Categories: uncategorized
Date: 02 December 2006 12:22:20
I've been intending for a while to make this an advent blog during December. It's a place for advent ideas, meditations and pictures. I have to say, it's inspired by the Orthodox Advent fast, written about by Ian, because I felt I needed a way to think about Advent that would appeal to my protestant sensibilities.
However, I have to start it with a discordant note.
These last few days, I've only been able to think about Mike. Virtually everything has been said by his close friends. But for me, there was one other thing - he was a sign of God's presence on this earth. I thought this way before the news broke on Wednesday. Some people carry about with them a sense of doing God's work on earth, and Mike was one of them. If you believe that God's actions in the world are to redeem suffering and injustice, then Mike was fully co-operating with God in this enterprise. Which makes his killing all the more senseless and hard to bear.
So as the first advent meditation, I'd like to offer up a song by U2, Peace on Earth. Because for me, Mike was one of the lines thrown down from Heaven to a drowning man. But we never got to say goodbye.
Jesus in the song you wrote, the words are sticking in my throat....
"Peace On Earth"
Heaven on Earth
We need it now
I'm sick of all of this
Hanging around
Sick of sorrow
I'm sick of the pain
I'm sick of hearing
Again and again
That there's gonna be
Peace on Earth
Where I grew up
There weren't many trees
Where there was we'd tear them down
And use them on our enemies
They say that what you mock
Will surely overtake you
And you become a monster
So the monster will not break you
And it's already gone too far
You said that if you go in hard
You won't get hurt
Jesus can you take the time
To throw a drowning man a line
Peace on Earth
Tell the ones who hear no sound
Whose sons are living in the ground
Peace on Earth
No who's or why's
No one cries like a mother cries
For peace on Earth
She never got to say goodbye
To see the color in his eyes
Now he's in the dirt
Peace on Earth
They're reading names out
Over the radio
All the folks the rest of us
Won't get to know
Sean and Julia
Gareth, Anne, and Breeda
Their lives are bigger than
Any big idea
Jesus can you take the time
To throw a drowning man a line
Peace on Earth
To tell the ones who hear no sound
Whose sons are living in the ground
Peace on Earth
Jesus in the song you wrote
The words are sticking in my throat
Peace on Earth
Hear it every Christmas time
But hope and history won't rhyme
So what's it worth
This peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
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