Long Way Here

Dorothy Day (Nov. 8, 1897-Nov. 29, 1980), founder of the Catholic Worker’s Movement during the Great Depression, was a Christ-follower who could not stand idly by and watch the masses suffer without care or in their loneliness. She was a community organizer driven by the Law of love.

A few years ago a Christian asked me if I was sure I should honor such a woman. She was, after all, branded a “trouble maker” and “communist.” I replied with, “Of course I should.” The holders of political and economic power and keepers of the status quo have always used labels to disempower and discredit prophets, poets, and lovers of the displaced. Labels have always been the tool of the weak-minded hellbent on domesticating truth-tellers, especially those enmeshed in the divine love of the Christ. But as you can see in this picture, sister Dorothy Day was not one to disempower, discredit or domesticate. Her actions were her witness. So today, on the blessed first day of Advent, I pause to remember a sister who took Advent seriously.

From Beth Moore via Twitter. I’m thankful for pastors who are faithful. I’m thankful for the WCC fam who keep pressing in. Over the years I’ve known some Christians who needed to hear this. Perhaps you do to.

“Thank the Lord, fellow Jesus-followers, if you have a pastor who chooses God’s approval over yours, who loves Christ, his congregation & you enough to be willing to offend you or go against the doctrines & traditions of men to preach what is in step with the truth of the gospel.

For the love of God, don’t pack up & leave in a huff. Go to your knees & thank God for that pastor. If you are always comfortable with your pastor’s preaching, if he always stays within your preferred perimeters & nothing ever changes, you don’t have a pastor. You have a puppet.

If your financial giving to your church is according to whether or not your pastor stays within your pet subjects and preferred perimeters, if you threaten to take your big wallet somewhere else if he doesn’t behave better, you are not giving. You are bribing.

When our story is told a century from now – and it will be – how much of the American church ran after idols and delusions, false christs and conspiracies, history will not only fault the pastors for not confronting us with the truth but the congregations who forbade them to.”

When a local Church becomes ‘one’ in our suffering and burden-sharing we can find our way through it together. If we lose this solidarity we are left to find the way through on our own.

Seek empathy, beloved. Seek compassion. Be graciously hospitable to the hurting and vulnerable and those who do not share your lived experiences. Ask the Lord to reveal your blind spots and listen intently, paying careful attention to the voices from within your community he brings your way. Then, do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk together, humbly with God.

Trust the Spirit of the Lord.