Sunday, January 10, 2021

We Belong To Everyone Else

The power of the stars is nothing compared to the energy of a person whose will has been freed . . . and who is thus enabled to co-create the cosmos together with God. God’s top priority is the creation of a world in which the goods of the earth are equitably distributed, where no one is forgotten or left out, and where no one can rest until everyone has enough to eat, the oppressed have been liberated, and justice and peace are the norm among the nations and religions of the world. Until then, even the joy of transforming union is incomplete. The commitment to the spiritual journey is not a commitment to pure joy, but to taking responsibility for the whole human family, its needs and destiny. We are not our own; we belong to everyone else.

-- Thomas Keating


So...why do I have the distinct impression that most of the people I know, who call themselves Christians, don't seem to believe this?  Some might say, 'sure I do...'.  But, when I hear them talk, much of what they talk about seems to directly contradict the above.

They talk about what they know, especially about what is wrong, and what or who will keep us safe from others.  It most definitely is not about our belonging to them—it is about belonging to ourselves and the champions we select to keep it that way.  What happens to others is really their problem, unless they are willing to become like us.

Jesus was always inviting others in, especially those who were not considered to be the good people.  His goal seemed to be the redemption of everyone and he asked us to take up our cross and be about the same thing.