Kirkeudvalget 2015-16
KIU Alm.del
Offentligt
Word of Welcome.
Warm and heartfelt welcome to everyone to this Memorial
Service. We are gathered in the Cathedral of Copenhagen to
mourn the victims of the many recent terror attacks in many
countries in the world. Hundreds of innocent people tragically
and pointlessly lost their lives. Cruel and evil deeds by human
beings that wish to see our societies dissolve.
But we will not only mourn the victims. We will also honor
them. This we will do through expressing our solidarity with
them and their relatives and through strengthening our
fellowship with one another in music, lyrics and speeches here
this afternoon.
Let us sing together: Angel of God’s radiant light.
it happens, to ease the pain, to encourage and to give peace. -
Therefore, Jesus can say: Fear not. For when he who has given
us life, is with us during our lifetime,
and
when we leave this
world, we can confidently rely on Him in all matters.
Many believe that this text means that it is of God's will, when
someone dies. That everything in this manner is pre-determined
by God. When even the smallest sparrow dies, God is in it -
meaning, it happens according to His will. Many believe that
such a blind faith in destiny is the same as believing in God.
Sermon for Memorial service,
Church of Our Lady
April 6
th
2016. 17 hours
Matthew 10,29-31:
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them
will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the
hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you
are of more value than many sparrows.
But this is wrong. Life is not arranged. Death and destruction
hits blindly and indiscriminately. But what God does for us is,
when evil and tragic events make life unbearable, He comes to
us to help us through it. God is the living source and force
within us, above us, below us, who will enable us to live with
all the evil and darkness in life. This is our basic comfort and
our fundamental reason for fearing nothing.
Those who carry out acts of terrorism, killing innocent, women
It's comforting to listen to this word of Jesus that not the
smallest bird - and much less a human being - falls to the
ground and dies, without God taking part in it. He is close when
and children, do it with the sole purpose to create fear. Using
the fear to paralyze the free and open societies, they wish to
destroy. They shall have no success! Their cruel misdeeds call
KIU, Alm.del - 2015-16 - Endeligt svar på spørgsmål 12: Spm. om kommentar til henvendelse af 10/4-16 fra Hans Christophersen, til kirkeministeren
on our courage to stand together and protect our open society by
keeping them open. We would serve the purpose of the
terrorists, if we react with fear, more security and more control.
“God is love,
and whoever abides in love
abides in God,
and God abides in him.
Only by standing united across cultures, religions and national
borders, we can resist the evil of terror. The right way to
commemorate the tragic victims of terrorism and honor them is
to insist on open communities, and to increase the degree of
solidarity and mutual respect, esteem and charity. We must
regard one another as members of one body: When one member
suffers, the entire body is suffering. When one person dies
because of a terrorist attack, the whole body, our whole
community is affected. And we must respond by moving closer
together, by helping and supporting each other. Include all parts
of society. Invest in community work in our most fragile
residential areas in order to remove or at least reduce the causes
behind that some are being attracted to the kind of
environments that create terrorists We need to foster peace
rather than wage war against violence. For violence leads to
more violence.
By this is love perfected with us,
so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment,
because as he is,
so also are we in this world.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”
(1. John 4,16-18)
Amen.
The strongest weapon against the evil of terror is fearlessness,
compassion, unity, solidarity, mutual love.