A New Story of Us

A Call to Honesty

We are living in a time where a lot of opinions, feelings, thoughts, and sensations are bouncing around. Some are calling for peace while others are calling for justice. Yet, some are crying out "all lives matter" versus "black lives matter". We hear regularly the chant of "blue lives matter" but do we really need all of these battle cries? No. All we need is honesty.

I call you today, to be honest. If you are a living, breathing, human being, then you are going to have lots of feelings, thoughts, and opinions. I call you today, to check all of those and only act upon them if you are genuine and honest in that regard. It is time that people start investing in sincerity of word and deed. If you are going to speak up and testifying to your outrage, then you need to be certain that your outrage is genuine, otherwise, keep your mouth shut. Too much noise is around us right now and most of that noise is being created just for the sake of having noise. Begin to pause and think before you speak.

If you are of a certain persuasion of person who believes that life is sacred and yet you prefer a particular portion of life, over others....you are not being honest. If you are calling for people to respect law enforcement, but you do not respect the reality of oppression that people are experiencing today, due to systemic bias....you are not being honest. If you cry "all lives matter" every time a tragedy happens, but you still consume animal products/byproducts....you are not being honest. If you advocate for supporting gun owners, and making sure that gun owners have their rights protected, but you do not denounce the murder of Philando Castile--a black man who was a CHL owner that a law enforcement office murdered....you are not being honest.

It is time to be honest about our beliefs and who we are as individuals. If you hold things to be sacred and deny the true sacredness of life, you are failing at being a human being. This is the line in the sand. Enough death. Enough violence. Enough half-hearted rhetoric that seeks to demonize the poor and oppressed. It is time to either be honest and open about where you stand, or sit down and shut up.

This is your call. I pray that you answer it.

Peace and Blessings sent to all who are suffering today. 

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS: Vulnerability

Jesse Manibusan wrote a lovely hymn called, "Open My Eyes". I have always loved this hymn and I usually sing it in the morning as I get ready for my day. I love this hymn because it is a prayer to God that is asking for the grace to be open, or in one word, to be vulnerable. Each stanza is another petition of asking God to help us be vulnerable in some particular way. But why is this so powerful and why is it necessary?

I find that vulnerability is so important because the very essence of vulnerability is action. When we decide to stand in solidarity with all of creation, we make the conscious choice to be vulnerable, to put ourselves out there. Vulnerability happens in that moment when we ask ourselves, "should I do this", "should I speak up", "should I take this risk", and then when we move.

One of the greatest examples of vulnerability that I hold deep in my heart, is the story of woman caught in adultery. In the Scriptures, we are told that the High Priests and the angry crowd, bring a woman "caught in the act" of adultery to Jesus. The inform Jesus that this "woman" (who tradition says is Mary Magdalene) was caught in the act of adultery and according to the law of Moses, she was to be stoned to death. Now, before we mention vulnerability, let us point out a few things. The Scriptures clear state that the woman was "caught in the act" of adultery. However, what we often realize is that for her to have been "caught", someone had to be watching her commit adultery, or be participating in the act itself. Thus, by being self-righteous and bringing the woman to Jesus assuming that He would condemn her for her "sin", the High Priests and the crowd have exposed themselves as participating in the adulterous act either by watching or engaging. This is sexism Scripture Scholars point out.

Now, Jesus in this circumstance does something very interesting. When He is asked whether or not the woman should be stoned, Jesus steps down into the dirt then begins to write with His finger. Scripture Scholars speculate that He was writing the sins of those present (including most especially the religious leaders) but I do not think this is relevant. I instead think that the very gesture of Jesus stepping down into the reality of the woman, is far more important. Why? Jesus' act of stepping down shows that He is putting His body into the story. The very act of stepping down onto the level of the woman, is showing that she deserves dignity. Jesus, in choosing to get on her level, has chosen to say with His body "I respect you and wish to be in solidarity with you". He is saying through His body that the misogyny present here is unacceptable.The risk taken here is that He could Himself also be stoned to death, but He steps down anyway so that she may be lifted up. Jesus is making Himself vulnerable so as to show us that standing between the oppressed and the oppressor, is sacred ground. Standing in that place of vulnerability where you speak truth to power even when your voice shakes or when you may fear that you could end up like the victim. This is vulnerability. This is the way of an engaged person of conscience. This is Peace.

When Jesus announces to the crowd, "let you who is without sin, cast the first stone", everyone leaves. Once everyone is gone, Jesus picks up the woman and asks her, "does anyone condemn you"? "No" she replies, "neither do I". After this, He exhorts her to go forth and sin no more. How can we begin to cultivate vulnerability?

As we try to go about our work for peace and justice, let us call deep on our courage and dare greatly to stand in that hallowed space between the oppressed and the oppressor. Let us begin to reside in vulnerability so as to create a world where risk-taking for the sake of justice, is normal.

May our eyes be open, so as to see the poor struggling to live. May our ears be open to hear the cry of the poor. May our hearts be broken open that we may learn to love in such a way that sets the captives free. This is vulnerability. This is PEACE.

Amen.

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS: Solidarity

It seems that we live in a world where everyone thinks we are divided. I agree that we are divided, but being divided is not necessarily a bad thing. Being divided, just like anything else, shows us our humanity. Division shows us our deep fear of connection. 

Human beings are cowardly creatures. We do not like discomfort and we shy away from chaos. Yet, if we wish to have reconciliation we must first, "flip the script" meaning, change the mentality of the people involved. To be able to flip the script, you must be able to realize that in the end it's all about, solidarity. 

The choice to be in solidarity with all of creation, is to recognize your inherent connectedness with all people and the entire cosmos. You can not begin to break the cycle of violence without first realizing that liberation is for everyone and can only be created with everyone. Solidarity means that your story is my story and my struggle is your struggle. We have different ways of filtering our stories and dealing with our struggles, but it is still a shared reality; it is mutual. I have to be humble enough to step back and wait to be invited into a space where we can be vulnerable together then, in that space liberation begins. 

When we live in solidarity, all borders and boundaries are broken. When we live in solidarity, the "us and them" paradigm is shattered and all there is left is love. Solidarity is a means of returning people to themselves and in the process you get returned to yourself. And who is it you are being returned to? You are being returned to the essence of who you are, beloved. 

In the Gospel, Jesus was being baptized by his cousin John, and according to the Scriptures when John poured the water onto Jesus, the clouds opened up and a voice said, "this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). Now, this is significant because Scripture Scholars tell us that Jesus never did anything merely for the sake of doing it. Everything Jesus did, He did it so that we knew what WE had to do in our lives. Thus, on a certain level this is a command to go and be baptized into the Family of God, but also at the same time it is a declaration of who we are as people. We are the beloved sons and daughters of God! So, when we choose to live in solidarity, we are choosing to help each other mutually become the beloved. 

So, the "kingdom of heaven", as Scripture puts it, is to live in solidarity so that all may find rest in the grace of exquisite mutuality. The message of the Gospel is that we are all in this together. Unless we choose to recognize our inherent need for connection, our divisions will persist. But nothing goes unchecked and nothing is useless. Division is good because it creates a space for us to have this realization that we need each other. Sometimes, we have to be slapped in the face by life, before we wake up to the reality of what is right in front of us. Division at times is that "slap" from life. 

So, as we deal with the increasing polarity of our times, let us begin to realize that this divide is an illusion and let us begin to walk towards the chaos. Let us begin to initiate a lifestyle of solidarity. Remind yourself daily of this simple mantra, "I am you and you are me, so let us live in unity". Begin the process of disarming your heart by inviting others in who will return you to yourself and in the process those around you will be returned to that space where they realize that they are beloved, just like you. 

Solidarity captures in one word what Ruskin called, "the duty to delight". Let us learn to delight in one another. If right now we are separate, honor that separateness for what if is, then walk forth into the truth of liberation; that we are all connected and there is nothing to fear. 

Solidarity Forever! 

Amen. 

The Uninvited Hope of the World

Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace and the incarnation of the God of Justice. As we open gifts, laugh, and enjoy the blessings we have been given, let us remember the context of which we live.

This is a beautiful world filled with lots of wonder. But we also have a lot of pain and suffering. Our gorgeous world is torn apart by war, fear, and violence. And yet, we find our hope in the word made flesh. The Living Word speaks truth to power and springs hope into the darkness.

I would like to invite you all to consider this Christmas Day (and season Christmas ends Jan. 6) that the birth of Christ is not in the midst of your family. The birth of Christ is found in the excluded, the occupied, the marginalized are. Jesus was born in a manger, rejected by the society and hated by the empire, but today Jesus is born in Ferguson, Baltimore, San Bernadino, Palestine, and all places where turmoil has occurred. The Prince of Peace comes uninvited and transforms violence to wholeness with His healing grace. Let us welcome the new born King of Kings in the unexpected places today.

Here is a quote from Thomas Merton, I'd like to share with you in closing.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you!

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Into this world, this demented inn
in which there is absolutely no room for him at all,
Christ comes uninvited.

But because he cannot be at home in it,
because he is out of place in it,
and yet he must be in it,
His place is with the others for whom
there is no room.

His place is with those who do not belong,
who are rejected by power, because
they are regarded as weak,
those who are discredited,
who are denied status of persons,
who are tortured, bombed and exterminated.
With those for whom there is no room,
Christ is present in this world.”

Thomas Merton

Breaking the Cycle: Non-Cooperation

STEP UP. STEP OUT. STEP TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE! 

Americans tend to only act upon their convictions when it gets to a point of extreme necessity. We tend to live in a culture that runs on the notion of "as long as it does not affect me or my friends/family, then it does not concern me". Yet, when tragedy hits us, and our bubble is busted, we cry out in outrage. As long as we are "comfortable" and have a feeling that we are "secure", we are willing to let others go on with what they are doing/saying even if it is unjust or immoral. This is why after 911 Americans were more than willing to let the Federal Government invade privacy and violate civil liberties. Most Americans felt uncomfortable due to the sense that they lost the false security that this culture thrived on.

But there seems to be a shift in the wind....The cycle is beginning to break......

More and more the common person is becoming increasingly more informed and engaged. People are starting to express themselves more than is typical for most Americans of this generation. Younger people are feeling the need to establish their generation as an impactful and mindful generation. Men, Women, and everyone in between, are starting to openly display their frustration and admiration for what is going on in the world and in our country.

Most of the outward displays and demonstrations that have been occurring throughout this country, have been due to the increase of violence, apathy, and ignorance which seems to be ramped across this nation. Mothers, Fathers, Religious Leaders, and Civic Authorities are beginning to take note of the fact that things are not going away and in most cases, are getting worse.
Due to gun violence, rape, murder, political malpractice, and overall social unrest, people are starting to realize that the time has come to go beyond the ordinary means of solving crisis.

This new wave of social consciousness or awareness, has very much influenced and expanded, most recently, due to an increase notice of how American Cities are dealing with Homeless/Disenfranchised people. Specifically, how American Cities are reacting to an increase number of homeless/disenfranchised people being cared for by Charities and Human Rights Activists.

Recently, people have begun to protest regularly and risk arrest through acts of civil disobedience, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One man in particular who has been in the news is named, Arnold Abbott. He is a Homeless Rights Advocate who has openly spoken out and civilly disobeyed the City Ordinance that forbids people from feeding the homeless. See link below for full story.

I think this is something that is very prevalent and needs not only demonstrations in Florida but also throughout the country. No one should be criminalized for doing what is morally just, and intrinsically good. So, whether you are advocating for homeless, protesting drones, demonstrating against gun violence, or advocating for fair job wages, I would like to encourage you to take hold of your convictions and get out of your comfort zone! It is time for us to STEP UP, STEP OUT, AND STEP TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE!
I encourage you to begin civilly resisting injustice in your area by following these 5 strategic steps:

1. Nonviolent Mindset/Lifestyle: Any demonstration you organize must have people involved who are well-trained in nonviolent tactics/methodologies and who follow through with them. Nonviolence is key to your success. We do not want to lower ourselves to the standards of violence. We want to rise above and go beyond through just/peaceful means. 
2. Encourage Political/Social Action: Get people talking, questioning, shouting, organizing, and expressing their convictions. Civil resistance, civil disobedience, and nonviolence should begin to become dinner conversation. Invite influential leaders to help you in your efforts. True Patriots dissent from the norm and choose not to cooperate with injustice. Ben Franklin always said "Dissent is the highest form of Patriotism". 
3. Public Place: You want all demonstrations to be done in public. When demonstrating in public areas you put yourself in the public domain, thus creating intrigue and awareness among bystanders. Also, this puts a direct challenge to public officials who do not like dissenting voices in public, because they know the power people having in creating change!
4. Power in Numbers: You want a large group of people participating in your demonstration. Everyone should have tasks to do during the demonstration. Some people should be assigned the task of being those involved in nonviolent direct action, and risk arrest. Others should be media persons who take pictures/videos for evidence in defense and for social awareness. Others should be assigned the task to boost morale by singing, chanting, dancing, etc. And still others should just be the there silently protesting and offering informational handouts to people who pass by. This should be well organized and everything should be done in the Spirit of Nonviolence. 
5. REPEAT! REPEAT! REPEAT!: BUILD A MOVEMENT! Keep demonstrating, resisting, and advocating. These problems will not go away unless we band together and "be the change we wish to see in the world". --Gandhi 

Do not fear to practice non-cooperation. It is your right as a human being to speak your mind and act upon your beliefs. When you stand tall, no one can ride your back. So, stand tall and......

STEP UP. STEP OUT. STEP TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE! 

Arnold Abbott cited/arrested for feeding homeless in Ft. Lauderdale

Cornerstone - Cornerstone - Hillsong Live 2012 - (HD) (With Lyrics)