The march through the death of one we love, particularly a tortured death to maintain fear and oppression – to deter us from changing things, to keep us quiet and stilled – is terrible. Day after day there are horrors large and small playing out around the planet, horrors that keep us off-balance and afraid, that keep us from staying present and responsible for change.
Today is a day when we practice staying present to what is very unpleasant: to inequality and injustice, to violating people and violating the land, to justifying terrible actions and mundane decisions that add to toxic burdens. Today, we have another chance, just by waking up this morning, to be present, to witness, to advocate, to care compassionately, to do what we can do resisting desecration and violence and degradation and nurturing instead hope and justice and mercy and ecological restoration and peace and love beyond imagining.
It isn’t easy, but we’re so far from being alone. People will be turning today to how we can heal the hurting earth: what can each and all of us together be doing? How can we call each other into healing and hope with love and accountability? What real actions can we take?
It isn’t easy, but we’re so far from being alone. People will be turning today to witness to and reach out for the homeless and disposed. What can we do? How can we join our efforts to make justice and mercy in our neighborhoods, our towns, our lands?
It isn’t easy, but in every prayer, in every shared song, in every person gathering in witness, in protest, in the work of healing and hope, we’re staying present with what is holy.
What shall you be doing today as you join the many bearing witness and mercy, health and renewal? As Ella Baker reminds us: we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
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