War Horse

Sometimes it is difficult to understand the message behind what we hear and see.

Then I said, "What are these, my lord?" The angel who talked with me said to me, "I will show you what they are." So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, "They are those whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth." Then they spoke to the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have patrolled the earth, and lo, the whole earth remains at peace." - Zechariah 1:9-11

In today's reading, we have a vision.  A rider on a red horse comes with his angels on horseback, ready to disturb the peace.

One interpretation of this reading tells us that the world outside the church is at peace, happy and prosperous, but the church is troubled.

The explanation given is that the world is asleep, in the power of the devil, while the children of God suffer.  And no one cares.

So, what will happen?  The rider on the war horse is Christ, and he will change the equation, challenging those who are complacent for the sake of those who are suffering.

As Christmas approaches, our thoughts turn toward the child who is to be born, not thinking that he will be a warrior.  Instead, we see a man of peace, a champion of justice and compassion.

But it is a war.  He challenges us to fight against the evil of complacency and disregard, to rise up and do something to help those in need, to comfort those who are suffering, to overcome the oppression that holds them down.

Isn't that the message of Christmas? 

We may say that we want peace, when we really want people to change.

So we should accept that the warrior cometh.  He will cause us to rise up and do battle against the peace that comes from doing nothing.

The peace he will bring is beyond our understanding, for it seem nothing like peace at all.

More to come...