Friday, November 1, 2024
All Saint’s Day
Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we are saved by love. No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint. Therefore we must be saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness.
—Reinhold Niebuhr, The Irony of American History
Esteemed CAC teacher and colleague Dr. Barbara Holmes (1943–2024) draws wisdom from theologian Reinhold Niebuhr:
Reinhold Niebuhr’s words ring true. Although we wish it was otherwise, the struggle for justice is never completed in one lifetime or one rebellion. The shifting of systems, the turning of hearts, the forgiveness of oppressions and the dissipation of anger (righteous or not) takes time. It is not easy to confront injustice. It requires solidarity and the inevitable loss of life. It requires that each generation aver, “we are ready to be free by any peaceful means necessary.” [1] …
No matter how desperate our personal or communal situations seem, we are oscillating at both high and low frequencies between the good and the grotesque. We cannot always see the path toward the common good; often it seems that evil has won the day, and sometimes the leap of faith required to bridge chasms of disagreement seems to be a [desperate] choice.
And yet, even during our worst times, there are opportunities to facilitate human flourishing through the creative exchanges of ideas, authenticity, culture, and religious expression. The contemplative turn is necessary because the illusion of reality that frames our everyday life limits the in-breaking of Spirit and dims discernment. [2]
Holmes connects spiritual practice with the common good:
For me a spiritual practice that matters includes social renewal. Instead of blaming others about the state of our union, instead of blaming one political party or another, we can reflect on our own complicity and support of systems that abandoned the poor, warehoused our children in failing schools, and failed to provide adequate health care. As a spiritual practice, we can wake up to the possibility of building a new order. We can improvise those possibilities; try them out in the creative microcosm of a shared public life, realizing that our way of life could be improved so that all members of society thrive….
I quote from an article I wrote titled “Still on the Journey”: I believe that as a spiritual practice we can imagine and create “a political system responsive to the people and respectful of global neighbors, a health system that is comprehensive in scope and not profit driven, an educational system shaped by innovation, improvisation, technology, and practicality.” [3] Can we be honest now about what is not working? Can we re-envision new options? I believe that we can, if we want to. [4]
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Jesus Calling: November 1st, 2024
Jesus Calling: November 1st
Do not be discouraged by the difficulty of keeping your focus on Me. I know that your heart’s desire is to be aware of My Presence continually. This is a lofty goal; you aim toward it but never fully achieve it in this life. Don’t let feelings of failure weigh you down. Instead, try to see yourself as I see you. First of all, I am delighted by your deep desire to walk closely with Me through your life. I am pleased each time you initiate communication with Me. In addition, I notice the progress you have made since you first resolved to live in My Presence.
When you realize that your mind has wandered away from Me, don’t be alarmed or surprised. You live in a world that has been rigged to distract you. Each time you plow your way through the massive distractions to communicate with Me, you achieve a victory. Rejoice in these tiny triumphs, and they will increasingly light up your days.
RELATED SCRIPTURE:
Romans 8:33-34 (NIV)
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV)
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
