Tag Archives: Fragmented Body of Christ

Finding Common Ground

Helen Keller QuoteEpiphany
January 24, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 4:14-21

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’—Luke 4:20-21

Jesus is quoted as saying in Luke 4:18-19 the essence of Isaiah’s message found in Isaiah 58:6 and 61:1-2. His statement above in a way echoes Isaiah 6:8, Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ as Jesus publically accepts the role of being sent by God with a message of justice.

While we live in frustrating times where I have a stronger desire to turn off the news rather than listen to it, it is a time of potential paradigm shift. It is a time when justice is at a pivotal point. Like a rope pulling contest, we find ourselves in the muck of mud with slim on our feet and hands making it hard to hold onto the rope much less pull. Yet we who are dedicated to serving on the side of God’s justice must accept our call to pull that rope. I do believe God’s justice will eventually prevail. I also believe God is calling us to make that sooner than later.

Yet, the Body of Christ itself is fractured in our understanding of what God’s justice really is. I fear all of its members are sometimes being pulled into worshipping at the foot of the idol of being right rather than our true calling of being just. There are a few glimmers of hope. We seem to find common ground on feeding the hungry; ending sex trafficking, particularly of children; practicing restorative justice; keeping people healthy; and welcoming the stranger, especially migrants. These were certainly Jesus’ priorities. Perhaps we would be more productive, if we focused on those areas of agreement and practiced the ancient art of letting the land lay fallow for a while on those hot button issues that divide us. Land that is overused loses all its nutrients, allowing it to rest under God’s gracious sun and rain, returns it to a place that can grow good fruit.

Prayer: Lord, unite us in your service of justice while we await your nurturing love and guidance on those issues that divide us. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Weave us Together

1960s_montageChristmas
January 2, 2015

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14

With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.
 — Ephesians 1:8b-12

Been shaking your head and wringing your hands recently? Think the world is falling apart and you don’t know how to stop it? Bothered by wars, economic inequity, and racism? Or perhaps you are on the other side of experiencing the world. Excited about the rising stock market, pleased with the value of your home going up, hope to have the best year ever in your job or business, don’t understand what all those naysayers are jabbering about? I have been reading various top ten news events of 2014 and been struck by how very different the perspectives are here in the United State of America.

This reminds me of a conversation I once had with a good friend as we looked back on our college days in the 1960’s. We did not know each other then. My memories were related to the Civil Rights and anti-war movements. I remembered attending a church whose minister was an outspoken white supremacists that my professor had invited to speak to my class on racism. The minister countered by saying that if the professor wanted his students to hear the minister’s message they needed to visit his church. The class all went together and were seated but by the minister’s instructions, the deacons asked the members of the class who were not white to leave. We all left with them. I also remember being totally against the War in Vietnam and totally ashamed of those who spit on the soldiers returning from it. My friend indicated that she did not remember any of that. She remember football games and homecoming, sorority events, and meeting her future husband.

In all honesty I long for a world where everyone’s memories of college relate to sports events and meeting future spouses. A world where all people live in security with justice, but we are not there yet. We are also not helpless. We serve a Risen Savior who came into this world to show us the way to peace and justice through acts of love. We are not called to bury our heads in the sand or to stop voting and let whatever will be, be. We are called to be a light on the hill by following Jesus’ radical way of being and doing peace and justice. We cannot do that as a fragmented Body of Christ. We must find the common ground and pursue it with all that we are with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love.* Amen.

* Words and music by Rosemary Crow. Full text of lyrics may be found at: http://songs-with-music.freeservers.com/weave.html

 All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.