Dear All of us.
What's our
TAKE
A man barely able
to rub two pennies together
(while they last),
living in a deadly dangerous,
drug dominated neighborhood,
has the winning Powerball ticket
for one billion dollars and
he doesn't
TAKE
it
What's our
TAKE
on a world
that is heir
to a world ordered
Peace
yet is
blowing itself to pieces
and
taking a pass on
Peace
That's our world,
a world
Empire dominated,
blowing itself to pieces.
Piles of pieces,
shattered by Empire,
are all over the place:
culture and religion wars,
political and economic waring,
tech strife and abuse,
social malfunction,
environmental degradation,
fanaticism and fascism,
systemic injustice,
millions suffering poverty,
starvation, violence, death,
masses of malignant loneliness,
off the chart anxiety,
whole global sectors
of land and peoples
militarily devastated.
People
Principles
Places
Blasted
to
Pieces
Can they ever be
Pieced
Together
Again
in
PEACE?
On our own
we cannot patch the pieces
PEACE FULL
Empire's operating system
is not only incapable of it,
it will not allow it.
Empire dominates with
a damning, deadly down draw
at core and all the way out.
It is rigged evil wrong and
it wrongs like hell.
Hell bent it is.
The pace picks up,
faster, deeper, wider.
There's hell to pay and,
true to form,
this busting to pieces
hurts like hell.
Folks are terribly
troubled and afraid.
As bad as it is,
and even worst
will probably get,
is there any
possibility for peace?
There sure is
if we will
live a
TAKE
It's this.
Closing in on
the shadow of the cross and
the brilliance of the resurrection,
Jesus
shares a parting gift.
He
invites and empowers a
TAKE
"Peace I leave with you,
my peace I give you.
Not as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts
be troubled and
do not be afraid."
John 14: 17
What a God Gift!
Peace is the very integrity of God.
Peace is that unfolding in Creation.
Peace is the harmony of the universe.
Peace is the tranquility of order.
Peace is the Love that is God
accepted, shared and lived
as given.
Peace is allowing God
so close as to be One.
Peace is letting God be our center
and shine forth through us.
Peace is welcoming unto blending
God shining forth from others.
In the Peace of Christ
we are not troubled or afraid
at our center
no matter the evils of Empire
that swirl around us,
that come at us
hurting like hell.
Troubles terrible
there are
and will be
even more.
Deep down
Peace Full
we can be
individually
and as
a people.
This peace merges us
ONE
IN THE ONESS OF GOD.
That's our
surety and strength,
centered real and right.
The "peace" Empire gives
is power pushing against power
to a static, soulless standoff,
doing that militarily,
economically,
politically, socially -
selfish, power-profit seeking
trying to stall each other out,
So, what's
The Peace of Christ
look like out here
on the streets of
our here and now?
- We are bonded together in
Christ Communities.
We care, give and help.
We support and are supported.
Church is a shared life
not a once a week meet up for us.
We cover a rent,
a couple needing a kid break,
food stables for a bare cupboard,
with a ride to the doctors.
- We are freed from Empire's force
to have and get more than we need.
- We are at One with all about us,
reverencing people and place.
- We voice and vote peace.
- We live the dynamic of
Christ's Peace
in our marriages,
friendships,
family life,
at school and work,
in our social, civic and
recreational circles.
- We are released from tense,
aggressive behaviors while
driving to scheduling
to meeting challenges.
- We are patient with the
shallow loudmouth at work.
- We do all we can for
immigrants and minorities.
- We mentor the young and
we nurture the old.
- We fall into the embrace of God
and let God guide and support us
in all the easy, the hard,
the terrifying, the glorious
moments and motions
of our sweaty sweet everyday life.
- We pray, fellowship,
have meals together,
attune and attend to each other
in loving interaction as church.
- We presence peace
in our person and place.
- In the immediacy
of the Middle East War
we heed and put into practice
the courageous,
Gospel guidance of
Pope Leo.
He called out Empire's
"delusion of omnipotence"
that fires the mass murders,
the maiming's of mind and body,
the devastation of land and sea,
the social and economic chaos
of this war.
"Enough of the idolatry
of self and money."
"Enough of the
display of power!
Enough of war!"
Praying for peace
he said was a way
"...to break the cycle of evil",
to build the Kingdom of God
where there are no swords,
drones or "unjust profit."
"It is here that we find
a bulwark against that
delusion of omnipotence
that surrounds us and
is becoming increasingly
unpredictable and aggressive."
"Even the holy Name of God,
the God of life,
is being dragged into
discourses of death."
(Prayer Vigil, April 11th.)
Those are not "fight'n words."
The are strong words,
putting into crystal clarity
the operative evils
of the moment and
a call to replace them
with the
PEACE OF CHRIST
What's our
TAKE
******
In The Peace Of Christ
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Have a great week.
Jesus is looking for Takers.
Our living is our response.
We can people present peace
right where we are.
Love to all.
God Bless,
Peace be with us
and from us.
John Frank
frankly speaking
spirituality for the street
johnfrankshares.blogspot.com
******
