Saints 03: The Monks of Tibhirine

Redemption Church KC Sermon Podcast

1. In his sermon today, Tim shared the story of the Monks of Tibhirine, whose faithful lives in the midst of the Algerian “black decade” (1992-2002) inspired the French language film, “Of Gods and Men.” What were your responses to the stories of these men? What details, sentiments, and elements stood out to you as you listened to their story, and the scene of their ongoing dialog Tim presented to us? What thoughts, questions, or feelings rise in you now as you take a few moments to reflect on their legacies? 2. Tim said that the story of the Tibhirine Monks reminded him of an exchange that centers in Joshua 5:13-15. In this moment, Joshua and the Israelites are cowed in the face of the fortress at Jericho. As a man, later identified as as the commander of the Lord’s army, appears, Joshua asks, “Are you on our side, or that of our enemies?” The Lord’s representative responds with, “Neither!” When Joshua then asks the man what he has to say to Joshua, his servant, the man replies, “Take your sandals off your feet because the place where you are standing is holy.” Tim talked about how we can feel like we, ourselves, are being asked, “Are you on our side or on the side of our enemies?” He paraphrased the representative’s response as, “You think there are sides?” Calling to mind Cain & Abel, he reminded us that all humankind are our family, and that all killing is fratricide. What strikes you about this exchange, especially in light of Tim’s sermon today? Where in your life have you faced (or are you facing) this question? Where do you feel compelled to pick sides? What happens inside when you consider the representative’s response:“You think there are sides?” Are there situations in which sides feel like they are truly required? What might it be like to challenge that conclusion? What thoughts & feelings surface for you as you consider these ideas in light of larger global issues, like the current crisis in Gaza? What shifts when you think of the idea of “there are no sides” in relationship to some of your own more personal conflicts and “wars?” Share about what comes up for you. 3. Tim shared part of the last letter left by Christian de Chergé, the abbot at the Tibhirine Monastery, and one of the 7 of his brethren who were beheaded in the midst of the conflict. In the letter, de Chergé said that his life had “no more value than any other…nor any less.” de Chergé wrote of his desire to forgive “with all [his] heart the one who would strike [him] down.” He also went on to address and thank the person responsible for his eventual adieu, and to commend that person “to the God whose face I see in yours.” Tim taught that de Chergé and the other monks of Tibhirine challenge us to look into the faces of our own personal enemies and seewGod in them. Tim reminded us that though we may be tempted to fall into either a camp that insists on fighting or another that flees the conflict, the monks give us the example of a third way: we can move close in peacemaking to live in solidarity with friend and enemy alike. He said, “This is how the Kingdom comes.” Take a moment to imagine yourself confronted with someone who may be the one to take you life. Is it possible for you to connect with de Chergé’s sentiments of forgiveness and love in that space? Why or why not? Share about what you’re experiencing as you consider it. Consider, too, the conflicts in your own life - both those personally close and those more global and farther afield. What might it be like for you to actively pursue that third path, and move close in peacemaking? What does it feel like to consider the idea? What might that look like in real, practical life? How do you feel about the possibilities?