CHAPTER 5
Read Jesus’ use of “today” in Luke 4, the urge to action.
Can you see how he might have been an offense to the religious establishment,
who are better at putting real change off? Yet Jesus did not exempt himself
from religious community or reject the synagogue.
In the story of turning tables at the Jerusalem temple, Bell
says that Jesus demonstrates that neither economic status, age nor disability
should exclude people from the house of prayer. It should be a place of
healing, of laying our whole selves “open to God’s amendment”.
How do we maintain that balance between being open to our
differences and yet decisive on issues of justice?
I’m trying to get through the book so that someone else is able to pick it up and read it, so I may write ahead... I think we, as human beings, rely too much on our own understanding. The question "How do we maintain that balance between being open to our differences and yet decisive on issues of justice?" has a leaning towards following our own understanding. It is not our own understanding we should lean upon, but that which we discern through prayer and conversation with God. There are no differences between people at their root. We are all children of God. When our lives are in balance between “differences” and “justice”, Love must be the deciding factor…and the Love direction comes only from our consulting God.
ReplyDeleteAt General Council, we heard the witness of various global partners thanking the United Church of Canada for speaking out in conflicted situations and sometimes giving support to unpopular positions. The partners were speaking of issues of sexual orientation and ministry. global injustices, and standing with indigenous peoples in Canada. What is rarely seen is the amount of spiritual discernment and struggle that goes on behind the scenes - we sometimes have the impression that "Toronto decided it" in an instant reactive way. As pastors, we cringe when we know something is going to result in negative feedback in the congregations we serve, so it was good to hear that, over time, it has made a positive difference.
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