Monday 26 February 2007

Today we will again be expanding on the "three crucial traditions" (Socratic commitment to questioning, Jewish prophetic commitment to justice, tragicomic commitment to hope) - all of which I see in Jesus. From Cornel West in "Democracy Matters."

In the face of callous indifference to the suffering wrought by our imperialism, we must draw on the prophetic. The Jewish invention of the prophetic commitment to justice - also central to both Christianity and Islam - is one of the great moral moments in human history. This was the commitment to justice of an oppressed people. ...based on the belief that God had imparted this love of justice because God is first and foremost a lover of justice.
Prophetic Judaic figures appeal to us as individuals to join in transforming the world as communities... Prophetic Judaic figures also target the sole reliance on the force of power. Aggressive militarism is false security - a mere diversion from attending to the necessary domestic policies of compassion that can "heal your wound" (Hosea 5:13).

The world is not something we are to attempt to possess or put under our control. This prophetic tradition sets before us a task that insists that we give up control for the sake of assisting and aiding others. That is not merely by way of a program of good deeds. This is a view of the life in the world that attempts to recreate the society so that the injustices that spring up quite naturally in our political systems will have to deal with resistance for the sake of the people who have no power and are often forgotten or run over. This prophetic tradition inspires us to not simply walk by anymore. We are taught to walk with open eyes and to then have the will to do something about the injustices we see and to begin to heal the wounds of those injustices. In West's book, he tries to point out how imperialism has lead us down a dangerous path in the world. In many ways, imperialism only seeks justice as a way to make inroads into a community. This kind of justice is temporary and it is self-centered. Whenever the goal of our action is to get something back for ourselves we tend to use others -individuals or whole nations- as objects along the way to our goals. That is an act of injustice in itself.

Connection: It is not easy to be comfortable in our world and have ears and eyes to notice injustice around us. We really have to bend a bit closer and pay more attention to even the smallest acts of the day. It is like reading a story for another storyline that is not so obvious. It is a necessary exercise.

Lord, you call us to be watchful so that as your beloved children suffer under the weight of others, we will begin to speak up and protect those in need. Guide us in the ways of peace so that we will see the whole vision of your shalom - a peace with justice for all. Amen.