Dear Friends,

In the aftermath of the terrorist acts in Paris, the colors of the
French flag were suddenly appearing everywhere – on landmarks such as the Empire State Building and the Sydney Opera House, and all around the world.  Those of us who spend time on Facebook had the option of editing our profile pictures to display the tricolors. In the midst of unspeakable horror, people looked for ways to express compassion, solidarity, and support for the people of  France.

Of course, terrorism is not limited to France, and other cities that have suffered recently, such as Beirut and Ankara, are now being lifted up  as communities with whom we can connect, demonstrating our love, our support, and our prayers.  We hear of traumatic acts of destruction, and if nothing else seems possible, we find some way in which to say, “We identify with you – we love you, and we will do what we can to support you.”

In the proclamation of the Gospel – the Good News of Jesus Christ – one can see something similar happening. In the life of Jesus, people beheld a charismatic rabbi who taught, healed, and both inspired and provoked others. The people around him saw a a person, who, like every other human being, faced all of the challenges of life, who lived, and who died. But for those who heard and believed, there was another truth that emerged. They saw nothing less than God’s very self made manifest in human form.

In Jesus Christ we see God, taking on every aspect of human life, from the deepest joys possible, to the lowest form of suffering and abandonment – as if God were saying, “I identify with you. I love you. And I will do everything to support you.”  God took on a human face in the person of Jesus. Like the colors we adopt to show our solidarity and compassion for others, we discover again and again the compassion that God has for us – not in the colors of a flag, but in the countenance of Jesus.

Faithfully,

Tom