Grace

I find I don't have much grace for some segments of society these days...that is my shame. I just can't seem to comprehend those who claim to follow Jesus to also be defenders of capitalism.  Our country is more polarized than ever.  The current crisis seems to bring out the worst in people, myself included.  It makes me want to run back to places where I found like minds and hearts.  And further isolate myself.  This is hard, hard time. 
The Grace Year reminds me of our society in many ways.  Before COVID19 there seemed to be a start, something glowing, something beginning, where people who had never had much say before, the marginalized, were rising up and things were moving, and dawn was breaking even among such shameless hate and greed and division and "us" and "them" mentality.  But now I wonder what will happen.  There is even more need for acceptance and affirmation and love and unity, but if I am any indication, I simply want to flee back to safe places.  I simply want to listen to Jesus and those who attempt to follow His words.  I simply want to draw strength from them instead of trying to be Christ to those who seem so sure that it is legitimate to ask "what is worth more, saving lives or saving the economy?" and "what difference does it make if COVID19 breaks out among the incarcerated and the undocumented?" and those who say, "These are the end times all the signs are here!"  And I am sure they don't want to hear from me, either! 
But I digress.  The Grace Year was quite good.  It was disturbing but hopeful. But it is one of those books that I would have read in 2015 and thought, "Things will never be this bad!  This is dystopian fiction!" and now I read it and think, "This is realistic fiction."  and I wonder if in a few months I will look back on it and think, "This is uptopia."  Because things are getting worse.  Fortunately God is still God.  God weeps with us.
God created ALL of us in God's image and we can grow into God's likeness by following Jesus's example.  And we are filled with the Holy Spirit who empowers us to treat ALL of God's in accordance with who they are --- GOD's children. 
Sometimes we forget that Christ is not Jesus's last name. 
Jesus is God come in the flesh.
Christ in the incarnation of God.
The first incarnation of God is creation.  We are called to be Christ in this world.
Now Jesus was different!  I mean, Jesus is God!  But Christ is a bigger thing.  It is complicated.  But it is an old alternative orthodoxy.  One book that really helps to break it all down is The Universal Christ.  I recommend this so highly.
I am scattered today.  I imagine we all are.
Much love,
Ing