Will there be peace on earth?

The last couple Sunday readings of the church lectionary (suggested Scripture readings for a homily) for the year focused on Jesus speaking about the end times of the world.

In the Gospels, Jesus didn’t often speak about his return or the end of the world and judgement. Then the first Sunday of Advent also spoke of the hope of the Messiah and the end times.

In recent weeks, social media has also been afire with end time predictions because of the war between the Israel and the Hamas.

In my studies, I came across this interesting information about others groups and their waiting for the end times and the peace that their messenger would bring about.

It seems that many faithful in India have been waiting for Kalki for 3,700 years. Buddhists have been waiting for Maitreya for 2,600 years.

Jews have been waiting for the Messiah for 2,500 years. Christians have been waiting for Jesus for 2,000 years.

Sunnah have been waiting for the Prophet Issa 1,400 years. Muslims have been waiting for a messiah from the line of Muhammad for 1,300 years.

Shiites have been waiting for Mandi for 1,080 years. Drussians have been waiting for Hamza ibn Ali for 1,000 years.

Most religions encorporate the idea of a “savior” and state that the world will remain filled with evil until this savior comes and fills it with goodness and righteousness.

Maybe our problem on this planet is that people expect someone else to come solve their problems instead of doing it themselves.

As a former colleague always proclaimed in song and word, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”

May we beat our “physical” and “spiritual” swords into plow shares and pruning hooks as the prophet calls us to do.

“Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” — Isaiah 2:4

Let there be peace beginning with each of us.

How about it?

Rev. Frank Chlastak began work as senior minister of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Poplar Bluff on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015. He is a graduate of Northeast Louisiana University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and has served congregations of the Christian Church in Louisiana, Arkansas, Virginia, Oklahoma and Missouri.