Being Light

"I'd rather shine a light than curse the darkness" -Eleanor Roosevelt.

The Church should take this quote to heart that all our opposition to injustice would be out of our being light in darkness, rather than just a loud and cranky voice. We've become far too good at complaining and we've grown worse at actually doing good in the world. Even groups who should be working together are addicted to focusing on differences rather than on their common ground. Wouldn't it be better for us to focus on what we can do and then simply do it? Let our actions be the true structure to which our words are only a support. If our actions are about being light, then perhaps our words would follow. Our words themselves wouldn't be the kind of oppositional language which divides and conquers. Our words would themselves offer light, hope, and inspiration, and they'd only be an opposition to injustice thereby.

Rather than complaining about the government mistreating people, why don't we go make friends with those whom the government is mistreating? Jesus didn't get crucified for saying that Rome was evil and that the Jews were bad. It was Jesus' solidarity with those he came to save and his embodied invitation into a better kind of life that made the authorities angry. Jesus said, "take up your cross," it means that our resistance should mirror that of our savior.