Monday demonstrations…
Today was a long day, but it was amazing! It was one of those days that felt like three days all rolled into to one! We travelled to Leipzig, then to Eisleben and ended back in Wittenberg. It was a whirlwind tour, but we learned a so much!
As you may know, Eisleben was both the place where Luther both was born and died. He spent very little time there, but ironically it was his hometown. We were able to see his parents’ home (his birthplace) and the church where he preached his final four sermons and another where he had been baptized. Needless to say, the people of Eisleben are pretty proud of their native son!
Leipzig is the home of Johann Sebastian Bach and was the place where he was cantor and choir director of the St. Thomas Choir. Our guided tour of Leipzig lasted two hours on foot (and it was cold!), but the highlight for me was hearing about the University Chapel.
You see, modern history is nearly just as interesting in this part of Germany. The fact that the wall came down in 1989 makes recent event just as historically significant, even though as Americans we often forget about this imporant time.
Our tour guide was so proud of her city, but she really beamed with pride when she described the college students and their “Monday demonstrations” outside the University Chapel. She spoke passionately about how the college students would hear the Gospel on Sunday and then take to the streets in demonstrations on Monday. She was able to link how their demonstrations actually led to the collapse of the wall. In the minds of Leipzig citizens, the process that brought down the Berlin Wall comes back to these demonstrations.
I found the term so interesting. “Monday demonstrations.”
I’m pretty certain that this shouldn’t be confined to history. Isn’t this how it should be for us all? Shouldn’t each of us hear God’s Word in Jesus Christ – the Gospel – and then demonstrate our faith each Monday (and beyond)? I’m not necessarily saying we should create a political uprising. I wouldn’t want to make the response that narrow! How about we hear the Gospel each Sunday and then make some kind of lasting difference, for the sake of Jesus, in our world?
That would be cool! A demonstration of our faith each Monday (and Tuesday…), by being kinder, serving someone who is vulnerable or giving in support of the churches ministries. Monday demonstrations… let’s do this!
Pastor Greg Bouvier