A great many people are in a rush – driven, often by fear, to survive, including emotionally; to find security; to succeed; to succeed more than others.
Collectively, the result is like a mob, with no individual – but everyone together – responsible for what happens: people can’t get out and away; people get pushed, shoved; people get knocked down, trampled, hurt, even killed.
Am I willing to use my life to save a life?
Am I willing to do what I can - to put my emotional and physical comfort, my security, even my life at risk - to slow down and try to calm the mob, to prevent even one other person from being trampled?
How willing am I to seek and recognize the ways in which I can do that?
Monday, June 29, 2020
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
June 21, 2020
In stewardship of the gift of life, we are not, as Thomas Kelly wrote, required to bear all crosses. What is required is that we do our best - the best that we can see to do - in adapting to life with all its changes.
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed human life in our homes and neighborhoods, and across the nation and the world. The pandemic is affecting people's health, activities, resources and emotions.
As we adapt, as we cope with the pandemic, are we alone?
No.
We have each other, individually and as communities.
We have that of God in each other.
And we have that of God within ourselves, the Holy Spirit, the ever-present guardian, master, and guide to growth, resilience, creativity, wisdom, self-care and love.
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed human life in our homes and neighborhoods, and across the nation and the world. The pandemic is affecting people's health, activities, resources and emotions.
As we adapt, as we cope with the pandemic, are we alone?
No.
We have each other, individually and as communities.
We have that of God in each other.
And we have that of God within ourselves, the Holy Spirit, the ever-present guardian, master, and guide to growth, resilience, creativity, wisdom, self-care and love.
Thursday, June 11, 2020
June 7, 2020
To make the most of the gift of life - to grow, to cultivate peace and love in our hearts - we must in every waking hour seek balance between seemingly paradoxical choices.
We must pay attention – without becoming too attached to what we behold.
We must take responsibility – without neglecting joy; without, as Thomas Kelly put it in A Testament of Devotion, attempting to bear all crosses.
We must maintain a discipline of growth and service – without being self-righteous about it or neglecting self care.
We must cultivate compassion – but avoid disabling exhaustion.
We must seek peace without becoming complacent.
We must love without seeking control.
What a relief it is simply to surrender and ask,
“Lord, please guide me in this moment;”
to listen for the answer;
and to do one’s best to act follow that leading.
We must pay attention – without becoming too attached to what we behold.
We must take responsibility – without neglecting joy; without, as Thomas Kelly put it in A Testament of Devotion, attempting to bear all crosses.
We must maintain a discipline of growth and service – without being self-righteous about it or neglecting self care.
We must cultivate compassion – but avoid disabling exhaustion.
We must seek peace without becoming complacent.
We must love without seeking control.
What a relief it is simply to surrender and ask,
“Lord, please guide me in this moment;”
to listen for the answer;
and to do one’s best to act follow that leading.
Thursday, June 4, 2020
Reviewing and revising the social contract in the wake of the killing of George Floyd
In an 18-minute soliloquy dated May 29, 2020, Trevor Noah eloquently, cogently, walks the viewer through the American social contract; its breach as to Black Americans; the blindness, in one degree or another, of most of us to that breach; and a path to compassion and a new, just social contract. I highly recommend viewing that talk.
Each person must think for herself or himself, of course, and we must be true to ourselves. But if we do not take constructive ACTION as "a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens" [Margaret Mead], and ultimately in large numbers, to IMPROVE our society - society being ultimately our relations with each other, from neighborhood to nation - our children will be entitled not only to reject us as examples of responsible citizens. They will be entitled to indict us for our neglect - of them and of our responsibility to ensure our local, national, and global social contracts are equitable - and for adding to their generation's burden of seeking justice and economic, social, political stability.
As for racism in particular, I think the most important thing I can do is to commit, to be alert and willing, to grow - including with others' help - as an informed and effective ally of its victims. This commitment, for me, includes being uncomfortable for the rest of my life about my own implicit racism and doing my best to reduce it; being alert to others' racism (particularly that of public officers and leaders) and, with due respect, even love, acknowledging it and opening and discussions about it; and supporting, as best I can see to do, the changes to our social contract for which Mr. Noah calls.
Each person must think for herself or himself, of course, and we must be true to ourselves. But if we do not take constructive ACTION as "a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens" [Margaret Mead], and ultimately in large numbers, to IMPROVE our society - society being ultimately our relations with each other, from neighborhood to nation - our children will be entitled not only to reject us as examples of responsible citizens. They will be entitled to indict us for our neglect - of them and of our responsibility to ensure our local, national, and global social contracts are equitable - and for adding to their generation's burden of seeking justice and economic, social, political stability.
As for racism in particular, I think the most important thing I can do is to commit, to be alert and willing, to grow - including with others' help - as an informed and effective ally of its victims. This commitment, for me, includes being uncomfortable for the rest of my life about my own implicit racism and doing my best to reduce it; being alert to others' racism (particularly that of public officers and leaders) and, with due respect, even love, acknowledging it and opening and discussions about it; and supporting, as best I can see to do, the changes to our social contract for which Mr. Noah calls.
Monday, June 1, 2020
May 24, 2020
There
are many ways to seek, to worship, and to serve the Holy Spirit. There are many steps to discernment of what
the Holy Spirit calls upon us to do; to perception of the various ways to answer
that call; and to effective action.
Overarching
all those steps are, according to The Bible, only two principal commandments
and they share only one verb: to love and, implicitly, always to act out of
love.
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