Reflections for 12/6/10

"Without prayer, we social activists end up as ideologues. We're trapped in our heads, our opinions, our righteous selves. Maybe we'll be doing the right thin, but from an egocentric place, not a place of unitive consciousness, the place where all things are one. In other words, we'll be doing our own agenda instead of God's. As soon as we fail, you'll see the difference. That's why failure, rejection and humiliation are so important for us. They are the only things that tell us whether we're operating out of the center place, the place of prayer, or whether we're basically doing our own thing and calling it God's thin. When people are doing God's thing, they have freedom-they can laugh at themselves, they can take humiliation and non-success because their own reputation is not at stake. The mature believer will probably look more like a holy fool than a do-gooder or a 'saint.'" (R.Rohr "Radical Grace p. 11)

One of the questions that is often posed to me from people who do not come from any faith perspective is what the difference is between folks who fight for social justice issues on a secular level and those who fight for the same issues from a religious one. And for me, the answer is prayer.

I'll agree with Fr. Rohr that prayer first off at least gives me some time and space to figure out whether the action I'm contemplating is really a call from God, or more about me trying to look good. Prayer is also the place where I gain energy to advocate for the people and causes that speak to my understanding of what God calls me to do.

I also know that I'm on the right track when the success or failure of something will not make me focus on how I look. And that is very hard to do. I want to look good, I'm not particularly fond of rejection and failure. But if I allow those fears to take control then I'm probably barking up the wrong tree.

I also know that it is my relationship with God that keeps me from becoming an ideologue. I am a "liberal." I understand that to mean an openness to all information and the ability to sift through all of it and find the truth. Again doing much of it through prayer.

I'm thankful for a faith that opens my eyes to the world around me. That does not allow me to shut off from the problems of the day. And I'm also thankful for a faith that allows me to truly see where I'm called to risk.

Blessings,
Ed