Monday, November 10, 2014 (Leo the Great)
Joel 1:1 - 14
Last month in Canada the killing of two Canadian soldiers in Quebec & Ontario brought home to Canadians that there are those who are driven to do acts of violence to terrify the public at large. In many ways this form of war has been present in many ages: in the time of Joel, Joel was led to cry out how his country had been invaded and ruined by invaders. He encouraged his people to gather in the house of the Lord and to take their troubles to God. Likewise in the 4th century, Leo the Bishop of Rome experienced barbarian armies laying siege to Rome, and it was only by his courage that he was able to negotiate with the invaders and managed to save Rome from looting and its citizens from slavery. However, during a second time of invasion, he was less successful in negotiation; much of Rome was sacked, but he devoted the wealth of his church to give relief to the survivors and also to ransom some of those held captive from slavery. His leadership in times of crisis was marked by an approach that encouraged solutions to problems that involved contemplation and prayer.
I can't help but think that if more of us resorted to turning to God for insight, we might understand the Way that Jesus lived to counter fear, and that we might find that in following his Way, we are grounded in a strength that stems from God, a strength that imparts a courage to face dark deeds and to endure.
Archdeacon Ken Cardwell
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