I managed to get myself sleeping in a hotel bed last night. Inadvertently. My flight home was diverted by fog. Given the choice of having some sleep at my expense in a hotel and flying the next morning or being in a bus all night (we were diverted. One hour flight equals six hour bus trip) I took the hotel.
i’m looking at the lectionary to day and it is difficult, because the passages are ‘difficult’. They are not difficult in what they say. They are difficult because they do not fit the model of Jesus we have inside our head.
Luke 22:31-38
31“Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, 32but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” 34Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me.”
35He said to them, “When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “No, not a thing.” 36He said to them, “But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. 37For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted among the lawless’; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.” 38They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” He replied, “It is enough.”
I have no reason to consider that these words were recorded because Jesus was acting stressed or speaking casually. And the first bit is simple — he is warning Peter of his coming betrayal..
The second is harder. Jesus is not telling his disciples to go out and live on faith and people’s good will. He is saying to prepare themselves, to defend themselves. The first and most simple application is that one should be able to provide for oneself and one;s family — in fact Paul siad this is our first duty and we should not expect the church to provide for us — we should look after our people and not burden the Church. But he is saying that we will have to defend ourselves by force. — sell your cloak and get a sword.
This, at least, is an argument against peaceful non aggression (the only reason that Ghandhi was able to get this to work is that he had the press on his side. In dictatorships, you die, nobly, in silence/ The implication is at times we have to resist violently.
And that Jesus said this is seen as unthinkable to modern ears. Not the Reformers — they fought. Not the Catholics and orrhodox — they fought. At times unwisely, but they considered themselves citizens, with a duty to defend home and hearth, and preserve the truth from those who would stamp it out. Since in my view Jesus trumps the saints and teachers of the Church, we should not lean over-much on the saints who were able to live in other manners. We need to prepare and defend, well at least most of us.