3/25
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| Faith in love |
Russ says that if this were a normal Wednesday, he’d be at the counter at Tom’s , “..the world’s ,most famous restaurant…” having a coffee and waiting for the rest of us to arrive. But this isn’t a normal Wednesday. And here we all are, right on time, gathered together in Zoomworld.
Last week was our first time to meet this way. The decree ended our debate. Hard to give up Tom’s, of Seinfeld fame. Where every Wednesday at 8 A.M. our Underground group meets in the front window booth. For years, we’d be there, Cornell West and James Cone in the back booth. Cornell always stopping to bless us on his way in. And over there, the Episcopal Bishop and Dean of St. John the Divine. Assorted neighborhood characters, sundry Columbia students and outside our window, an intermittent flow of selfie-taking Seinfeld fans and tourists. But it’s just us in our Zoom boxes.
I’m outraged by “..cure worse than the problem..” talk. But brother Steve B. reminds us it’s not that simple. We have decided, for example, that 40000 death a year is a reasonable price to pay for the freedom to drive 70 miles an hour. Among other comments:
* After rising from the dead, Jesus “self-quarantined” saying “do not touch me..”
* Something about this feels like the down end of 80’s Seattle based music and Kurt Cobain,…., Joel says
* We’e going to have to reach out to people we don’t know
* Joel reminds us that in Steven King’s “the Dark Tower,” 19 is the number of hell
* We conform that CoVid19 is Corona Virus Disease 2019
* a bar in Brooklyn is offering a liter of margaritas for a roll of toilet paper (take out only!)
As we have been talking about Nahum Ward-Lev’s The Liberating Path of the Hebrew Prophets: Then and Now, our discussion turns to how family based religions are better equipped to stand up to crises than hierarchical ones.(https://www.orbisbooks.com/the-liberating-path-of-the-hebrew-prophets.html) Ward-Lev also argues that we ultimately have to choose between placing our faith and trust in power, or in love. I argue that from a community organizing perspective, power is the goal, lack of power the problem. Power in Spanish is poder, the same word as can or to be able, as in the farmworkers slogan, si se puede, or as Obama put it, yes we can. Steve agrees that it’s not power to itself, but the uses of power. I am especially thankful for my friend Peter Heltzel’s book with Alexia Salvatierra, Faith Rooted Organizing: Mobiliizing the church in service to the world. In classic faith based organizing, faith is a means toward the end of organizing, a base for organizing. On the other hand, in faith rooted organizing, living out faith is the end and organizing the expression of or means towards that end…(https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Rooted-Organizing-Mobilizing-Church-Service/dp/0830836616)
In Ward-Lev’s understanding of liberation, we need to move beyond simply a material based analysis, as important as that is. Ultimately, we are led to a critical analysis of our relationship with all creation. In his understanding, there is a connection between creation and creativity and liberation rooted in mutual relationships. And of course, central to relationship is conversation. Joel remembers that his father used to say, “if we how sacred our words were, we wouldn’t speak so much. In this connection to creation, Brother Steve H reminds us of the verse from Song of Songs, “the time of the singing bird has come..” We have some serious conversation around Ward-Lev’s idea that our call is to “change the world,” Steve B objects strongly to those because in the end, “we have no idea.” I remind us of the Jewish tradition of Tikkun Olam, healing the earth around us. What has inspired Jewish culture throughout the ages even to secular progressive politics. And Steve B says, “ Yes, the world around us…” we act with hope, having no idea what is to happen.
An perhaps we need to move beyond WAR language, less “fighting disease” and more “building health.” Sam says we are being reminded just how fragile we are. In the parable of the house built on sand, we are not the builder but the sand.
We circle back around. NO acceptable loss of people. Faith in love over faith in power. Brother Steve H quotes 2 Chronicles &:14 again: if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
We agree that it’s about building the kingdom rather, the reign or realm or community of the living presence of God. Sam reminds us….Our life is a hospice.
Even on ZOOM, it’s good to be together.
Later in the day, I talk with my friend Ann in Los Angeles. One of the leaders of my denominations reproductive options ministry advocacy group. (PARO) Now an interim minister, for over 30 years she had a ministry of accompaniment recovery and resurrection with prostitutes. (The Mary Magdalene Project) We talk of how Ohio and Texas have weaponized the virus to declare abortions non-essential procedures during the crisis. At least 4 other states are leaning this way. But Ann feels sure that none of these states are prepared to face lawsuits and their accompanying costs. We both bemoan our country’s capacity to deal with a crisis like this and the potential of what could happen. In Ann’s classic way she says, “in coronavirusworld we are a shit hole country.”
I keep thinking of all the small ways this gets real. On Tuesday, I learned that the woman who has been cleaning my apartment for over 20 years will not be coming any time soon. That’s a problem. Our project won’t get done. On Sunday, my doorbell rung. Looked like someone in a space suit with a weapon. It was an exterminator. Been struggling with cockroaches. (Seems they are stronger than any virus..) She comes in, does her work. Leaves. Seems to work, I see dead roach bodies. But by late night, they are sneaking back out. The only way to end this is to get Nicky our super to set off a bomb. But to do that, I’d have to leave for 4 hours or so. And there is no place to go.
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