Imagine losing your greatest leader to the powerful. Imagine that the powerful were afraid that this leader taught a message of love and care for people that were not usually loved nor cared for. The political leaders felt that the people were listening too intently to the message of care for the prisoner, care for the widow, care for the homeless, care for the sick. Love for little children. Acceptance of women. This person was a radical who needed to be shut up and shut up completely. Then imagine that these rulers conspired to bring false charges to put this man to death and were looking for the others who followed him to do the same to them.
Now be one of those followers fearing for your life. You secretly meet together to support each other, but none of you has the wherewithal to put the message of love for all out on the street the way your leader did. Some of you have seen your leader after his death and still doubt whether it was real. Men and women are together and trying to decide how to carry out this love without getting killed.
And then, in a room together while celebrating a religious holiday…
Welcome to Brothers and Sisters, the weekly meetup for prayer* and community at Daily Kos. We put an asterisk on pray* to acknowledge that not everyone uses conventional religious language, but may want to share joys and concerns, or simply take solace in a meditative atmosphere. Anyone who comes in the spirit of mutual respect, warmth and healing is welcome.
The rest of the story below the orange thingamajig!
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. Acts 2: 2-3
These people were set on fire! They were given a gift of assurance and strength to do the work they were called for.
Today is Pentecost in the Christian calendar. It is the day that is remembered for God sending the Holy Spirit to these followers to give them the gumption to preach the message and to live the message of LOVE.
This message spoke of being blessed in a new way:
Matthew 5: 3-12
The Beatitudes
He said:
3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 ‘Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Matthew 25
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
The messages above are Christian, but they are also messages for all who want a better world and want justice. These messages are timeless and timely.
We find ourselves in a time when people are hungry, strangers who are not welcomed, are without clothes or homes, are prisoners, and are thirsty. And we, sometimes, find ourselves in the room all together—not knowing quite what to do to fix our world.
This is the day. A new day to be a peacemaker, to fight for justice, to mourn with those that are mourning, to humble oneself, to be merciful, to be pure at heart, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to know that in your care you may be persecuted.
This is the day. This is the first day to find a way to be on fire. This is the day to look within and find the fire to recommit yourself to a path of making life better. For understanding that care for yourself strengthens you to care for others. And then, for taking that care to the world.
It is not easy. Often, it is not what we want to do. This fire is uncomfortable. We have to enter out of our homes and take risks.
But our world needs this justice and love. And our world needs it now.