Blood and sentinels

Jane Denniston September 12, 2017 0 0

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Ezekiel 33: 7-11

7 So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked ones, you shall surely die’, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life.

10 Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?

Good and evil assume new forms in the new world depicted in the series ‘The Walking Dead’, but they are recognisable from the Old Testament. Morality is black and white and if you are not for us - you are against us. Neutrality in this world is not possible, it leads to death. 

Time and again, the enemies of Grimes’ community are given the chance to join the fight against the ‘walkers’ and find mutual help and support. Time and again, as for the wicked in the Old Testament, power is more important than cooperation. In refusing to become part of a community in search of peace, Grimes’ enemies forfeit their own lives; evil, cruelty and power for its own sake, cannot be allowed to continue.

God, in your community there is room for all.

We are joined by the communion of your blood,

and in comm-union we find comm-unity.

May others, who are not of our community

see in us a love and acceptance

that welcomes them in;

that turns their hearts from stone

to warm flesh.

May we open our arms wide

to the faith-less in this world

just as you open your arms wide

to embrace us. 

Amen.