Lent
March 26, 2018
Scripture Reading: Acts 10:34-43
Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. –Acts 10:34-38
Followers of Christ debated at the time Peter spoke these words what is right and acceptable to God and we still debate it today, as individuals, as communities of faith, and living in a diverse society. Most of us probably feel we know in routine cases what is right for us trying to live up to that standard or asking forgiveness when we do not. Many believe we are all held to the same standard and thus what we know is right for us we project onto others the same requirements. Paul spent much of his career ferreting out what was right among the various communities of faith with which he worked. Must gentiles follow the Jewish customs to be followers of Christ? Is it right to eat meat once offered to an idol? Learning to live in a society with a diversity of religions defining what was right, further strengthened the tension. Eventually, we brought politics into the scenario. Whoever had the greatest power decided what was right and what was not by civil government decree and enforced their system of right on others and that led to holy wars.
Democracy, a relatively new form of governance, is theoretically based on decisions of civil governance being made by the majority of the people involved. It too has had its challenge. In the USA at first, our majority only included white males who owned land. Thus, we experienced growing pains as we worked toward a more inclusive form of governance. We still have difficulty drawing the line between what is the responsibilities and limitations of civil government separate from people of faith doing what is right for them. One of the best examples of this is immigration policy. Civil governments can and do draw lines of demarcation we call borders that designate who has governance over what land. Followers of Christ are called to do what is right in the Kingdom of God that has no borders. Finding the Common Good and what is right in those frameworks requires much discernment on all sides.
Prayer: God of Mercy and Justice, guide us as we work to live into the Kingdom of God within a society whose civil government is tasked to provide for the Common Good. Help us discern what is right and how it can best be realized as a part of the Common Good. Amen.