The New Reality

The poor shouldn't be poor, the sick shouldn't be sick, the oppressed should receive justice, the wealthy should have hearts of generosity and of solidarity, the powerful should serve in righteousness, the crucified should be saved, the dead should be risen, and the whole world should be restored. The whole earth should be filled with God's glory and the people of all shapes and colors should rejoice in reflecting the image of God their creator.

Perhaps words like these should become a sort of mission statement, a mantra even, for the Church. Words like these pop up throughout the poetry and wisdom literature of Israel, they're in the hearts and on the lips of the prophets, so perhaps they are indeed a lost mantra waiting to be remembered again. If there is anything cliche in these words, it is only because they lack our physical participation to give them life and flesh. If there is anything over-stated in these words, it is only because they lack the embrace of our imaginative vision.

We need to repeat to ourselves--if only to revive ourselves from cynicism--the truth about the world: that there is something quite wrong and that all that seems impossibly good is impeccably true. If we find ourselves reluctant to participate in a life that reflects God's radically hopeful vision for the world, perhaps it is because we've lost our imagination to something less.

Because of the cross and the resurrection, the true reality is the Kingdom of God. The curse has been reversed, sin has lost its' power, and death has lost its' sting. It is no longer true that reality is cursed and we are to move against it. Reality is redeemed and we are to move into it. We are to live out and thus implement the redemption that has become the new reality. We are to welcome the poor, the sick, the oppressed, the wealthy, the powerful, the crucified, the dead, the people of all shapes and colors, and the whole world into that new reality. And we are to invite all these into participation therein.

Hear and believe the good news of Jesus Christ.