This photograph was taken by Walter Kleinfeldt who joined a German gun crew in 1915. After signing up he was sent to the Somme at age 16. The photograph is a window into the awfulness of war — like a machine that chews up the earth and every living thing. The dead are strewn around the ruined landscape. A roadside crucifix remains, having survived a terrible fire-fight. The war time collection of pictures was discovered by the photographer's son around the year 2000. Walter Kleinfeldt said, "This photograph is an accusation against war." One Jewish philosopher said, "If God lived on earth, all his windows would be broken." I would add — Pity the nations which prepare for war; pity the people who make money off of war; pity the people who use war as entertainment, pity the people who are indifferent to war so long as it happens somewhere else.
Kontakion 11
Across the cold chains of the centuries, I feel the warmth of your breath, I feel your blood pulsing in my veins. *Part of time has already gone, but now you are the present. I stand by your cross; we were the cause of it. I cast myself down in the dust before it. Here is the *triumph of love, the victory of salvation. Here the centuries themselves cannot remain silent, singing your praises: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
Blessed are they that will share in the King's *Banquet: but already on earth you give me a foretaste of this blessedness. How many times with your own hand have you held out to me your Body and your Blood, and I, though a miserable sinner, have received this Mystery, and have tasted your love, so *ineffable, so heavenly.
Glory to you, for the *unquenchable fire of your Grace.
Glory to you, building your Church, *a haven of peace in a tortured world.
Glory to you, for the life-giving water of Baptism in which we find new birth.
Glory to you, restoring to the penitent *purity white as the lily.
Glory to you, *for the cup of salvation and the bread of eternal joy.
Glory to you, for exalting us to the *highest heaven.
Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
*There are people who live in an old inner place — often a contentious place. I suffered a seven hour flight sitting next to a young woman from the South who when she heard I was from the Northeast went on and on about the Civil War. That war, still very much alive, in her mind anyway. And Byzantines who nurse the fury of the 13th century sack of Constantinople. Living in the past keeps God from acting in the present.
* "The triumph of love" — The cross!
* "Blessed are they who will share in the King's Banquet." Jesus often speaks of the Kingdom — the fullness of God's love and justice as a banquet. He knows it will find resonance with us — a fabulous feast. And that the Eucharist is the anticipatory foretaste of that celebration.
* In the Eucharist we taste divine love. Notice the author's frequent use of the word ineffable. We are silent — overcome with joy and gratitude. Religion could do with more quiet. An Orthodox priest said, "Where there are many words sin cannot be avoided." Of course, lots of words gives us more to argue about.
* "unquenchable fire of your Grace." Notice it's not the unquenchable fire of hell, but Grace — God's free action-gift which brings us to human fullness.
* The Church, "a haven of peace in a tortured world." Pray this is true. How many churches are distracted and disempowered by pettiness, contention and inhospitality.
* "purity white as the lily." Purity is so very much more than sexual purity. Blessed are the pure of heart, Jesus taught.
* "cup of salvation and bread of eternal joy." The Eucharist.
* "the highest heaven." An old nun-friend asked where I wanted to be in heaven. I mused something about being next to a favorite saint. She said, "Not me; I want to be with the Seraphim — they are wheels of light in the highest heaven."
