My last column/blog resulted in lots of affirmation, and a little challenge. I appreciated both. As is my wont, I was pushed to consider the challenge more than the affirmation. I鈥檓 not sure about others, but I seem to respond more to challenge, however gently put, than affirmations.
The affirmations were in appreciation of the communities we are building with the help of those who鈥檝e come seeking warmth, love and safety after years of dislocation, deprivation and despair. Those responding are also hopeful that we might change ourselves so much that our governments and corporations who sponsor so much of the difficulties in the world (while also providing some of the foundations of life as we live it) would become warmer, gentler, kinder and loving themselves.
The challenge was in my letting go of the urgency to change things today. To convince those who are our world鈥檚 powers and principalities that we must become people of the deep mystery. People of love and care in all our efforts. There is so much that is so urgent, so much that we must do, right now.
Climate scientists interpret the voices of earth and sky, sea and sun and tell us clearly, in plain language that we must change our ways, or suffer consequences to every aspect of our lives and living. We begin to see the effects for ourselves and still, somehow, our governments and corporations 鈥� extensions of ourselves 鈥� delay. Where we could be mobilized to change overnight (we鈥檝e done it before) we debate. Extending pipelines, fracking, burning more carbon to overload the sky and waste the seas, still on the table, still part of our program for living.
Social scientists interpret the voices of the poor and disadvantaged among us and tell us clearly we must change our ways, or suffer consequences to every aspect of our lives and living. We have the full knowledge of history to inform us of the effects of inequity, of the harms caused to all when many are left to suffer while some are enriched in the world鈥檚 goods and still, somehow, we continue to support systems that perpetuate the problem. Where we should be ending foodbanks and ensuring housing for all, our government, an extension of ourselves, offers farmers one quarter credit for the value of the food they give to the poor, and opens up jails so they may be housed away from the courthouse lawn. All the while deriding advocates who protest the injustice and call for better solutions.
Folk engaged in helping others find a safe haven in our country welcome the supports given by people from every walk of life, generosity outpoured to strangers in need, and then find our government helping itself to some of the funds raised out of widow鈥檚 mites and family funds given for the purpose. In our province refugees who arrive destitute are charged full rate for Medical Services Premiums because they have no BC income statement to prove their destitution to our satisfaction. Those who challenge me are not surprised. We also pay for an MLA to fly from Kelowna to 91原创 by private jet, while cutting the travel subsidy we used to allow folk on disability.
Our National Government, takes centre stage to proclaim its response to the refugee crisis we have helped foster in Syria - we bomb, we provide troops, we sell weapons, we do not call for an United Nations peace making force. The same National Government has pushed other refugee families back down the list. Years back down the list and continues to charge those other refugees for their travel to our safe havens.
There are more challenges, many of them. The bright light in all of this, however, remains the fact that together, we respond. We respond on the ground, in community, in neighbourhoods, in church and in Intercultural Centres. In Temples, Mosques, and town halls, we respond. Yes, our powers and principalities need to be challenged. Yes. But the lesson of the Syrian response in Canada, is that challenge can result in response. Let us work together to widen the challenge, and increase the response.
Write letters, join an interest group, extend a hand of help and care. Do what you are able to extend the mystery of love in this world that is so challenged, and so filled with affirmation.
Keith Simmonds,听
听diaconal minister, Keith serves at Duncan United Church, and as President of the BC Conference of the United Church of Canada. Blogging at ,听he听can also be found at听听Views expressed here are his own, and not necessarily those of the church.听
You can read more from our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking,
