Dear Friends,
How are you?
I checked to see if my passport was current yesterday as I watched some of the Republican Convention and reports of the attempted assassination of a candidate for president, Donald Trump. Dictatorships can come forth in countries overnight. Yesterday I imagined packing my toothbrush and lap top computer in a small backpack and driving north to the Canadian border and walking across the border at night. My husband thinks this is bad idea. The dangers in our world are escalating fast and Walt and I have committed to creating a local community of resistance in Oregon.
If people are rounded up for deportation, well, it will not be safe for any of us. I am trying to practice love and forgiveness to the many imperfect, annoying, often hurtful and violent people in my life, both people I know and our human family. I am ashamed how often I fail and am a lot like them. I do not want to become like my enemies. I find this very difficult which is why I need the teachings of Jesus now more than ever before.
Mary Magdalene was a refugee that became a spiritual teacher. She gives me courage and inspiration. Mary witnessed Jesus being tortured and murdered, escaped and became a refugee in France. Many good scholars agree on this new story based on newly found gnostic gospels. She stayed true to her north star of love - even love of her enemies. The story of Jesus and Mary Magdlene has resurrected after thousands of years after being hidden and left out. Come hear their love story as we celebrate her Feast Day this Sunday. Jesus and Mary Magdalene taught us to love one another. Love is always a partnership, never about domination. Millions are refugees today because of systems of domination and war that are producing violence, genocide, ecologic catastrophes, fire, floods, famine and sooner than anyone predicted. Let's not vilify any one person during our earth crisis. We have a spiritual crisis as a human family. God calls us to stay true to our spiritual practice in any of the ancient wisdom traditions. Many of us have given up on traditional Christianity but continue to be disciples of the teachings of Jesus.
We are experiencing the decay of our American corporate culture, addicted to violence and war that has "vomited up Trump" as Chris Hedges says. I am committed to living nonviolently and in radical love as we work to end what Walter Wink calls the Domination System. "It is the way God has chosen to overthrow evil in the world. And the same God who calls us to nonviolence gives us the power to carry it out." (Walter Wink, The Powers That Be: Theology for a New Millennium) Reading Wink gives me hope and courage and a way to live during this historic time.
Jesus and Mary Magdelene love story is about love that is stronger than any suffering and even death. We will have an anointing ritual and ask for God's blessing on a discipleship of radical love, nonviolence and even love of our enemies. I feel confident Mary Magdalene did not waste time vilifying Pontius Pilot as the person responsible for the evils of the Roman Empire. We stand with Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Walter Wink and other saints who taught us that the real enemy is myths of redemptive violence and the domination systems. There are no just wars, no just rape, no just child abuse. "Christians do not live nonviolently in order to be saved, or in order to live up to an absolute ethical norm, but because we want to end the Domination System. We eschew violence because we do not wish to extend by even one day the reign of violence in the world. Nonviolence is not a matter of legalism but of discipleship." (Walter Wink, The Powers That Be: Theology for a New Millennium)
Etty Hillesum was a Dutch Jew anticipating her deportation to a “work camp” that proved to be a death chamber. Her prayer is my prayer for all of us.
Dear God, "I shall try to help You, God, to stop my strength ebbing away, though I cannot vouch for it in advance. But one thing is becoming increasingly clear to me: that You cannot help us, that we must help You to help ourselves. And that is all we can manage these days and also all that really matters: that we safeguard that little piece of You, God, in ourselves. And perhaps in others as well. Alas, there doesn’t seem to be much You Yourself can do about our circumstances, about our lives. Neither do I hold You responsible. You cannot help us but we must help You and defend Your dwelling place inside us to the last." Amen, May it be so and Blessed Be.
Zoom Link Church for Our Common Home worship 4 pm pst
We will sing the love song, I Come to the Garden Alone by C. Michael Hawn (adapted by Bonnie)
I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses, and the voice I hear, falling on my ear is Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
(Chorus) And THEY walk with me, And THEY talk with me. And THEY tell me I am THEIR own. And the joy we share as we tarry there. None other has ever known.
From my heart to your heart in love, Rev. Bonnie TarwaterMinister Church for Our Common Home 15435 Strong Road Dallas, Oregon 97338 Zoom ID 3025719458(858) 248-5123, revtarwater@yahoo.com www.churchforourcommonhome.com
P. S. Earth Crisis Support Group Potluck Party after church every Sunday in Dallas Oregon, 5-7 pm. Co-sponsored by Our Common Home Counseling Center www.ourcommonhomecounselingcenter.org and the Living Earth Movement, www.livingearthmovenet.eco..