This Message was delivered live to the congregation of St Ninian’s Uniting Church, Lyneham – Canberra on Sunday 28 April 2024
Isaiah 2:1-5; Matthew 5:1-16
Blamey Barracks better known as ‘Kapooka’ is located about nine and a half kilo meters outside the south-western town of Wagga Wagga, where the Australian Army since 1942 has trained its newest recruits. Since 1998 all Army recruits have been trained at Kapooka and the centre has been designated as the ‘Army Recruit Training Centre’ or ‘ARTC’ for short. As one approaches the front gate one will quickly spot the very prominent sign that declares that this is the ‘Home of the Soldier’ further inside the complex another sign proclaims ‘Soldiering Begins Here.’ The many men and women who come to Kapooka are put in no doubt as to the purpose and duty of that place. All who enter those gates will leave as veterans under the now established definition of a veteran and most will leave as Australian Army Soldiers after completion of the 35-day programme for reservists, or 80-day programme for Regular Army members.
Those who may visit Kapooka may possibly draw the simple conclusion that this is a place where the skills required for the profession of arms are taught. The more liberal may even say that this is a place of warcraft. However, if that was the only thinking that our proverbial visitor had, then they would actually be missing the greater part of the story. A more informed visitor may be aware of the values of duty, service, and sacrifice that are laid down in this place to form the new recruits. The many soldiers who graduated in the past and graduate now from this place go on to serve on missions as peacekeepers, peacemakers, and protectors of the vulnerable as our nation has called upon them. They graduate as defenders of our nation and more often in recent times as defenders of other nations assisting to build peace and hope in places that are troubled and in the midst of conflict.
It is in the stained-glass windows in the Kapooka chapel that it graphically is portrayed what should be the ultimate end-state that every soldier should strive for – peace. That “Neither shall they learn war anymore…[1]” The stained-glass window in the Protestant Chapel is the image that of a modern solider beating his rifle into a ploughshare. One notes the camouflage pattern uniform that they are wearing, and the coat hung under the tree. The floor to ceiling work was designed and created by the chaplains posted to Kapooka in the 1990’s. The image brings to the new soldiers’ minds that they are learning to ultimately be makers of peace in a world that is broken and damaged by humankind’s sin and depravations.
Anzac Day for me, in my 18 years of service as an Army chaplain has become a time of introspect, reflection and support to some of those with whom I have supported on deployed and active service. After numerous deployments such reveries hold both good and painful memories, I ask myself the question what was it all about? If there are a few things which I learnt from service it would be the following:
- God was always there! No matter how dark that valley of the shadow of death was, The Lord Our Shepheard was with us, guiding and giving light on the darkness, giving the assurance and hope of peace.
- From the chaos of life be it a physical battlefield, or some other chaos one learns what is peace and that it should be valued, protected, and cherished. The one who has come through chaos, wants the chaos to stop and looks to have peace.
- The hope that instruments of war or chaos may be turned to be peaceful media. One should seek such, and never forget how this is to be done. I like in particular the well-designed memorials as such cry out to the communities in which they stand to never forget to live in peace.
These three points are a good segue to our first reading for the vision of the Prophet Isaiah. The prophet uses the Temple Mount in Jerusalem as an illustration of days to come. Topographically, Jerusalem is elevated above its surroundings thus one always must climb up to the city. Additionally, the temple is located on the highest ground in the city, so one goes up to the temple from all other locations in the city. Therefore, a reminder that the Lord and the Lord’s ways are above all else, and that all nations will stream up to this ‘place.’ This is the place to be! This is the place that people desire. The people talk about it, they seek it. They go to the Lord to get it. Therein is a lesson for us. The place to be is where the Lord is. the place to desire and talk about is where the Lord is. Therefore, go to be there and learn from the Lord. I lament how the name ‘Zion’ has and is being misused. Zion in the Biblical sense is the City of God not human-made political construct.
Once people arrive at that mountain top temple, or let us refer to it as Mt Zion, which in this context means ‘Holy Mountain’ the people desire the Lord’s lead and teaching. For how cannot one but seek the Holy Lord in the Holy place? I have found even the most hardened of hard people are moved when the step onto holy ground. Here the beauty and warmth of the poetry of Isaiah comes through:
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into ploughshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.[2]
One may see the prophetic actions, which make no mistake word for word are repeated in the Hebrew Scriptures by the prophets in Joel 3:10 and Micha 4:3. Whilst in the Isaiah and Micha passages the text is foretelling, a vision, and desire for the future, in the Joel passage the text is a command to make it so. All three of these passages are worthy of deeper study and reflection by us as God’s people in our particular setting and at this time.
As we all have, watched with horror the events taking place in Ukraine, in Gaza, and in many other places in the world. As we hear the words of politicians and commentators outlining the volatile state that our world is, what hope, and comfort do we have in such chaos, suffering, and darkness? I stated earlier on in this message that God is there with us, regardless. I am still certain of this! But what may we do to aid in bringing at least some peace into this world. As I examine the readings today. As I prayerfully seek God’s guidance. As I reflect upon all the wars, I have witnessed both as young child and later as a service member, I am led to believe that peace must start in the hearts of the people. For the disquiet must commence somewhere. The logic is this, if individuals are in disquiet, then such disquiet will spill into their families, into their community and ultimately into their nation. We therefore need to seek peace in our hearts as individuals, as families as communities, and nations. Yes, there will still be those who as individuals will seek to bring their unrest out. Nonetheless, such disquieted individuals sadly demonstrate the problem of evil in a broken and yet incomplete world. These people need our earnest prayers. I was thrilled to read the Sydney Assyrian Bishop, Mar Mari Emanuel has forgiven his attacker and prayed for him. That my friends is a manifestation of the qualities of Christlike grace, charity, and love. I noted comments made by readers of our national newspaper ‘The Australian’ who wrote that the bishop’s actions may spur them back to belief in God. I hope and pray that is what happens.
We as the people of God, the Gospel of Christ calls us to be peacemakers. Ever seeking that end state of peace and concord. looking at those situations of chaos through the lenses of Jesus Christ’s love, grace, and mercy. Being the people who seek peace in our hearts, our families, communities, and nation.
© CMV 202
[1] Isaiah 2:4b (NKJV)
[2] Isaiah 2:4,5 (NIV)
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