The Eucharistic Nature of Justice-Making
Throughout the ebb and flow of Christian history, the gathering of The Way, has gravitated around the sacred expression of oneness in the shared meal. The common act of speaking blessing, breaking bread, and giving cup has manifested an outward sign of mutuality. The shared meal is the nourishment that enables us to act justly in the world.
Each time we gather around the Table of God, we are engaging in the ritual of subversive love. Christ declared, “this is my body broken for you….my blood shed for you”. When these words are proclaimed, we are being reminded of our Christian vocation to go forth and become what we partake of in the eucharistic feast; blessed, broken, given. Christ is showing us that the beloved community is established each moment we bless those who are labeled as unlovable, unclean, unchurched, sinners, unworthy. The words of Christ make it clear that every instance, when we allow our beings to be broken open and our blood to be spilled in compassion for others, we affirm the importance of healing through acts of solidarity. Our ability to be breakable disposes us to be a blessing. When we are given over to the little ones among us, the non-human animals, the children, the edgy, the afraid, we become available to the sacrament of the present moment that in turn gives birth to God’s radical grace. The eucharistic feast empowers us to recognize our duty to be the source of spiritual and political nourishment for those who are spiritually and politically deprived by those in power.
In our working for justice, let us keep in mind that our explorations of how we organize ourselves, what policies are legislated (in church & society), who is or is not present in social circles, are all opportunities for us to extend the Table of God, so that more of the global family may recognize their vocation to be blessed, broken (breakable), and given.
QUESTIONS IN OUR ONGOING FORMATION OF BUILDING THE BELOVED COMMUNITY:
- How am I daily enfleshing my role of being a blessing to others?
- How is my ability to be breakable, vulnerable, an opportunity for others to be nourished and I as well?
- When I attend a demonstration, how do I intentionally incarnate Christ’s radical message of love? Am I allowing myself to be a blessing during a demonstration?
- Where in my life do I need to have my pride broken so I may be an authentic instrument of peace?
- How can I and my community of faith, give up our need to be comfortable, in order for targeted communities to be truly welcomed?
- Where in my life and in the life of my faith community, is there a need for more of a commitment to action for justice?
- Have I failed at living in such a way that others are welcomed? Have I reached out to receive forgiveness?
God in the Internet & the Glitches – Medium Blogpost (Post on website blog for Mid-Nov) https://medium.com/@thepplspriest/god-in-the-internet-the-glitches-a8236f82c76a
