Reflecting on our community agreement to do no harm, I ran across these questions that Karen Baker-Fletcher poses in Sisters of Dust, Sisters of Spirit.
How can there be so much joy, pleasure and beauty in life? How can there be so much pain, hurt, suffering, and death? Why and how have these things come to pass? What is God’s intention for human life and for the rest of creation? Doesn’t God will something more for us—a love that does no harm? Doesn’t God will for us a compassionate and caring love, rather than a false love that strips humanity and creation of dignity? Can we experience such love in this life? Or do we have to wait until the hereafter—life after death?
These are questions about the kingdom of God. They have to do with God’s intention for the reign of God. They make us consider our own responsibility as participants in God’s activity of a love that does no harm in the here and now, whether we are straight or gay, men or women, children or adults, laity or clergy. This life is good, valuable, and worth living. Hope is not only in the future. Hope is in the present
That — that right there — is a lot to contemplate, isn’t it?
So, let me ask you this:
When you think about your own responsibility as a participant in God’s activity of a love that does no harm in the here and now, as she says, how have you chosen to do no harm this week in your thoughts, words, or actions — even if tempted to do otherwise?
And what did you learn from being a participant in a love that does no harm?
Much love,
Pastor Gregg
