Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away . . .! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (NRSV)
For much of the 1990s, Belfast was a scary place to be. We lived with weekly bombings, shootings, and other constant threats. My children essentially grew up in a war zone. People were afraid to talk. Then I joined an interdenominational group and heard Paul’s message: “Everything has become new!” These were joyful words amid the tension and suspicion around us. And with relationship to Christ comes a task: the “ministry of reconciliation.” As part of our mission, I quietly attended both Catholic and Protestant churches. I discovered ways of meeting people with even more diverse religious affiliations and political goals. This seemed a tiny ministry compared with those who were carrying out important peace negotiations and making groundbreaking public statements. Later, church people and politicians from all Northern Irish political positions were led by the same hope for peace. A patient commitment from the British, Irish, and American governments kept that hope alive. Many people inside and outside our churches worked together across deep divisions. As we look to God for our hope, peace can thrive.
Prayer
Dear God of forgiveness, give us patience and skill to be your agents of reconciliation wherever there is division. Amen.
