There was once a country that did not have firefighters. Although they had many fires and many lives were lost, they were too afraid of getting hurt. When one of their wooden houses or buildings caught fire everyone fled. Those who were caught unaware or who were unable to escape died in these periodic conflagrations. Usually they were the most vulnerable: the sick, elderly and very young.
Different solutions were implemented: A few instituted an early warning system; watchmen who rang bells to alert people of danger. Others created laws to identify how a fire started and strict punishments for those responsible. And many built shrines to appease the gods who they felt were condemning their society. Yet, neither the piety of the people, nor the number of watchtowers, nor the threat of imprisonment slowed the death toll.
There was much despair and frustration, but what could they do? It was the way of the world.
One day a young man passed a burning building. (The fires were so frequent it was common for pedestrians to merely cross the street and continue on with their business.) He heard the cries of a child and unable to ignore it, rushed into the building. The crowd was shocked at this act of apparent suicide. 'He has gone mad with grief, perhaps it was his own child.' But they were stunned when he returned several minutes later with the child in his arms. They were even more amazed when he said the child was no relation to him.
Many praised him, others mocked him, and a few dismissed him as a lunatic.
Both he and the child recovered and at first many praised him as a hero. Until he did it again.
'You will anger the gods. They will destroy you,' many warned him, agitated.
Others counseled him, 'This is the established order. Don't be reckless. Come we will give you work that is safe and you still be helping the people.
And a few scorned him, whispering, 'He is only doing it for the attention. He does not care about anyone but himself. He makes us look like cowards.' This group were the watchmen.
When asked what made him act so foolishly, he replied, 'I can no longer stand by and watch as people burn.' His use of the word watch, enraged the watchmen. They felt he was mocking them directly.
For the next several days they publicly denounced him and his motivations. They were very persuasive because it was easy to portray the young man as arrogant. A town meeting was called to cast him out of their community. During the debates he said nothing, and indeed very few voices spoke out in his defense. The trial ended and it seemed the next day the young man would be exiled.
But in the middle of the night he woke up surrounded by flames. His entire building was sure to collapse at any minute. He ran through the flames to the nearest exit. Miraculously, he made it downstairs and out to the street.
Just then he heard the cries of his elderly neighbors from the third floor. Still wrapped in his blanket he ran to the gathering crowd. Giving five of them the blanket and quick instructions he ran back into the building, all but naked. With amazing speed he appeared in the window next to the old couple. He ordered the five to hold the blanket taut, but they were too afraid to even approach the building as it was about to collapse. Despite all his urgency, they were still frozen in place when the supports finally gave way.
Many were silent, some were ashamed and a few were secretly glad he was gone.
Despite the tragedy or perhaps because of it, the people never spoke of it again. To this very day they live in the fear of fire.
Showing posts with label security. Show all posts
Showing posts with label security. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Staying Out of Ditches
Thankfully, as one friend recently noticed, I'm not dead in a ditch. =)
About 5 weeks ago, I left this house (I'll be in Akron, PA and NYC and Goshen, IN over the next few days; the joys of holiday!) to walk. While that's not a full explanation, at the time it was enough, and it was all I had to tell. Walking allowed me to slow down, get away from technology and simply listen, in other words a spiritual journey. Ultimately, the goal was to meet people along the way, to share and connect with them; walking was also the vehicle that started conversation, the icebreaker.
Out of this beginning, a question: What is the purpose of this walk?
I arrived in Philadelphia almost four weeks ago. There as everywhere is a suffering city, but in the midst of it people live in hope. Here is a small map of the places I encountered hope.
In North Philly, on Norris Street, is New Jerusalem Now a very literal place of recovery and rebirth.
To the east in Kensington is The Simple Way house, where they practice being good neighbors and advocates for change.
Nearby, on Lehigh Ave is a Catholic Worker house that runs a free clinic for the community.
In Center City, I visited Broadstreet Ministries that daily welcomes and feeds anyone who walks through their doors.
Farther south, on the corner of Broad and Alter Street, is one of many places that Circle of Hope worships and builds community.
Over the Schuylkill, in University City, is a Vineyard Community Church congregation that welcomes and reaches out to college students and neighbors.
Just a few blocks west, on Baltimore and 48th, is where West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship worships and works for peace.
Far from a complete list, in the end these are just places; what matters are the relationships started here. I could also mention all the chance encounters on the street, the small group and cell meetings and the meals shared, which all occurred outside of these spaces.
And then over the past two weeks I've been pondering this question: What was the purpose of making these connections and acquaintances? I know I am called to return to Philadelphia, but meeting people and making connections is no longer enough. It's like a treasure hunt. I'm not given all the pieces. I have to go searching for them.
The miracle is that a picture is forming, as I walk, a vision is revealed. The writing is on the wall. But it's in a language in which I'm not yet fluent. Yet, I'm not the only one who feels it. Coincidences happen daily: Strangers tell the same anecdotes my friends spoke about days ago, newspapers print stories on the conversations we had in living rooms, institutions implement plans I had secretly dreamed of while walking. What exactly is happening? Is this 6 degrees of separation in action? Am I seeking out people and groups who are unknowingly connected to each other? How sensitive are we to the trends around us? Do we really share the same ideas? The idea of justice in an world that acts unjustly. Or peace in a world that lashes out with violence. Is this Christ and God, hidden, but ever present in our lives?
How many times these past few months did you feel that something odd, something new is happening? From the highs of President-Elect Obama's acceptance speech in Grant Park to the lows of a system so clearly broken that even the comfortable, the intellectual, the rich are unsure of the future. Do you see the same signs of hope I see? Is this mess of a "filthy, rotten system" just chaos or is it also the labor pains of a new birth?
I look forward to seeing you all again soon. Many blessings this holiday season.
In Peace, Hope, Faith and most of all Love,
Curtis Villanueva Jantzi
About 5 weeks ago, I left this house (I'll be in Akron, PA and NYC and Goshen, IN over the next few days; the joys of holiday!) to walk. While that's not a full explanation, at the time it was enough, and it was all I had to tell. Walking allowed me to slow down, get away from technology and simply listen, in other words a spiritual journey. Ultimately, the goal was to meet people along the way, to share and connect with them; walking was also the vehicle that started conversation, the icebreaker.
Out of this beginning, a question: What is the purpose of this walk?
I arrived in Philadelphia almost four weeks ago. There as everywhere is a suffering city, but in the midst of it people live in hope. Here is a small map of the places I encountered hope.
In North Philly, on Norris Street, is New Jerusalem Now a very literal place of recovery and rebirth.
To the east in Kensington is The Simple Way house, where they practice being good neighbors and advocates for change.
Nearby, on Lehigh Ave is a Catholic Worker house that runs a free clinic for the community.
In Center City, I visited Broadstreet Ministries that daily welcomes and feeds anyone who walks through their doors.
Farther south, on the corner of Broad and Alter Street, is one of many places that Circle of Hope worships and builds community.
Over the Schuylkill, in University City, is a Vineyard Community Church congregation that welcomes and reaches out to college students and neighbors.
Just a few blocks west, on Baltimore and 48th, is where West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship worships and works for peace.
Far from a complete list, in the end these are just places; what matters are the relationships started here. I could also mention all the chance encounters on the street, the small group and cell meetings and the meals shared, which all occurred outside of these spaces.
And then over the past two weeks I've been pondering this question: What was the purpose of making these connections and acquaintances? I know I am called to return to Philadelphia, but meeting people and making connections is no longer enough. It's like a treasure hunt. I'm not given all the pieces. I have to go searching for them.
The miracle is that a picture is forming, as I walk, a vision is revealed. The writing is on the wall. But it's in a language in which I'm not yet fluent. Yet, I'm not the only one who feels it. Coincidences happen daily: Strangers tell the same anecdotes my friends spoke about days ago, newspapers print stories on the conversations we had in living rooms, institutions implement plans I had secretly dreamed of while walking. What exactly is happening? Is this 6 degrees of separation in action? Am I seeking out people and groups who are unknowingly connected to each other? How sensitive are we to the trends around us? Do we really share the same ideas? The idea of justice in an world that acts unjustly. Or peace in a world that lashes out with violence. Is this Christ and God, hidden, but ever present in our lives?
How many times these past few months did you feel that something odd, something new is happening? From the highs of President-Elect Obama's acceptance speech in Grant Park to the lows of a system so clearly broken that even the comfortable, the intellectual, the rich are unsure of the future. Do you see the same signs of hope I see? Is this mess of a "filthy, rotten system" just chaos or is it also the labor pains of a new birth?
I look forward to seeing you all again soon. Many blessings this holiday season.
In Peace, Hope, Faith and most of all Love,
Curtis Villanueva Jantzi
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Freedom and Security, pt. 1
I have only been walking for a few days now. I doubt I've gone more than 20 miles. But the time on the road allows so much freedom to think and breathe. I've been staying with friends in Lancaster, PA. Tomorrow I head out towards Philadelphia. Yet, I've been too preoccupied with daily life to worry about where I'll stay during the 60 miles from here to there.
My current thoughts turn to Blossom Hill Mennonite Church, where today Pastor Jane Peifer spoke on Matthew 25:31-46. This is the passage where Jesus talks about the sheep (the righteous) and the goats (the self-righteous) being separated and receiving their reward. But the reward isn't what interested me, rather I'm curious why the righteous are blessed.
Matthew 25:37-40 (NIV)
37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
The righteous have been rewarded because they were merciful to those in pain. What strikes me most about this passage is that everyone of us has been a stranger, hungry, naked, thirsty, sick, even imprisoned. This passage is about recognizing ourselves and God in the face of others. When one of us suffers, we all suffer. Whoever comforts one of the least of these is a citizen of the Kingdom. But what does belonging to the Kingdom mean, what does it represent, how does it manifest itself? I can see that the entire Biblical story is about two kingdoms (I am definitely not the first to have this thought).
Last week I read TimN's insights on 2 Kings 17: 7-23 (Young Anabaptist Radicals) and was reminded of the Lord's response to Samuel when Israel demanded a king. The desire of the Israelites was to have a visible sign of strength. They wanted a leader they could see and hear, rather than live by faith.
In order to give some context, at this point in his life Samuel was old and appointed his sons to be the next judges for the nation of Israel. The people trusted Samuel but his sons were dishonest. The elders gathered to tell Samuel that his sons were unfit to lead. Furthermore, they wanted a king in order to be like the other nations that threatened them.
1 Samuel 8:6-7 (NIV)
6 But when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king."
Interestingly, the Lord went on to say in the next verses that the people had been rejecting him and serving false gods ever since he freed them from slavery in Egypt. The Israelites were willing to give up freedom almost as soon as they left the civilized world of Egypt. In fact, when faced with the desert wildernesses, shortly after the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, they longed for the security they had as slaves in Egypt. (Exodus 16:3) Although, time and again God had provided them with everything they needed, it was not enough.
The Israelites wanted concrete assurances that they would be protected in times of trouble. They did not want to trust in a God who only spoke through a few individuals. Why believe in an unseen God when they could place their trust in the very real power of military might and economic prosperity? All they had to do was look at neighboring empires with their massive armies and sprawling cities.
It's as simple a choice as trading freedom for security.
(I'll continue this at a later date, good night all.)
My current thoughts turn to Blossom Hill Mennonite Church, where today Pastor Jane Peifer spoke on Matthew 25:31-46. This is the passage where Jesus talks about the sheep (the righteous) and the goats (the self-righteous) being separated and receiving their reward. But the reward isn't what interested me, rather I'm curious why the righteous are blessed.
Matthew 25:37-40 (NIV)
37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
The righteous have been rewarded because they were merciful to those in pain. What strikes me most about this passage is that everyone of us has been a stranger, hungry, naked, thirsty, sick, even imprisoned. This passage is about recognizing ourselves and God in the face of others. When one of us suffers, we all suffer. Whoever comforts one of the least of these is a citizen of the Kingdom. But what does belonging to the Kingdom mean, what does it represent, how does it manifest itself? I can see that the entire Biblical story is about two kingdoms (I am definitely not the first to have this thought).
Last week I read TimN's insights on 2 Kings 17: 7-23 (Young Anabaptist Radicals) and was reminded of the Lord's response to Samuel when Israel demanded a king. The desire of the Israelites was to have a visible sign of strength. They wanted a leader they could see and hear, rather than live by faith.
In order to give some context, at this point in his life Samuel was old and appointed his sons to be the next judges for the nation of Israel. The people trusted Samuel but his sons were dishonest. The elders gathered to tell Samuel that his sons were unfit to lead. Furthermore, they wanted a king in order to be like the other nations that threatened them.
1 Samuel 8:6-7 (NIV)
6 But when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king."
Interestingly, the Lord went on to say in the next verses that the people had been rejecting him and serving false gods ever since he freed them from slavery in Egypt. The Israelites were willing to give up freedom almost as soon as they left the civilized world of Egypt. In fact, when faced with the desert wildernesses, shortly after the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, they longed for the security they had as slaves in Egypt. (Exodus 16:3) Although, time and again God had provided them with everything they needed, it was not enough.
The Israelites wanted concrete assurances that they would be protected in times of trouble. They did not want to trust in a God who only spoke through a few individuals. Why believe in an unseen God when they could place their trust in the very real power of military might and economic prosperity? All they had to do was look at neighboring empires with their massive armies and sprawling cities.
It's as simple a choice as trading freedom for security.
(I'll continue this at a later date, good night all.)
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