Friday 13 November 2015

My Brother's Keeper





              
Am I My Brother’s Keeper? (Genesis 4:10)

 

Dear friends as we sat in silence and waited for those members in parliament to see if they would vote in favour of their littlest brothers and sisters who would otherwise be condemned to death without even one person being able to offer a last moment of reprieve or even to stand there and wait whilst they died, the words “am I my brother’s keeper kept echoing loudly in my head “this thought came strongly into my heart. I share it with you because I think the words are appropriate and relevant for these days.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Asks Cain of God (Gn 4:10)

This original question remained suspended and unanswered for innumerable thousands

of years until it was answered by Jesus’ own resounding YES on the cross. No greater love hath he that he lay down his life for his friend

“No greater love hath he that he lay down his life for his friend” (Jn 15:13) or perhaps even lay down his life for his littlest brother/sister. This is what has been asked of those who answered the question “am I my brother’s keeper”

Jesus on the Cross died in place of his brother or sister and

in doing so answered the question “am I my brother’s

keeper”“   Yes. Yes.  shouts Jesus. “I died so my brother doesn’t die”

Yes, yes answered Jesus we are our brother’s keeper. This

is the response of love in answer to that ancient question of anti-love.

Today the new place of anti-love, the new place of violence, abortion demands a new response to. "Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“Yes” answers Jesus and is willingly sacrificed.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Yes we respond by doing all we can to save our littlest brother or sister.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Yes, when we all mourn for the littlest one who is unjustly killed and its mother and father cannot mourn for it.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“Yes” we answer when we refuse to accept the death of our littlest infants.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“Yes, I am my brother’s keeper and his load which becomes too heavy I will help him carry”

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“Yes I am my brother’s keeper, I care that he dies unknown unrecognised, unloved. I care for him.”

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“Yes” I am my brother’s keeper, I mourn for every child who dies unloved, unwanted, uncherished.”

Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“Yes” I am my brother’s keeper, I bleed because he is shredded and bleeds and dies.”

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“Yes I am my brother’s keeper, his death is unjust and his voice cries out

for justice and is in pain.”

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“Yes I am my brother’s keeper I will not stand by and watch while my

brother is killed and incinerated like something worthless. He is my greatest

treasure. My brother’s unjust death washes the ground with his blood. This has been done before. Sacred blood.”

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“Yes I am my brother’s keeper I will

not stand by and watch a child be abused, ill-treated, enslaved, killed.”

“Yes I am my brother’s keeper. I am diminished when my littlest brother or sister is wantonly killed.

Yes truly I am my brother’s keeper.”

Jesus responded to this question “am I my brother’s keeper?” when His own blood fell to the ground in droplets. He responded “I will redeem you and restore honour to you because you are my brother. I am your keeper. Your will not be alone.”