Wednesday, October 18, 2023

EXERCISE



Dear All of Us,

There aren't too many of us left.

We're a vanishing breed.

Most of us have aged out/died.

And most people don't want 

to know about it anyway.

They find the whole thing 

somewhere between 

ridiculous to scarry to dreadful.


Now promise not to run off.

          It's this

I am an ordained exorcist.


It was one of the 

four minor orders 

     Porter, Lector, 

     Exorcist, Acolyte,

on the way to 

priestly ordination years ago.

They are no longer observed.


In a way they, though, 

the good order of exorcist 

is very much current and

good it is in the observance.



There are all sorts of exorcists 

and needs to be.

In a way we all are exorcists.

We have a heck of a lot of 

wrong to be righted, 

of evil to be exorcized.

It's systemic, it relational, 

it's personal, physical, 

ecological, social, corporate,

religious, governmental.

It's critical that we see it, 

say it, not settle for it,

that we excise it.


Evil of any sort 

is a lack of 

God Right Reality.

It's critical that we 
            
     EXERCISE 

    God's Love 

to clear/clean it out,

replace that lack with

  God Good Order

  God Right Reality
         
         and

  Fresh Fullness.

That's what Jesus did 

and still wants to do

through us, 

his disciples, 

The Body of Christ.

It's a holy work out.



Because evil of any sort is 

that deficit of good, 

of God's good order 

in creation,

we work to right the wrong, 

to repair and renew the damaged, 

to heal wounds.

Doctors, parents, social workers, 

teachers, pastors, policy makers, 

scientists, writers, publishers, 

environmentalist, therapists, 

attorneys, repair persons, 

restorers, arbitration people,

peacemakers, police officers, 

AA members, foster parents

and nice, just regular folks

like you and i hope me  - 

all sorts exercising good 

to making whole and healthy.

  
     Each excises evil 
     
     exercising good.


We all do in our way and place.

A white family welcomes 

and befriends a black family 

in an all-white neighborhood.

Neighbors clear a trashed lot 

and grow a community garden.

A group of residence 

in a senior citizens community 

work hard to incorporate the 

community's "odd balls," 

the "fuddy duddys," 

into what's going on.

Parents organize 

supplemental learning sessions 

when the school system 

denies access to a full 

and truthful curriculum 

in history, literature, the arts, 

science, social studies.

In like manner, groups establish 

a lending library when 

the local one is 

weaponized 

and diminished, 

victim to the area's
 
restrictive culture war.

Families keep parents

at home and cared for 

in years of declining health.

A politician risks 

votes and office 

to champion 

social justice legislation.

We completely forgive 

a deep hurt.

The family is patient 

with the one of them

who just can't get on

their own two feet - ever!

Gossip stops 

at our hearing 

and we urge the same 

of the gossiper.

We continue helping 

the needful asker 

who never thanks.

We risk a friendship 

in challenging a manifestly 

immoral business practice.

We put our money 

where are morals are 

and stretch to help 

a food pantry survive.

We work to move our church 

from the comfortable pew 

to the streets of 

community service.

We put ourselves 

under the guidance of

The Holy Spirit, 

accepting the wisdom 

to know when and what 

to do or not, 

never getting 

"holier than thou" 

about working to transform 

bad to good.

We are motivated 

and energized 

by God's Goodness, 

never being propelled 

by self-righteousness.


In one way and many we

seam the tear, 

clean the fowl, 

straighten the crocked, 
 
make whole the holes 

of lack and need. 


Given the bedevilment

in the Middle East just now,

we vigorously support an

immediate cease fire between 

Israel and Hamas

and the development,

no matter the cost, 

of a workable, just solution 

to the evils on both sides.

We light a fire under 

religious leaders to stop 

playing it footsie and 

take a stand for a

global spiritual determination

to finally move past 

the Shoot Outs between the 

Hatfield's and McCoys among us 

and Live God's Love

in justice and peace.


    Each excises evil 

    exercising good.


It's hard work, but then, 

exercise is good for you, 

none more so than the

  "wholely" work out 

             of

        God Good

        EXERCISE

         ******

    So glad we all are 

       here together

               at

       frankly speaking
   spirituality for the street
johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

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       Love to all
       John Frank