“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 22: 36-40
Jesus calls us to live our lives with this great commandment. How do we do so during the everydayness of life and during the pivotal times we are living in now?
Can we be both activists for justice and prayer people for justice? Of course we can; they aren’t mutually exclusive. And yet, if we are serious about dedicating our lives to the great commandment I suggest that we have to select whether we focus upon faith or works, love or justice, as our starting point and time commitment. Do we begin with the experience of injustice that is before our eyes, or with the word of God that is in our hearts?
Working for justice in a serious way takes physical, mental, and emotional time and energy--committee work, writing letters, call people, knocking on doors, protesting. Praying for justice in a serious way also takes physical, mental, and motional time and energy--meditating, emptying the mind of thoughts and judgments, prayer, leading a simple, solitary life.
I believe that God is leading me on the prayerful path. That doesn’t exclude activism, but helps me start with love as I pray for justice, and then at times become active for justice.
Matthew 22: 36-40
Jesus calls us to live our lives with this great commandment. How do we do so during the everydayness of life and during the pivotal times we are living in now?
Can we be both activists for justice and prayer people for justice? Of course we can; they aren’t mutually exclusive. And yet, if we are serious about dedicating our lives to the great commandment I suggest that we have to select whether we focus upon faith or works, love or justice, as our starting point and time commitment. Do we begin with the experience of injustice that is before our eyes, or with the word of God that is in our hearts?
Working for justice in a serious way takes physical, mental, and emotional time and energy--committee work, writing letters, call people, knocking on doors, protesting. Praying for justice in a serious way also takes physical, mental, and motional time and energy--meditating, emptying the mind of thoughts and judgments, prayer, leading a simple, solitary life.
I believe that God is leading me on the prayerful path. That doesn’t exclude activism, but helps me start with love as I pray for justice, and then at times become active for justice.
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