I might be wrong

"One is

in one’s worst state

when one considered himself or herself

.... good and pious. "

- Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya

________________________________

what I know is that I do not know

what I understand, is that I am a beautiful and terrible mixture

of strength and weakness

intelligence and rank stupidity

persistence and irresolute

faithful and doubting

and I know, that this is good

for when I forget that I might be wrong

and might be selfish

and might be controlling

then I am likely to be a danger

to myself and others

the error of those who resisted Jesus

was not that they did not believe

nor was it that they did not want to be “holy”

they were not people of evil intent

but they were people who did not understand

that there is no hierarchy in the kingdom

we are all “in Christ”

all participants in something we cannot begin to understand

or define

something that permeates creation

and permeates each one of us

and we all have one job

to awaken to this Presence as best we can

give this Power (we call it The Spirit) room to move

and then live accordingly

as best we can

(Jesus is our model)

So we cannot say

As those who stood on the street corner, aloof and proud

We cannot say from pulpits high

Or from the safety of our pews

“Thank God I am not like them”

For we are.

We can not say

“There but for the grace of God go I”

But must instead understand, that at a profound level

“There am I”

Call it Spiritual humility

Call it theological flexibility

Call it what you will

I often think of the story Jesus tells

of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

I hate the way the story ends

So I want to write a new end to this story

I don’t want the Pharisee to go away, arrogant, entrenched and separated

I don’t want the tax collector to go away, still, perhaps,

wondering if he is really loved by God

And still outside the circle, still trapped in his old life.

I want the Pharisee and the tax collector to move toward each other

For the Pharisee to come down off those steps (move away from the Temple)

And the Tax Collector to move out of his hiding place, out of his place of shame (get out of the gutter)

I would like to think of them, meeting, perhaps in the middle of the road

Standing ankle deep in dust

And hugging, perhaps crying

Both aware of their failure, yes, but both aware, so aware of God

of God’s love, and God’s power

And aware of, and open to, each other

I would like to think of them standing there, together

There in the middle of the road,

Bound together by love