Thursday of Holy Week: The Power of Humility

In the British newspaper The Daily Mail, Peter Hitchens, brother of noted athiest Christopher Hitchens, speaks about his own wanderings from faith to atheism and his return to Christianity:

"Why is there such a fury against religion now? Because religion is the one reliable force that stands in the way of the power of the strong over the weak. The one reliable force that forms the foundation of the concept of the rule of law."


"The one reliable force that restrains the hand of the man of power. In an age of powerworship, the Christian religion has become the principal obstacle to the desire of earthly utopians for absolute power."

Hitchens further looks at how Christ's teaching has impacted how societies develop: "Its most powerful expression is summed up in the words 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends'. The huge differences which can be observed between Christian societies and all others, even in the twilit afterglow of Christianity, originate in this specific injunction."

This is a remarkable article, that I think will be interesting even for the agnostic or non-believer, to perhaps understand those of faith better. Hitchens makes the case for the good that Christianity does for human civilization in the world. You can read it all here.

The Scripture reading for Thursday in Holy Week is John 13:12-16 (New International Version):

"When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.

"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.

"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him."



The photo is of a truck I saw in the Walmart parking lot last week.