5Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!
6Too long have I dwelt among those who hate peace.
7I am in favor of peace; but when I speak, they want war. (Psalm 120)
Thoughts: Christians are called to be people of peace- instruments of His peace. So in the face of the Hamas-Israel war, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).
Hospitality is to offer peace and love. Hospitality also seeks to protect the peace. Augustine of Hippo said that Christians need not be ashamed of protecting the peace and punishing the wicked. Thomas Aquinas spoke of the criteria for a just war:
1) War is waged by a rightful ruler.
2) War should be waged for a good cause.
3) Warriors seek to promote good and avoid evil.
He said that injustice should not be tolerated in order to avoid war. Yet violence should always be the last resort. Aquinas also condemned cruelty in war- and unrestrained revenge and violence. More recent studies add that going to war is justified only when there are serious prospects of success- and not ongoing violence.
The Scots have a true tale of the McDonald clan welcoming strangers from another clan into their homes on a cold, snowy day. They fed them. But in the middle of the night these strangers sought to kill all of their hosts. This is an evident and terrible evil. Hospitality is meant to foster peace not war- and hospitality elicits hospitality. Unfortunately revenge elicits revenge and seems never ending.
Prayer: We pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Lord, may your peace shine thought.
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