If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
[MARK 3:24-27 NRSV]
| DAILY OFFICE READINGS – March 3, 2026 |
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| AM Psalm 61, 62; PM Psalm 68:1-20(21-23)24-36 Gen. 42:1-17; 1 Cor. 5:1-8; Mark 3:19b-35 |
In 1970 Motown singer Edwin Starr recorded an anti-Vietnam War protest song titled “War”.
It was not only a number one hit, but also one of the most popular protest songs ever recorded.
The lyrics begin with a somewhat rhetorical question:
War! What is it good for?
Absolutely nothin’!
The refrain is repeated throughout the song, in a gruff, raspy voice, blaring horns, an intense bass, and a pounding drumbeat that amplifies the frustration of the singer and, one could claim, the audience as well.
The verses go on to elaborate on the singer’s distaste for war:
War, I despise
‘Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War means tears, to thousands of mothers’ eyes
When their sons go off to fight and lose their livesIt ain’t nothing but a heart-breaker
Friend only to The Undertaker
war it’s an enemy to all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest
Within the younger generation
Induction then destruction
Who wants to die?Oh, war, has shattered many a young man’s dreams
Made him disabled, bitter and mean
Life is much too short and precious
To spend fighting wars each day
War can’t give life
It can only take it awayPeace, love and understanding, tell me
Is there no place for them today?
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there’s got to be a better way[Writers: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong]
The song came to mind immediately last Saturday morning as I heard about the U.S. military strikes in Iran.
Those of us who grew up in the Viet Nam era have seen this drama replayed time and time again, and this week are watching our government once again fail to learn from the lessons of the past.
Diplomacy seems to be a lost art.
But might doesn’t make right, to improvise off an old line.
During my time in parish ministry I made more than my share of visits to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Cleveland.
I couldn’t help but feel sorrow as I walked through the hallways and saw the countless number of patients with missing limbs and other physical reminders of the conflicts they’d endured.
The mental anguish, although not as visible, is no less distressing.
I was there to comfort my parishioners, and anyone else who may have approached me. But even though I had never gone through what any of them had, I came away with the feeling that I was the one who needed my spirits lifted.
Our leaders can wage war, but they don’t have to fight them. They might be more open to compromise if that were the case.
But no, that burden falls on the people, who have little if any say in the matter.
They must fight the battles. They must pay the price.
We only vote for the political leaders. But once in office, the promises they made to get elected are, for the most part, forgotten. We are the ones who suffer the consequences of their decisions.
In the gospel passage from Mark, our assigned text for today, Jesus was addressing similar issues in his debate with the scribes.
The people lived under an oppressive Roman government that ruled over them. The religious leaders had reached an agreement that allowed them to keep their religion as long as they kept the people under control.
Jesus isn’t pleased that people are burdened by poverty, illness, and mired in something less than life.
But the scribes feared that Jesus was giving the people hope – a hope that might inspire them to rebel against the empire and upset the cozy lifestyle that the religious leaders worked out for themselves.
Writer and peace activist Ched Myers co-authored a political commentary on the Gospel according to Mark, titled “Say to This Mountain”: Mark’s Story of Discipleship (1996).
He maintains that our world today is hardly free of systems of domination.
In the United States, the strong man rules almost every dimension of daily life and culture.
The strong man acts incessantly in favor of the rich, while the poor are told they are worthless… The vulnerable are used to make the vulnerable more vulnerable.[1]
There is no justification for the current conflict in which this country finds itself.
Edwin Starr’s lament is our lament. War is good for absolutely nothing!
In the meantime, the psalmist gives us words of comfort until reason prevails.
For God alone my soul in silence waits;
truly, my hope is in him.He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.
[Psalm 62:6-7]
Let us pray:
Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Book of Common Prayer, p. 823)
[1] Myers, Chad; Dennis, Marie; Nangle, Joseph; Moe-Lobeda, Cynthia; Taylor, Stuart. “Say to This Mountain”: Mark’s Story of Discipleship (p. 38). Orbis Books. Kindle Edition.
Walking Together in Faith 
Where have all the young men gone? Long time passing?
Where have all the young men gone? Long time ago?
Where have all the young men gone? Gone to graveyards, every one.
Oh, when will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn? (Peter, Paul, & Mary)
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Sally,
That song went through my mind also as I was writing. There were so many classics from that era, which is why I was surprised to learn that “War” was one of the most popular. I think the intensity of the song made it so.
Thank you for being such a faithful reader of my blog.
Peace and blessings!
+Pr. Abraham
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Let’s also remember the 500,000 American civilians who are trapped in the Middle East war zone.
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where are we going with all this. Where are the Iranian troops to lay down their rifles as suggested? Who should pick them up? Deeper and deeper. Billions of dollars. American lives lost. Thousands of innocent Iranians. More to lose. End result?
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