"Fear Not"
God is love,
and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love
has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of
judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love,
but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and
whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because
he first loved us. Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their
brothers or sisters are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister
whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The
commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their
brothers and sister also. - 1 John 16b-21
For
those of us who long for a better, more peaceful world, it’s painful to see so much of what’s going on in
the world… in our nation… and in our communities. There’s so much bigotry and hatred and
fear. Fear of the “other.” Fear of “them”—of “those people.” Fear of change. Fear of anyone who doesn’t look and act like
us. Fear of terrorism and crime. Fear of losing status or privilege. Fear of economic insecurity. The list could go on and on.
Last week
we observed the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Since that time, the longest series of wars
in American history, violations of human rights, trillions of dollars spent,
and loss of thousands of lives have all failed to resolve or reverse the causes
of the violence that struck us, or to make us safer or less fearful.
We grieve the loss of American lives,
and we also need to grieve the loss of civilian lives due to our nation’s
military actions. Our armed forces
apparently don’t keep track of deaths resulting from our military actions.[1] But the estimated documented civilian deaths
from violence following the 2003 invasion of Iraq is estimated to be between
163,000 to more than 182,000.[2]
Fifteen
years after 9/11, as we remember and
reflect, we need to ask ourselves whether our reliance on war and violence have
made the world a better and safer place—or more divided, polarized, and
dangerous. I don’t have any simple
answers for you today. But as people of faith
we need to be praying about this.
In our nation, in the midst of all
the violence and hatred and injustice in our society… in the midst of racism
and Islamophobia and anti-Semitism… in the midst of all the need-- it’s easy to
feel overwhelmed… and despairing. We
live in such a fearful time, and the rhetoric of the political campaign season
has magnified it. Fear breeds animosity and hate. Hate breeds more fear. It’s a vicious cycle.
It can feel overwhelming. What can one person or just a few people do?
We can begin by praying together…
and forging bonds of friendship and solidarity… getting to know one another
better… opening our hearts and minds to one another… and finding ways to work
together to change our communities… and change the world.
Some of us have been working on
these things. Imam Elahi and I have been
working together in our Dearborn Area Interfaith Network group (and its
predecessor Dearborn Area Ministerial Association) for the last 19 years. Cantor Roger Skully has been involved with
other interfaith groups in metro Detroit.
Years before—back in the 1980’s and 1990’s, the Rev. Bill Gepford and
others did some pioneering interfaith work in Dearborn and the metro Detroit
area.
Our commitment to peace and justice
and reconciliation, and our love for our own children, demands that we provide
a better inheritance for them.”
On this Sunday before International
Day of Peace, we are challenged to re-commit ourselves to PEACE… to live our
lives as if we believe that peace is possible.
Christians…Muslims…Jews…Sikhs…Hindus…Buddhists…
and all people of faith and goodwill —this is a time for us to find ways to
come together and work for a better, more peaceful, more loving world. We can work for a less fearful world, because
love casts out fear.
There’s hard work to be done. But together we can work together to make a difference.
After worship, we invite you to stay for a
time, to enjoy refreshments and conversation.
I hope you’ll make a new friend today.
Talk with one another about your families—especially your children or
grandchildren and about what kind of a world you want to leave for them.
Let us renew our commitment to
change the world, beginning today.
May it be so!
Rev. Frances Hayes, Pastor
Littlefield Presbyterian Church
Dearborn, Michigan
September 18, 2016
Note: This was part of our Interfaith Prayers for Peace event, in observance of International Day of Peace. We also heard a sermon from Imam Muhammad Elahi from the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, and Cantor Roger Skully from Downtown Isaac Agree Synagogue in Detroit sang prayers and a benediction.
Rev. Frances Hayes, Pastor
Littlefield Presbyterian Church
Dearborn, Michigan
September 18, 2016
Note: This was part of our Interfaith Prayers for Peace event, in observance of International Day of Peace. We also heard a sermon from Imam Muhammad Elahi from the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, and Cantor Roger Skully from Downtown Isaac Agree Synagogue in Detroit sang prayers and a benediction.
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