The passages today mention a dispersed people of God, becoming one nation and no more division. I know that many great people have had this vision and perhaps can see God's intent or a vision of it. The vision goes back as far as Hebrew scriptures and continues into this century with things such as the League of Nations, the United Nations. We are after all, all on the same ride, living on this globe hurtling through space. Brothers and sisters, one and all.
There are people who see the earth from space and see all sorts of divisions and perhaps see a board game like Risk! Still others want to make their quadrant or section perfection at the expense of others. In fact some might argue that the reason their parcel is not as good as it could be is the 'others'. As long as the vision of unity has been around, so is the concept of the scapegoat, the 'others' that are responsible for the mess. Everything would be good if it wasn't for 'them'
Who is the 'them'? I am sure you could pour through history books to find out. I am sure each age and each region has had one. The blaming and the scapegoating is SOP. This is what pogroms are made of. This is what the crusades were made of. This is what hatred is made of, be it blacks, gays or countless illegal immigrants. Lost in the hype and hatred is the two great commandments, sacrificing faith for myopic views that keep God on the periphery.
Today the hatred of 'them' is now a presidential candidate speaking fowl of everyone from woman, to gays, to Jews, to blacks, to anyone that is not some archaic vision of a waspy America. It is all so frightening. Ignorance is frightening.
Here's a concept for Lent, give up hatred and the notion that we own America. Yes, America, born of Immigrants with lady Liberty standing guard and trying to proclaim freedom and inclusiveness above those shouts of hatred. Here's another concept for Lent, let it be the birth of new life. Let it be respectful of the sacrifice Jesus made for all of us. Jesus did not die for the few, he submitted to every single person who has value and worth in hiseyes. How can we claim to respect or believe Jesus message and offer of new life if we behave like selfish, scapegoating children?
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