Feb 23, 2011
Greetings to all,
"EVERY GOOD FRIEND WAS ONCE A STRANGER" -Steve Barry, The Paris Vendetta, 2009
Try to disprove that statement! It's always true...but unfortunately, most of the time we are not consciously aware of the INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY which it opens up to our lives. In our life experience we quickly learn to identify individuals as either "like-us" or "not-like-us" and we are taught to be suspicious of those who are out-side of our charcteristics and values. Humans have always been fear-filled and cautious toward those who were different in skin color, language, culture, religion,etc. However, when adults reflect back over their lives, most of us find that we have enjoyed good friendship and loving support from individuals who, strange enough, would have fit into our earlier perception of someone "unlike-us". But through some event in our lives, we successfully related with each other in a meaningful way which disregarded our differences. Yes, these differences continued to exist in each of us, but they were ACCEPTED; and any earlier fears related to them were neutralized by the good qualities of our relationship. Thus a friendship was created even though both individuals came into it with many personal differences.
The life of St. Francis was filled with many friendly relationships which developed with people whose characteristics were very different from those of the Saint. Yet, he could always call them "brother or sister" and friend because Francis EMBRACED them as individuals who were lovingly created by the same God who had created him. In Francis' mind, these differences were suppressed by their commonalty as part of the Divine creation. In modern times, the blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta would frequently say that when she looked upon a sick or dying person - whether Hundu, Muslim or Christian - she could always see the same face...the face of the suffering Christ.
Fear related to our differences can be neutralized if we recognoze that we and the "other-one" are all part of the great Web of Life.
All created by the same loving God....
All woven together to relate in harmony within a "cosmic tapestry" which glorifies the Creator.
But in that cosmic tapestry of life, our "life thread" must connect to other threads...must interact with and rest peacefully with other threads...so that the great universal plan for which God created us can be realized and "held-together" as a beautiful and colorful work.
In the 21st century, we live in a world which has experienced enormous change within just a few decades. Our world has become a small, blue ball within a huge universe; and from that perspective no national boundries are seen. Global transportaion and communication bring people of "any and all" cultures into "neighbor-like" existence and potential relationship. Yet, this global shrinking does not remove from each of us those cultural,ethnic and religious differences. The great question for this century is whether or not we, who have collided together in this globalization, will continue to behave as if we are strangers to each other...locked in a pattern of separation, fearful distrust, and ignorance of each other's values. Our only option to such a dismal end will be found as we embrace opportunities to learn about each other, discover "common ground", and interact with each other in a meaningful manner.
As followers of Christ Jesus, it should be easy for us to appreciate the necessity of universal brother(sister)hood because we, like Francis, understand that the one God created all of us. But unfortunately the ego-protective behaviors, which are fear and separation based, are strongly placed into our awareness during childhood. Therefore, we must ACTIVELY seek ways to over-come these fears which produce separation and make strangers of others.
Ironically this same globalization process has made more readily attainable ONE portion of the solution. Communication and relaiable information about the various human cultures, religions and beliefs are available via media, books, cultural performances, etc. But these opportunities for better understanding still require another element for problem solution. And that, my friends, is OUR INDIVIDUAL WILLINGNESS to enter into dialogue with the stranger and embrace them. As we begin to appreciate our commonalty with each other, it is then that we can embrace each other - not as strangers - but as potential friends and fellow creations of God.
As Christians we acknowledge that God created EACH OF US ...each of us in ALL of our variations, cultures, beliefs, and characteristic backgrounds.
Part of that Divine Love, which is is essence of God, was given to humanity...to ALL OF HUMANITY in all of its variations.
The FACE of the suffering Christ is visible in EVERY HUMAN FACE - even those distorted by pain and sin...and even those which at first look strange to us.
The loving acceptance which we have already experienced from God should become OUR EXAMPLE to embrace others. That compassionate and Grace-filled love, which Christ first expressed toward us, is like a GREAT RIVER whose "loving waters" must not be dammed-up and restricted only to us. As St. Francis threw open his heart to embrace the whole of creation, may we also strive to become more accepting and loving of those around us who are different in culture and value...Maybe some of those strangers will become our friends!
God's Peace and Love to each of you! Donald Luke
Showing posts with label ucc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ucc. Show all posts
Monday, March 7, 2011
Working With The Best
March 3, 2011
"It is not the religious act that makes a Christian, but it is participation in the suffering of Christ in the life of the world." (Bonhoeffer)
I'm frequently amazed by the results of opinion polls which seem to litter the news and talk shows on the media. In some of these surveys, the respondent categories are divided by religious affiliation. Have you ever wondered what is required to check the category box marked "Christian" for these polls? I'm sure that many of these respondents believe that occasional church attendance is adequate to be named as a Christian by our cultural standards. But it would be more productive for our spiritual lives (and the society in which we live) if GOD's standards were used to determine the label "Christian".
The adjective "Christian" implies that the individual has chosen to live in a manner which reflects the life example of Christ Jesus who called people to leave their "culturally normal" lifestyle and to follow his example. And what was the living example of Jesus? Sure, he attended synagogue services, and participated in the Jewish feasts and rituals...but he also spent his life in COMPASSIONATE service to those who were poor, sick, lost and socially out-cast. It's true that not every person to whom Jesus ministered was poor or an out-cast. However, they all had deep personal and spiritual needs from which they suffered greatly. In fact, when followers of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked "Who he was?", Jesus defined himself by the nature of his compassionate care for the poor and sick.
..."John the Baptist summoned two of his disciples and sent them to ask"...(if Jesus was the promised Messiah for Israel) and when they came to Jesus..."he had just then cured many people of diseases...and Jesus answered them, Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them." (Luke 7:18-22 NSRV)
Jesus did not define himself as as a "religious superhero" sent by God to Israel. Rather, his spiritual role was understood by his ministry to those suffering and in great need. Christ, the Messiah from God, stooped and bent down to get into the midst of the suffering poor... to be WITH THEM and to bless them with healing and comfort.. His action toward them was a loving expression of his "com-passion"...with them in their suffering.
The quotation from Bonhoeffer which started this reflection was written in the early 1940s in a Germany marching deeply into war. The Nazi war machine was creating unbelievable levels of suffering and destruction while German protestants and catholics were quietly ignoring the chaos around them. It was a time when men like Dietrich Bonhoeffer cried out to their fellow German Christians that church attendance or a nominal "label of Christian" was inadequate to be a follower of the compassionate Christ.
It's very easy for us to look back on that dark time in Christian Europe's history, when the witness of Christ was severely dimmed by human fear and the effort focused on self-interest and self-preservation. However, even today I believe that it would be valid for we American Christians to hear and respond to Bonhoeffer's cry to awaken to the FULL MINISTRY of Christ in this current world. Our worship of Christ Jesus is INADEQUATE if we do not CO-PARTICIPATE WITH CHRIST in ministry to fellow suffering humans in our nation and in the world. How can we Christians quietly ignore the political and social forces which fail to alleviate the causes of so much poverty, pain and human suffering? In future years our generation of Christians may be judged to be as "spiritually weak" as that earlier generation of German Christians.
How will our Christian life be described? Will we be able to respond to those who ask about our faith by letting them witness our "co-ministry" with Christ to the poor, suffering and lost around us?...or will they see our witness to be a "shadow ministry" without involvement (com-passion) in the relief of human suffering?
There's no doubt where Christ can be found in our world...it may be in our churches but you can stake your eternal life on the fact that Christ is still found in ministry to the poor, sick, homeless and out-casts! Where will you be found?
"It is not the religious act that makes the Christian, but it is PARTICIPATION in the suffering of Christ in the life of this world." (from Bonhoeffer's chapter (p.656) in Ethik, ed Heinz Todt, 1940.)
"It is not the religious act that makes a Christian, but it is participation in the suffering of Christ in the life of the world." (Bonhoeffer)
I'm frequently amazed by the results of opinion polls which seem to litter the news and talk shows on the media. In some of these surveys, the respondent categories are divided by religious affiliation. Have you ever wondered what is required to check the category box marked "Christian" for these polls? I'm sure that many of these respondents believe that occasional church attendance is adequate to be named as a Christian by our cultural standards. But it would be more productive for our spiritual lives (and the society in which we live) if GOD's standards were used to determine the label "Christian".
The adjective "Christian" implies that the individual has chosen to live in a manner which reflects the life example of Christ Jesus who called people to leave their "culturally normal" lifestyle and to follow his example. And what was the living example of Jesus? Sure, he attended synagogue services, and participated in the Jewish feasts and rituals...but he also spent his life in COMPASSIONATE service to those who were poor, sick, lost and socially out-cast. It's true that not every person to whom Jesus ministered was poor or an out-cast. However, they all had deep personal and spiritual needs from which they suffered greatly. In fact, when followers of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked "Who he was?", Jesus defined himself by the nature of his compassionate care for the poor and sick.
..."John the Baptist summoned two of his disciples and sent them to ask"...(if Jesus was the promised Messiah for Israel) and when they came to Jesus..."he had just then cured many people of diseases...and Jesus answered them, Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them." (Luke 7:18-22 NSRV)
Jesus did not define himself as as a "religious superhero" sent by God to Israel. Rather, his spiritual role was understood by his ministry to those suffering and in great need. Christ, the Messiah from God, stooped and bent down to get into the midst of the suffering poor... to be WITH THEM and to bless them with healing and comfort.. His action toward them was a loving expression of his "com-passion"...with them in their suffering.
The quotation from Bonhoeffer which started this reflection was written in the early 1940s in a Germany marching deeply into war. The Nazi war machine was creating unbelievable levels of suffering and destruction while German protestants and catholics were quietly ignoring the chaos around them. It was a time when men like Dietrich Bonhoeffer cried out to their fellow German Christians that church attendance or a nominal "label of Christian" was inadequate to be a follower of the compassionate Christ.
It's very easy for us to look back on that dark time in Christian Europe's history, when the witness of Christ was severely dimmed by human fear and the effort focused on self-interest and self-preservation. However, even today I believe that it would be valid for we American Christians to hear and respond to Bonhoeffer's cry to awaken to the FULL MINISTRY of Christ in this current world. Our worship of Christ Jesus is INADEQUATE if we do not CO-PARTICIPATE WITH CHRIST in ministry to fellow suffering humans in our nation and in the world. How can we Christians quietly ignore the political and social forces which fail to alleviate the causes of so much poverty, pain and human suffering? In future years our generation of Christians may be judged to be as "spiritually weak" as that earlier generation of German Christians.
How will our Christian life be described? Will we be able to respond to those who ask about our faith by letting them witness our "co-ministry" with Christ to the poor, suffering and lost around us?...or will they see our witness to be a "shadow ministry" without involvement (com-passion) in the relief of human suffering?
There's no doubt where Christ can be found in our world...it may be in our churches but you can stake your eternal life on the fact that Christ is still found in ministry to the poor, sick, homeless and out-casts! Where will you be found?
"It is not the religious act that makes the Christian, but it is PARTICIPATION in the suffering of Christ in the life of this world." (from Bonhoeffer's chapter (p.656) in Ethik, ed Heinz Todt, 1940.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)