Wednesday, November 17, 2021

TABLE


 Dear All of Us,

       

"Build Longer Tables

 Not Higher Walls"

    Jose Andres


Jose pegs it perfectly.

Sadly, many don't,

can't, wont.

We're more and more 

walled in and walled out.

We have walls 

within walls and 

walls around walls 

and they just keep 

getting higher 

and higher,

harder and harder-

    territorial,

    political,

    racial,

    religious,

    social,

    economic,

    international,

    local,

    cultural,

    educational,

    health care ones,

    red ones,

    blue ones,

    school board ones,

    environmental ones...

The Body Public 

is fractured into 

walled segments 

of isolation.

And they are getting

more and more 

weaponized.

Things have gotten 

exceedingly dangerous.

We cannot go on like this 

if we are to go on at all!

It's just that terrible 

and potentially terminal.

It's walled hells

of our devising.

The tragedy of our

plight and peril

right now is that

we are like fingers 

that insist on 

being severed  

and independent 

from the body 

and we wonder

why we hurt and

why we are in danger.

That throws us into panic.

So we wall and weaponize 

ourselves in and others out.


It doesn't have to be so.

There is another way if we will 

         accept it, 

         embrace it, 

         share it,

         live it.


It is the only way.


It is the only way.


It means recognizing

the powerful, spectacular 

paradox and goodness 

that we are 

  unique in unity

  That's bedrock,

  ultimate reality,

    The Reality 

        that is 

         God

 and that we are in

         God 

   with all that is.

We are not free floating

entities unto ourselves.

We are individual 

presences of the

    Oneness

that is God and 

 "God is love."

  1 John 4:8

We hear Jesus anew: 

"I am the vine.

You are the branches."

     John 15:5

Same life shared 

in different ways.

  

Either we are 

in God as God is, 

or we fail and fall 

into nothingness.

We are created 

    by Love,

    in Love,

    for Love,

unique in unity


Asked what is the

foremost commandment,

Jesus said,

"The first in impotence is 

 'Listen Israel:

 The Lord your God is one

 so love the Lord your God 

 with all your passion 

 and prayer and 

 intelligence and energy.' 

 And here is the second:

 'Love others as well as 

  you love yourself.'

  There is no other 

  commandment 

  that ranks with these."

     Mark 12; 29-31

      The Message

       translation


Our only reality is to be 

passionate lovers of God

and all that is in God.

Instead of walling in and out,

we joyfully build 

ever longer tables of loving,

vigorous inclusion

where we feast together 

in our shared life and love.

We delight in taking our place

at the table and making room 

for every other one of us in 

          THE ONE

         that is God.


The only way to save 

people and planet 

is to get passionate in

           Love

   Then One in the

   Love Who Is God,

we cannot sever, slice 

and box into nothingness

ourselves nor others.


So we welcome 

every sort of person 

to the table just as 

the sort of person 

we are is welcomed.

Once we catch on, 

fire up, we sizzle 

as we welcome 

to the table of shared,

practical daily life 

     the brilliant

     the hurt,

     the gifted,

     the different,

     the black, brown and white,

     the understood and the puzzling,

     the newborn to the dying,

     the quiet and the exuberant,

                    All 

         unique in our unity


Politicians, pundits, 

power brokers,

popularity, riches, 

military might

can't save 

people and planet.

Only passionate lovers can

as we keep extending 

the family table, freely, 

vigorously sharing 

everyday life.


In reflective prayer 

we see how to be and do that,

how to extend the 

table of fellowship:

     - how re-orientate 

       our reference points

       understanding and practices

     - how this passionate loving

       shapes our life style

       and activities

     - how we deal with the difficult,

     - how we gather in those lost

       in loneliness and pain.

     - how we welcome 

       our polar opposites

       in a mutuality of enterprise

     - how red and blue blend 

        to royal purple

     - how we seek spiritual guidance

       and community

     - how we champion justice

       in our daily doings

     - how to fully free creativity 

       in ourselves and each other


Our current walled off world 

is not far from collapse.

Do let's see that.


We are invited into 

full fellowship with all in 

           ALL

to passionate loving.

Do let's see that.


We are privileged

to build to ever longer tables 

of inclusion and communion

and exuberant creativity.


All this is far from 

light and feel good fluff.

It is far from a game of

Trivial Pursuits or a

spirituality hobby.

It's dead serious, 

or it's life real.

As it says in Deuteronomy,

  " I lay before you 

    life and death...

    Choose life

    so that you and 

    your children may live..."

     Deuteronomy 13:19


    "Build Longer Tables

     Not Higher Walls."

         

  Happy to be sitting here 

        next to you!

           John Frank

          *****

For Reflection::

        Please see 

    Marcella Kribal's 

         website

for her beautiful painting

  "Build Longer Tables

   Not Higher Walls"


If you have time and interest,

please Google Jose Andres

and see the wonderful ways

he builds longer tables.

          ******

   A heartfelt welcome 

      to our visitors.

  Thanks for joining in

          here at

       frankly speaking

   spirituality for the street

johnfrankshares.blogspot.com


          POSTED

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  Looking forward to us all 

  being together here at the table

  next week.

             ******