Love
Mercy
“This
God is subsequently revealed as a God of mercy, steadfast love, and
faithfulness who is committed to covenantal relationships of
fidelity.”
Walter
Brueggemann
I learned yesterday that
my son follows Pope Francis' Instagram feed. Think about that for a
minute—my 32 year old, Baptist son follows a 79 year old Pope who
communicates by Instagram. He finds the Pope's messages of hope, love
and kindness to be Godly in a world where that's hard to find. Pope
Francis reveals on a daily basis what it means to follow a God of
mercy, love and faithfulness. I'm not Catholic, but this Pope is a
shining beacon of hope for me and billions of others. When the world
gets too crazy, or too dark, just go to the Pope's Instagram feed and
you will feel lifted up.
Walter Brueggemann is an
American Old Testament scholar, who, even in retirement, keeps
reminding us that God requires we “act justly, love mercy, and walk
humbly with our God.” (Micah 6:8) I don't know whether you believe
in God, or what you call God if you do believe that there is an
overarching source and power in the universe. It doesn't really
matter to me. But I do know that whatever that Source is, it has
nothing to do with what Brueggemann refers to as “Pharaoh's
Production-Consumption Society.” It has nothing to do with the way
we humans divide ourselves into religious, ethnic, or class-conscious
camps and throw stones at one another. “When we live according to
our fears and our hates, our lives are small and defensive, lacking
the deep, joyous generosity of God...” (Brueggemann)
Today, let us act justly,
love mercy and walk humbly with the Source of life, and with one
another.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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