Good afternoon,
" So Satan went out from presence of the Lord, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job, from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes." Job 2:7-8
"So the Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, slaughtering, and destroying them, and they did as they pleased to those who hated them. In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred people." Esther 9:5-6
" I [ Paul] am talking like a madman—– I am a better one: far greater labours, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death . Five times I have received the forty lashes minus one. " II Corinthians 11:23-24
These are three gruesome events from the Bible. I cannot identify with this kind of violence. I do not want to be part of it. I know it happens today, and in recent history, For three years, we listened to stories of pain and suffering, while working in Thailand for MCC. By the end of our time, we were in compassion fatigue. We could not hear it anymore.
There are some difficult stories to hear today during the Covid Crisis. In Texas, 10,000 cars lined up to get groceries from a Food Bank station. Forty thousand people are going to food banks in Pennsylvania each day. Hundreds of thousand have died of Covid, from China, to Spain, and to Canada. Over fifty thousand people have died in the United States as of yesterday. Many people live from paycheck to paycheck because their wages are so low, there is no room for savings. What is going to happen, now that we are into the crisis for seven weeks ? Then, there is Nova Scotia.
But… But… there are stories of hope that we need to be a part of now. Support the many front line workers who do sacred work everyday for their patients and clients. People here in Elmira have put grocery cards in envelopes along the walking trails, saying " if you need it, please take it. " What an act of love for the community. When people ask me , "how are you doing ? ", I am so appreciative that I am loved in this way. Continue to tell and live out the new stories of the Gospel, so the violence and poverty will be blotted out !
Shalom and strength for our journey of love, life and faith. " Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God " I John 4:7
Fred Redekop
Ponder Anew 