“The society which
scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and
tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have
neither good plumbing nor good philosophy.Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.”
John H. Gardner, Excellence: Can We Be Equal and Excellent Too? 1971
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
WAR AND PEACE
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “War and Peace.”
I never read Tolstoy’s book - War and Peace - but I did see the movie. Both are very long.
What’s your take onWar and Peace - not the book, not the movie, but the reality?
HISTORY
How well did you do in history?What were your text books like? What are
today’s history books like in comparison? What are the meetings like that put
together history courses for those in high school, college, West Point, the
Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and Master’s Programs?
Most of us had U.S. history - so we know about the French
and Indian wars, the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, the Civil War, the Mexican
War and the Cuban wall, then World War I and II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and
Afganistan wars.
I think the closest war to Annapolis was the Battle of
the Severn - March 25, 1655. Annapolis was once the U.S. Capital 1783-84. If
that stayed that way, would we have been in for damage in the Civil War?
In doing some note taking last night, I spotted that the
Treaty of Paris was signed on Duke of Gloucester and Main Street in 1783. I was
trying to picture that scene. Where are the papers right now?
I have never taken an Annapolis city tour - so I wonder
what they say about War and Peace - perhaps mentioning the Naval Academy in our
midst.
A few years ago at St. John’s College we had four script
plays to commemorate what was going on in Annapolis 150 years ago during the
Civil War. Robert Warden, of our parish, got St. Mary’s into the story telling.
I remember there was no direct fighting in town. Ooops! I think there were some
bar fights. Then there was the big
Parole Camp out near Parole - for prisoners.
I’ve been to Gettysburg - which is close to Maryland -
but I haven’t gotten to Antietam - near Sharpsburg, Maryland yet. I have to put
that onto my bucket list.
TODAY’S READINGS
Today’s readings triggered for me to take this tiny look at the issue of war and peace for
last night and this morning. Both readings and the psalm - address the issue of
cities attacked, under siege,and
captured or destroyed in the Biblical
Times.
The Bible deals with wars and rumors of war - all through
its pages.
The history of the world has lots of pages that cover war.
With airplanes and big guns - mortars and missals - diminish
the value of walls and castles.
What’s your take on War?What’s your take on peace?
ONGOING WAR
I’m sure there is plenty of study about war - being
ongoing - that there is always some fighting somewhere in our world - with
hopes for peace.
Right now there is ongoing fighting in Syria, Yemen,
Iraq, Afghanistan, the Ukraine, Somalia, and lots of other places.
What is our ongoing take on all this?
Be grateful for those who serve and protect us?
Keep praying for peace.
Be peaceful in our own families, with neighbors, with the
older and the younger generation. It should mean we be at peace with ourselves
and do all we can to everyday peacemakers in everyday situations.
CONCLUSION
Just some wonderings about war and peace.
July 17, 2018
TASTE AND SEE
Words come out of mouths and into the ears and eyes and feelings of another. Words are served as a story, a meal to bite into, to digest, to savor, and become me. Words can become flesh. Jesus did it. We too. Taste and see. Let's become a we.
