliation. It is only when we are reconciled that we will be able to deliver this ministry to others. Only when we have experienced and experienced again and again His liberating embrace that we are able to stand in an opinionated- world of wagon forts and stretch out our hand to the other camp. This will become challenging, hurtful and probably repeatedly disappointing but it is the only way to build bridges, bonds, open and fair relations in this divided world. We will need to start within our own families, at work, in school, in our immediate circle of friends, so that slowly, but certainly, reconciliation can reach all of society.
Lord, help us to believe and trust that we are reconciled in Your arms through the love, life and death of Christ. Help us, thereby, to go out with reconciled hearts and minds into this beautiful world as ministers of Your reconciliation.
Amen.
* temporary circle built from wagons of settlers on their way west to defend themselves against the outside world
The ACF Midweek Meditations
are written by a diverse group of our church members with the intention to seek God’s fingerprints in our lives. They range from somber to humorous and are inspired by all facets of live and faith. Written by ordinary people from all walks of life, they reflect a wide range of Christian backgrounds and spiritualities.
Each week’s text portrays the individual viewpoint of its author. They might not always resonate with everyone, and are not meant to be understood as representing the Anglican Church Freiburg as a whole. Yet, as a church that is aiming to ‘Build a Community of Grace’ we seek to practice learning from and listening to one another.
We pray that these humble ponderings add a small spark of blessing to your week.
Freiburg Anglican Church 