Strangers Praying

Yesterday evening I participated in an Interfaith Zoom meeting publicized simply as “Prayers for Ukraine.” This was a prayer meeting – no more and no less. Led by one of the leaders in our Calgary Interfaith Council, we were welcomed with a short statement of occasion and procedure and away we went. Several representatives of the various faith communities offered prayers and then ‘open mike.’ Anyone who offered via Chat was availed the opportunity to pray in poem, chant, song, or plain old eyes closed and hands clasped. Having had a bit of lead time to fuss about how Muslims, Hindus, various woke and/or evangelical Christians including Indigenous might pray together, I think I had some apprehension about whom might we pray to. 😉

Whom might we pray to? No problem. When we gathered to pray, we prayed to the One we pray to.  And so in unadorned sequence I heard: a land acknowledgement and from within the cleansing smudge a prayer in the name of Jesus by an Indigenous Christian minister; a Spirit tuning (Sikhism) directs prayers to the one God; Muslims “In the Name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful”; Mormons extemporaneous simple prayers to God the Father with the King James English sound; Baha’i to the promised One of all religions; and of course within Christianity its mix of Evangelicals and Ecumenicists including Unitarians and Trinitarians all taking turns. Even as I seek a descriptive phrase for each of the above, I realize I may not be totally accurate. This paragraph is but descriptive of this evening, which included all of these and more!

Even from my limited knowledge of all these – and most certainly from my Christian vantage available through Jesus – I know that prayer is more important than a theology of prayer.  Jesus himself said, But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you .... And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words (Matthew 6:6-7). The amazing thing to me on this occasion was minimal doctrinal precision and instead a great togetherness. I perceived a peaceful Presence and a total respect of one another gathered in our common concern – a concern beyond the solution of any one of our faith tradition(s).

Seems to me this is the least we can do – and perhaps the most. There are many opportunities to help victims of these recent outrageous attacks on Ukraine - via my faith tradition (Mennonite Central Committee) as well as other charities and countless humanitarian organizations. Also there are those with strategic ideas on how to stop the Russian madman!! Neither relief collections nor military  counterattacks will do the job. Hear Jesus also on this, But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matt.5:44).

Within last night’s prayers, even from this wide range of pray-ers, I heard adoration, confession, petition, and supplication. And when it was over, it was over. There was no proselytizing, no sermon about endtimes or apocalypticism or…  Thank you Lord for hearing the prayers of this gathered assembly.

“For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”

 

United Nations Among Us

United Nations (UN) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) often appear as toothless big name entities poising with diplomacy and peace possibilities, even while the nations roar in the so-called real world of power politics. This seems to be well illustrated by current war on Ukraine. Vladimir Putin of Russia dares NATO to intervene while Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy begs neighbors within that same NATO to step up and show their nettle. This is on worldwide scale, and I do not presume to address strategically at that macro level. I remember some micro thoughts, however - some small thoughts with big names - that I cobbled together in recent years. Here are two samples. Small incidents, but perhaps good vantage for the big scenes?

July 10, 2014                             

UNITED NATIONS OF LAREDO

Texas is known for its independence of spirit, its 75 mph speed limit even on two-lane highways, its no nonsense judicial system regularly served by capital punishment, and a large complement of evangelical militaristic nationalistic churches who provide the philosophical/theological backdrop for all of this.

Recently, however, it was this Lone Star state which provided an exception to all the above.  I encountered an occasion of inspiration and inclusiveness. It was in the border town of Laredo that I was staged to pick up a load of Mangos. This fruit comes out of Mexico on Mexican trucks and then Canadian truckers transit the loads In-Bond through the U.S. up into Canada. Duly parked in the staging area of a Freight Forwarder, waiting to get loaded, another truck parked itself beside me.  I recognized it as Canadian, a Manitoba Carrier.  After brief introductory conversation with the driver on the pavement between our trucks I pushed my hunch and slipped into Low German, the language of Old Colony Mennonites.  Bingo, with a look of relief he slipped into the lingo of his mother tongue. That camaraderie was short-lived, however. In short order we were joined by another Canadian trucker, this guy from Ontario, an immigrant from the Ukraine still speaking with a very thick accent, and then another, this guy very likely a Pakistani living in Montreal, and then one more, likely East Indian but this fellow from Toronto, complete with turban, young, handsome and spoke an excellent English. Intrigued by this new circle, I took some leadership in accommodating friendliness and some inclusive conversation – also enjoyed my Mennonite friend’s full participation! Obviously he recognized that on this occasion our new little bond needed to include others. No more low german; at least not for a while.

Just as I had begun to describe a mechanical problem I was having with my reefer, my cell phone rings, and voila, it is the shipper! I am the first one to back up to the dock to get my load! Young Mr Turban also gets to back in right beside me. In a couple minutes there we are backed in and loading side by side. While the forklifts bump around in back of each of our trailers, I query him seeking some further wisdom re the problem I had just begun to talk about. He knows less than I do!  No problem, we enjoy some congenial conversation anyway.

Mercifully, then a miracle!  In the gathering darkness my indicator light begins to flash Green-Amber like a beacon across the parking lot. My reefer is in trouble and it is for all to see! Then I can hardly believe my good fortune. Our three other new friends still out there in mid parking lot break conversation and come on over!  Corporate diagnosis rapidly ensues! It is Mr Montreal, the guy with the oldest truck whom I had humored about extra skills he probably possessed because it takes know-how to drive an old rig! Indeed he knows his way; asks for a hammer – which I promptly procure from my toolbox. He looks strategically at my battery, taps and wiggles a certain terminal he's looking for, and presto, green light solid, temperature setting stabilizes, problem solved! Cheers! Right beside my truck there is laughter and chatter in all of our languages. Our new exuberance cannot be contained in our common English. Happiness; I'm also reminded of the Pentecost incident described in my Bible, speaking in tongues, Acts 2.

In addition to gratitude for this life-giving parking lot fix, I drive away from this Laredo shipper with a surge of goodwill and even inspiration. Here is an irony, given my Texas impressions above. Border town Laredo, the so-called dangerous place for tourists, just provided a perfect opportunity for this bunch of Canadians, all hailing from other countries and all sporting different accents and mother tongues, to not only briefly enjoy each other’s company, but also to participate in some healthy problem solving! All of us, in community fashion (dare I say Canadian style?) rise to the old-fashioned idea of being neighbors to one another.

I cannot but smile a cynical thank you to all the American truck stop CB rambos, those cowboy know-it-alls who pollute the airwaves with their words, words, blah, blah, and nobody listens. Right under their noses a few Canadians just discovered that United Nations is still alive.

 

February 11, 2022

UNITED NATIONS IN CALGARY

United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week, locally organized and sponsored by Calgary Interfaith Council. I have now experienced this annual event twice. The C.I.C. “seeks to build a more just and respectful Calgary through deepening relationships across faith traditions, celebrating diversity and learning from and about each other.”

Not only an inspirational thing, this Interfaith Council, but doubly inspired by the persons who give it leadership. Each of these, obviously making a professional decision, requiring clear communication with and probably endorsement from their faith traditions, thereby multiplying the effectiveness of interfaith religious presence in our urban setting, and also greater purpose and likely peacefulness in the churches or mosques or synagogues or other participant institutions. As it says in the Bible, A little yeast leavens the whole batch (1 Cor.5:6).

Also of inspiration, Calgary’s celebrations attuned to the city’s trademark reputation of hospitality, goes well alongside Edmonton, our northerly neighbor, more academic.

And one more. Here also is illustration of the purpose statement highlighted above. Building more just and respectful Alberta cities through deepening relationships across faith traditions serves as a positive pushback against those who preach or practice religious exclusivism - truckers convoys, anti-vaxxers and other turmoils so prevalent today. A little leaven in two cities can impact the whole batch.

 

And Afflict the Comfortable

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? (Psalm 2:1)

I just listened to a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin. I happened upon it kind of accidentally while looking for something else, clicked it anyway, and for the next hour was hooked. The man is a good speaker. Having heard of nothing but monster and bully references in recent days, it was kind of humanizing to see this handsome man sitting at his regal desk obviously very articulate in his Russian tongue (English subtitles), no dramatic voice inflections or gesticulations; only the occasional deep breathing to indicate gravity of subject.  He articulates obviously his theme of Nazi infiltration into Ukraine at end of WW2, Boris Yeltsin going soft on the West, along with review of the important acquisition of Belarus in 2000 and annexation of Crimea in 2014, then looking directly at camera, he tells the people this recapture of Ukraine is for the good of all, just like a caring President looking after their best interests. It is convincing – if you ignore things like his KGB career, his meteoric rise to power including current Constitutional Court changes apparently making it possible for him to continue until 2036.

Needless to say, it takes only a click or two to read or hear other takes on this power hungry man. Digital media presents both new education and a whole lot of misinformation or disinformation. Very interesting, Mr Putin’s relation with his Church, the Russian Orthodox and its cautious support of his aggression into Ukraine also ‘coincidental’ with this church’s strained relation with the Ukrainian Orthodox - many op eds about that! This of course readily becomes the domain of the media, which includes journalists of all stripes. Already Google offers countless memes of Putin, either as devil or angel, and of course much about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and what’s he going to do about it?! All this as the world kicks into gear to provide refuge for Ukrainians seeking escape from their country under siege, with many posts and Ukrainian national anthems at NHL hockey games all over Canada and U.S. And there's more! Also I read of Ukrainian opportunists with investments in Russia who will be ready for government positions when the war is over (probably disinformation).

Hmm, in short order, at end of this Lent season, all of us faithful in the churches will read of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate’s plight after hearing all the clamoring charges against Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38)

Once upon a time when I was in my mid-twenties, serving in my first position as pastor of a well-aged congregation in rural Saskatchewan, I was preaching a sermon. True to my character even then I was trying to say that the good news of Jesus is not always immediately received or understood as good news. Sitting at his regular place in the pews was an elderly gentleman, a retired school teacher known for his poetic bent, and occasional little tastes or twists he might add to whoever was sermonizing. This time brother Wiens rose to his feet and put it this way, “The good news is available to comfort the afflicted, and to afflict the comfortable.” There were a couple of chuckles and a few indulgent smiles from his fellow oldtimers, and a heartfelt thank you from this young preacher. How nice. Exactly what I had been trying to say!

Among my people, the Mennonites, is a large grouping who were refugees from Ukraine, the southern Steppes of 19^th and early 20^th century Russia. Because of privileges (Privilegium) extended by the Empress Catherine to these reputable hard working agrarians when they first came from Prussia, many of the Mennonites eventually became wealthy landholders – and therefore among the victims when the monarchy was abolished and communism gained control during the Russian Revolution. Those who were able to escape emigrated to Canada, U.S. or Paraguay. Subsequent years in the Americas have yielded many freedoms and abundant blessings including opportunity to join the good life. In our midst by now is the full array of liberals and conservatives, social activists and evangelicals, and of course many well blended into secular society. Still identified as a peace people trying to do a good interpretation of what it means to be followers of Jesus, we sometimes get a little embarrassed or defensive about choices we have made in this western hemisphere. For good reason and from firsthand experience we know that wars accomplish nothing, and yet also nervous when demigods threaten.

So here we are, many of us, colonial beneficiaries of good land and opportunities galore and … emerging out of a pandemic (?) and entering into another war? Yesterday I read something in preparation for Sunday School in my so-far comfortable well-built urban Mennonite Church. Yes, our denomination by now includes not only us Russian Mennonites, but people from many races, countries and cultures. The theme for next Sunday Adult Sunday School is this, “Recognizing Other Disciples Along the Way.” (MennoMedia.org/SL) Gregory Battle, writer of one of the supplementary articles, a black man, an elder in a Mennonite Church in Cleveland, OH, says it like this:

Looking back over world history, we find this thinking regarding colonization: “If I want it, I take it. The ends justify the means.” People whose lands were taken, who were displaced and erased, were People of Color. Why? Because of different lifestyles, methods of worship, and how their communities worked, wars ensued. But it is not so in God’s view, where human flourishing looks so different. The fake outrage, the media spin, the war in Ukraine is deceptive. I ask myself, Why is it so traumatic when White people kill White people? Why is it so easy to dismiss the humanity of People of Color and take from them their land, their resources, and their culture?

Good question brother Battle. I am not sure I have an answer, but it gives me pause - enough to post it here. It’s a good reminder especially for those of us who claim to be a people of peace now living in this free land. Our greatest Peace comes from the One walking the Calvary road this Lenten season. We walk on land and in circumstances having caused discomfort to others. It behooves us to continue our prayers, but fully mindful of ALL peoples, including Ukraine, Russia, Yemen, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Tigray, Nigeria, Mexico (cartel-related), Central African Republic, and of course the neighbor next door to my house or your house or tenement or condo or farm or acreage or ...