Social Work in the Absence of Faith

"the value of observation over judgment was lost upon her, lost as she thought that her life was really somewhere else, somewhere not in this and every moment."

 Discerning rather than judging is hard; often it's really hard. We are reminded in most all the spiritual traditions east or west, about the practice of openness, of emptiness and the great gifts it brings when we are empty to receive in the here and now. Our life is filled moment to moment with the world and ourselves, filled to the top.
The militancy of  persons engaged in 'social initiatives,' 'community action' or the like is unnecessary in Jesus' world. Often it arises in moments of fearfulness, places where 'voids in faith' prosper.
The Christ's strength came from within himself to be shared with all he came into contact with. His peace became their peace, and his love their own.

Jesus, the Christ, reminds us of this when we read the gospels which tell of his decided indifference to the character and style of an individual life. Tax collectors, despots, harlots and others, he was willing to treat them, to attend to the great commandment of love for one's neighbor.

Who is your neighbor? The gospel of Luke 10:30-37 gives some clues:
A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who also stripped him and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead.  And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by. In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by.  
But a certain Samaritan, being on his journey, came near him: and seeing him, was moved with compassion: And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine over his wounds, and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn and took care of him.  
And the next day he took out two pence and gave to the host and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever you shall spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay you.  Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to him that fell among the robbers?  He said: He that showed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do in like manner.

 It is not necessary to go far to meet one which you and your gifts may help. Neighbors are everywhere. If we are living in the "now moment," the present moment with its most pressing meaning, before long, we will come to understand our self first and our neighbor more clearly who is very human, like our self.
 It becomes clear that a thinking mind may observe and notice without casting stones or passing judgements. 

Questions, after all, are about listening. And they start conversations that may close gaps, increase confidence and strengthen community. Discernment and compassion in place of quick judgement is a valuable way to understand, and to love.

"If only we could be white as snow." 
-- sung by U2

The Christ Way

I (still) Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

by U2

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I have climbed the highest mountains 

I have run through the fields 

Only to be with you Only to be with you 

I have run, I have crawled 

I have scaled these city walls These city walls 

Only to be with you 

But I still haven't found What I'm looking for 

But I still haven't found What I'm looking for 

I have kissed honey lips 

Felt the healing in her finger tips 

It burned like fire (I was) Burning inside her 

 I have spoke with the tongue of angels 

I have held the hand of a devil 

It was warm in the night I was cold as a stone 

But I still haven't found What I'm looking for 

But I still haven't found What I'm looking for 

I believe in the Kingdom Come 

Then all the colors will bleed into one Bleed into one 

But, yes, I'm still running 

You broke the bonds And you loosed the chains 

Carried the cross of my shame Oh, my shame, 

you know I believe it 

But I still haven't found What I'm looking for 

But I still haven't found What I'm looking for...

What are we looking for? Why even look? Soon enough, it'll all be over, some say.
The Bible makes many interesting claims. For example in Galatians chapter 6 it discusses the new way of the Christ and the life of his followers. In a phrase, "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deluding himself." 
Here a life of delusion is mentioned. But what is the context? Perhaps it's a caution about comparing oneself to others, since each is a reflection of the divine Creator, and as such possesses his or her own unique talents and gifts. If this is true, then what are we looking for--and why would we look outside our own selves? Yet in the chapter, Galatians makes it clear that the community is important, that the community matters as a development of faith.

Is not love of one's neighbor an action that means to encourage and support each in their unique goodness and well-being? Galatians chapter 5 affirms this thought: "For you were called to freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love"
This is the Christ way.

Treasures, Doing What We Believe

"Everyone benefits from the sacrifice of gifts that one makes of time, talents and treasure." -- Benedict XVI

It's about putting our faith into action, putting our energies to what matters, being stewards.At its heart the good steward is the good shepherd, caring for ones flock and making provisions for the day to day existence of self and others. It's more than just thinking about material resources.

We believe in the "Giver of Life," our lives as co-creators, that the Lord is the source of infinite abundance. Yet the more we attempt to take, to control, the less we actually have. It's like holding water in our cupped hands and squeezing. It quickly flows away from us.

Only when we relax our grip does the water remain. Doing what we believe involves faith; belief in what we may not yet see, but know deep in our heart; it's making a choice, one small step at a time, to acknowledge our inter-dependence, our inter-being with all of Creation.
Stewardship, then, lies at the heart of the Christian lifestyle. In actuality it's how we live our daily lives which gives evidence of our belief in the Gospel message, in the Good News.

St. Teresa of Avila, mystic and saint, wrote that 'Christ has no body but your own, he has no hands but yours. Yours are the eyes and ears of the Lord through which he is to go about for actions of the Good. Your hands are the hands, like his own, blessing people in the here and now."

Cooks In Kitchens

Adia

by Sarah Machlaughlin

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...There's no one here to blame
There's no one left to talk to, honey
And there ain't no one to buy our innocence

'Cause we are born innocent
Believe me Adia, we are still innocent
It's easy, we all falter
Does it matter?

Adia I thought that we could make it
But I know I can't change the way you feel
I leave you with your misery
A friend who won't betray
I pull you from your tower
I take away your pain
And show you all the beauty you possess
If you'd only let yourself believe that

We are born innocent
Believe me Adia, we are still innocent
It's easy, we all falter, does it matter?...

Sometimes cooking together is very messy, and sometimes things burn; other times the food is tasty and we are so glad. There are days that the sight of the 'kitchen' is terrifying! Without courage to experiment, at times we turn away; it just seems so hot in there. The kitchen may be a metaphor for one's life.
 Boiling water, burnt fingers, we imagine our self unappreciated.
But truly we are innocent. Innocence in the sense of a good gift given and received; innocent that we are free of guile or cunning; innocent that we are honest in dealing with one another. Innocent in the Simple way. Powerfully innocent in divinity.

What  happens in the kitchen, that central place in our daily life? Mostly good. It came to me over time, that a person may simply be a gift. An amazing gift to me by the Holy Spirit. How else could it be?
How could I refuse such a gift? While not perfect, we are very lovable. This proves a great help to me. It's my hope I am mostly a help in return, if a clumsy one. And like all gifts, those freely given and freely received, may be freely withdrawn, the 'free will' thing. The Spirit does not force anything; it can be surrendered.

This gift given me, cannot be shamed. Some may not understand; some may be jealous, but owing to the Original Giver, we cannot be shamed. Truly we are innocents.
The light of the Spirit is all knowing and I have, often in extreme anxiety, followed its lead, honoring  and respecting what I cannot always know or understand.

Among the things I have always discerned is the gift of love, sometimes soft, sometimes tough. It gives courage to go on and on. I could not have had instances of more beauty and wonder in my life without such great gifts as these.
The Bible tells a bit about the gifts of the Spirit, about the light to the world. Keep your courage, engage patience when in darkness, follow the light in your life, as did the disciple Mark 10:14: "Let the little children come to me."

Love, Stronger Than Pride

Love Stronger Than Pride

by Sade Adu, 1988

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I still really love you

Love is stronger than pride

I still really love you

`Sitting here wasting my time

would be like

waiting for the sun to rise

It's all too clear

things come and go

Sitting here waiting for you

would be like waiting for winter

It's gonna be cold

There may even

be snow
 
I still really love you

Love is stronger than pride...

Nothing Can Come Between Us
by Sade Adu, 1988
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Always hope you'll remember
We'll never really learn the meaning of it all
What we have is strong and tender
So hold on...


Hold on
It truly is a good thing
And I always wanted you
to know...
It's ever lasting...


It's about faith
It's about trust

For those who choose to remain in the way of faith, conventional wisdom in the light appears foolish; the opposite may, however, also be true: in the glare of conventional wisdom, the love story that is the Christ becomes foolishness. Most people live conventional lives. They do not see a role as artists, seers or poets; they do not heed a call as co-Creators. Accepting this as our role, we, as it is said, 'take up our cross', living a life that is quite often counter cultural. It is a life that values creation and all things made, natural to the world; a life of love and spirit. The disciple John writes, "Do not work for the food that perishes." (John 6:27)

So like the words written above by the artist Sade, where we find our heart, there is where our treasures lie. Intimately, the words direct us perhaps to another place, one not originally intended, but still we arrive-- and it is the right place-- even if we had not known it before. Sometimes, we're just obstinate, until faith intervenes. We are reminded that in love we do, we really do live in a community. There is someone nearby to ask, to call, to rely upon.

Yet to receive, we need to ask and to ask exposes us as part of a community. If we seek only to receive and not to give, "sitting here waiting for you... wasting my time..." because you will not, or perhaps refuse to, ever return the gift, then the words of the Christ would have a very different meaning. A gift would not be a gift. Who would there be to receive it? Who would have gifts at all? Only when givers are also willing to be receivers does the community come alive; only then does the community animate with faith, with love, with trust. I still really love you. Love is stronger than pride.