Thursday 22 February 2007

Thanks to Vicar Mike for taking the lead on the devotions during my vacation. Today I will be turning to another resource for our devotions - Cornel West's "Democracy Matters." I think he brings a voice to the task we have before us as religious people in our country and our world.

Three crucial traditions fuel deep democratic energies. The first is the Greek creation of the Socratic commitment to questioning - questioning of ourselves, of authority, of dogma, of parochialism, and of fundamentalism. Vital also is the Jewish invention of the prophetic commitment to justice - for all peoples - formulated in the Hebrew scriptures and echoed in the foundational teachings of Christianity and Islam. And indispensable in addition is the mighty shield and inner strength provided by the tragicomic commitment to hope. The tragicomic is the ability to laugh and retain a sense of life's joy - to preserve hope even while staring in the face of hate and hypocrisy - as against falling into the nihilism of paralyzing despair.

This will preach...and it probably will turn up in a sermon. When I first read West's explanation of these "three crucial traditions" I kept saying, "Yes!" In part, it was because I do not have the ability to do all of them. I know people who are great at the Socratic commitment to questioning. I love it when they keep going because I often don't have the questions ready (I'm an introvert) when they are needed. Then there are those who are able to keep in mind the great traditions of the prophets who are constantly aware of the presence of injustice when everyone else seems to be quite content with what is taking place in the world. I must say that I can personally resonate with the term "tragicomic." It is an odd term...but what a necessity in life. To "retain the sense of life's joy" is such a gift to offer to a community of faith - to any community. Rather than being swallowed by the sense that all things are futile...that nothing matters...that we must get what we can because all endeavors are futile, there are some who are able to live boldly and with good humor and brilliant life. I think of the Italian director who acted in "Life is Beautiful." There, in the midst of the Nazi death/labor camps - humor and boldness of life continued. We can be so much more than the hate and fear and closed-off lives that seem to be able to pressure us into something less than the promises of the Reign of God. West is able to get my blood flowing.

Connection: The face of God's Reign has several sides to it. That is why I find it so necessary to watch for those who are able to bring those gifts to life that I am rarely able to contribute. In the meantime, we press on through the day.

Come, Lord of Life and Creator of What is Yet to Be! Come and inspire us! Come and move us! Come and take us by the hand and put our hands into the hands of others so that we can walk together into the life you have promised. Amen.