“All over the world people are leaving villages. It is one of the great migrations of history. They leave to find jobs. They leave to escape poverty and toil. They hope to find all the dreams promoted and sold by Western culture. A world of indolence peopled by creature comforts where comfort is confused with happiness and consuming becomes a surrogate for life. But most times the dream becomes a nightmare…..”
By John Taylor
So said Jesus to the lawyer who had quoted scripture about loving God with all your heart, soul, and might, and loving your neighbour as yourself. He asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbour?” Jesus’ answer left no one in doubt. He offered the toughest possible example – a hated, loathed Samaritan as the good neighbour helping a noble Jew in need by the road. The message was clear – the neighbour we should love includes everyone. No exceptions. None.
“Our thoughts and prayers are simply not enough in these times. If we are to be the hands and feet of Christ in our world, we must join together to be at the forefront of work to bring justice to victims of these abuses, but further, we are called as a people to bring change to unjust systems which perpetuate more of the same. “…….
…..“We are called to exemplify the way of Jesus in the world, and through our principles and actions we will guide our communities to understand the Spirit of God in new ways.“
There is a lot of information about the Christmas story that I have learnt over the years, that doesn’t actually appear in the Bible at all. Rather they have been created through artistic creativity and images on Christmas cards, in carols and cultural assumptions which would almost have us swearing that it was written right there in Matthew or Luke.
My meditation teacher Jacqui talks about this thing we all do, every day, that distances us from the present moment. It stops us from connecting with the person in front of us. Our family members. Our pets. Our barista. The friend we’re out to brunch with. The supermarket check out person we give our money to. The people we pass on our morning run. The lonely child at a party. From connecting with ourselves and our feeling in that moment. She calls it ‘mashing’.
