Today's Scripture Reading (October 14, 2025): Psalm 116 & 117
The War began on July 28,
1914. We know it as the First World War, but at the time, it was commonly
referred to as the Great War or even the War to End All Wars. However, it didn't
end all wars. The reason for the War was very political. The Ottoman Empire was
in decline, and the balance of power in Europe was shifting. In the years preceding
the War, political leaders observed these changes and believed that War was
inevitable. And then, on June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip, a nineteen-year-old
Bosnian Serb student, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the fifty-year-old
heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Maybe, at another time, the murder, while
significant, wouldn't have caused a World War. However, Europe was a tinderbox,
searching for an excuse to fight.
At least, some of the leaders
thought so. Europe began picking its teams. Britain initially sat on the
sidelines as an observer of the conflict. But Germany needed to defeat France
quickly, and the only way to do that was to commit the unthinkable. Instead of
attacking the well-defended border between Germany and France, they decided to
go through neutral Belgium and attack France from the North. The problem was
that Britain had a treaty with Belgium, and the violation of Belgium's borders
meant that Britain had to decide whether to honor the treaty or ignore the
violation. Britain decided to honor the treaty.
Part of the problem was that
the causes of the War were clear to the leaders of these nations and to
historians today, but to the people at the time, the reason wasn't quite as apparent.
The cause of World War II was much clearer and more emotional for the average
person. But in the early days of the Great War, the reason wasn't so apparent.
So, perhaps it isn't much of
a surprise that, early in the War, temporary truces were often formed between
fighting units of the nation. Sometimes truces were formed because the fighting
armies had exhausted their supply of ammunition. The most widely publicized
truce took place on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1914. The Western Front of
the War quickly became relatively stable. This was the heyday of trench
warfare, and once the trenches were dug, the fighting took place from these
trenches. Pope Benedict XV, who was new to his position as the Bishop of Rome,
having been elected to the position on September 3, 1914, had attempted to
secure an official truce declaration at Christmas, but those efforts had
failed. On December 23, German soldiers began receiving Christmas trees to
brighten up the trenches. And on December 24, the soldiers began singing German
Christmas carols, such as "Stille Nacht" (Silent Night). The English
troops responded by singing English Carols, and then, at various points along
the trenches, brave men emerged from their trenches to wish the men on the
other side a Merry Christmas. Gifts were exchanged, and some even played
football (soccer). The truce was an act of compassion between soldiers who had
no idea why they were supposed to hate each other. This would change. In 1915,
there were truces, but not nearly as many because of orders that had come down
from above, prohibiting these acts of compassion. By 1916, hate and death had
dislodged the ability to react with compassion. However, in 1914, compassion
prevailed in various places along the Western Front.
It was an act that I think
reflected the very heart of God. The Psalmist tells us that God is gracious and
righteous. The pair has to go together because, on our own, none of us is
righteous and we all require grace. And we all need the compassion that comes
from the very nature of God. And every time we act with compassion, we are
reflecting the character of God.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading:
Psalm 118
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