Making Peace

1. If He did not love us, why would God help our world?

All our anger and greed and vengeful desire

He has held in his hands, through Christ;

Making peace in the way of the cross.

Making peace by His death on a cross,

Making peace by His death on a cross.

 

2. If He was not human, how could He help us now?

All our warfaring ways and injustice shall bow

At the feet of the Christ, who bleeds,

Making peace by His work on the cross.

 

 3. If He was not God, then how could He help us here? ,

All our striving for power and our sowing of fear 1

He will weave in Christ's crown of thorns,

Making peace through the power of the cross.

 

4. God allows Himself to be pushed out of this world:

He submits to our rage and we watch as He dies -

See now, this is the way of Christ:

So make peace as you carry your cross.

 

Note: This song is best performed with a cantor singing the verses and the congregation joining in the choruses.

 

Making Peace

A simple song, with a tune that, we believe, reflects its peaceful intent. The words, though, which try to express ideas drawn from Rene Girard and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, are intended to convey the difficult nature of the Christian calling to be peace makers. As Christ submitted himself to the violence meted out by sinful humans, and in his death God was ‘pushed out of the world’ (Bonhoeffer’s phrase), so Christians who follow the calling to make peace may also be required to ‘stand in the place of violence’ in order that it might be subverted by such a powerful witness.

There are no guarantees, though: this is a cross we’re talking about: to carry it is to risk facing the hatred and anger of a violent world, and, perhaps, one’s own impulses towards violence. God – human, divine – help us..

Michael Docker

Sarah Dodds                                     April 2007