Jesus was not a Christian, Buddha was not a Buddhist… This meme is reassuring as the solstice approaches and I find myself further and further away from the church that was my rutter. To be sure, I have been inspired locally by the leadership of a cadre of amazing clergy, some sitting at the tables and others on the streets at night. But the resounding silence of the vast majority of worshipping communities makes my heart sick. And I am reminded that my call was not to serve the church and not about institutional survival and not even about creating worshipping communities. My call was to follow the one they arrested, to follow the young radical who preached an uncomfortable message about compassion and justice, to follow him into the street and to believe him about God… even, especially, when he was left bleeding in the hot sun. Him… and her… I cannot abandon to the great disregard of life. And so I choose to believe. Not in the church, but in the spirit of those stand and speak for (and with) justice and compassion. As we come into this sacred season where night and day touch in perfection, we are invited to pause to reflect on what it is that we hold sacred, what we believe, whom we follow. Believing Jesus about God, I will light a candle for Assata Shakur and the amazing women she has inspired.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 13:51:08 +0000
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