{"id":8962,"date":"2022-02-15T08:08:32","date_gmt":"2022-02-15T13:08:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/?p=8962"},"modified":"2022-02-09T11:00:22","modified_gmt":"2022-02-09T16:00:22","slug":"february-20-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/february-20-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"February 20, 2022–"},"content":{"rendered":"

Andrew Tucker, Columbus, OH<\/b><\/p>\n

Warm-up Question<\/b><\/p>\n

What does it mean to have an enemy? Name some of the people, either individuals or communities, who could be considered enemies.<\/p>\n

Love Your Enemies<\/b><\/p>\n

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The notion of enemies is all over the news. There\u2019s military buildup at the Ukrainian border with Russia, making enemies of global neighbors. The annual battle with winter weather makes frozen precipitation and cold temperatures the enemies of our day-to-day lives. Many countries are enacting diplomatic boycotts of the Olympics, making enemies of athletes who often train together, regardless of their national origins.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What I\u2019ve found fascinating are the stories of people whom we might consider enemies behaving rather friendly. Polls and interviews of young Ukrainians and Russians<\/a> show hope for peace and shared prosperity. Despite the interruptions to our normal routines, people find ways to coexist with winter storms, including work-from-home strategies (less fun) and snow day activities (more fun). What struck me most of all was how the U.S.A.\u2019s first medalist celebrated her loss.<\/p>\n

Yes, you read that right. Julie Marino, a snowboarder from Connecticut, earned silver in the downhill snowboard event. She lost the gold medal to Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand. But rather than lament or sulk, Marino joined Australian bronze medalist Tess Coady in joyously hug-tackling Sadowski-Synott just after she took over 1st<\/sup> place. You can see that video and read more about the event here<\/a>. Rather than see a loss to an enemy, something that global politics seems to make inevitable, Marino saw the achievement of a fellow competitor and the excellence of a fellow human.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, it\u2019s obvious that enemies in war are different than the impersonal enemy of weather or the enemies we encounter via various games. What I find holy in the examples above is that it is possible to see those we consider enemies as something different, as more than a nemesis whom we must be overcome, but instead as siblings who deserves to thrive alongside us.<\/p>\n

Discussion Questions<\/b><\/p>\n