All About the Power

A mother of one of the victims holds her son's picture
in the village of el-Aour near Minya, south of Cairo, Egypt (Photo: PA)

Have you ever had your authority questioned?

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah."  - John 1-19-20

It all may seem innocent enough at first hearing.  The priests and Levites questioned John the Baptizer, wanting to know who he was.

But this is not an innocent inquiry.  They are looking to trap him, to get him to say something that they can use against him.

John responds first by saying, not who he is, but who or what he is not.

Yesterday, the Catholic Herald reported that the beheading of Coptic Christians by Muslim extremists is only the beginning of an attack on Rome.

Is it fair to try to draw a comparison between the two?

Being singled out and set as an example for others to strike fear in their hearts is not a new tactic.  Our traditions are filled with such stories, but we have gotten to a point in our history where we believe we have matured, that we no longer feel threatened by those who think and act differently.

Apparently, that is not the case.

We can look back today on the event depicted in John's gospel and say the priests and scribes were afraid.  They believed they would lose power if people continued to leave their homes and come into the wilderness to listen to a rebel, and extremist.

Is that what's going on here with ISIS?

Throughout history, those who managed to create the most fear among the people were able to claim and hold power.  The Romans were a good example, using the crucifix as a billboard along the road to remind passers-by of the fate that would befall them if they disobeyed.

We Christians believe Jesus came to eliminate that power base by taking away the fear of death, by showing us that this life can and should be a path to eternal life with God.

Many many Christians have faced death believing in that promise, so what greater victory for an enemy of Christ than to manage to rekindle that fear.  Our reaction to it is proof to them that we are not as committed to ur faith as we pretend to be.

Does that mean we shouldn't retaliate?

Now, here is the hard part.  how should we retaliate?  How do we love our enemy, turn the other cheek, walk away.

Perhaps we can start by praying for them, for all of them.

If we have the faith of a mustard seed, we can move the mountain.

Dear Lord, visit them on the road as you did Saul, show them they are persecuting you, and that the God they claim to worship is you.

More to come...