A new way of doing life

When you’ve been alive for only

(count your own) days

 

The pathways are rarely clear

Here where the roads keep changing

 

What makes sense on one day

Makes no sense the next

 

And so, to avoid exhaustion, and to deepen rest

Ask yourself

 

These question

 

How would you describe today?

and

 

Have you seen anything interesting on the way?

and

 

Is it working?  Is it working?

Always

Is it working?

                                         Padraig O Tauma

________________________________________________

 

sometimes we go through life on cruise control

we sleep in the same bed

get up at the same time

go through the same daily rituals

 

we eat the same foods

drink the same drinks

 

we watch the same TV shows

think the same thoughts

and our faith

 

well we have imbibed a faith

handed down to us

a faith swallowed whole

 

but there are questions that must be asked

 

hard questions

reflective questions

 

and above all we have to ask

is it working

 

are these values we embrace

are these strategies we have adopted

is this way of life

working?

 

I mean really?

Is our way of living sustainable?

Does it promote life?

Does it produce equity?

Does it create equality?

Does it lead to justice?

 

We are on the road to somewhere, where does it lead?

And if the destination is good, will we all get there, together?

 

Are all things working

Together

For good

 

They might be working for me

White, relatively affluent, educated, Christian

Privileged all the way

 

But are things working

for that black person

that person with mental illness

that addict

that poor person

that ill person?

 

 

These is a reason the virus continues to dominate our country

There is a reason people are protesting in the streets

There are a reason our jails are full

There is a reason people are living on the edge of poverty

There is a reason people are hungry, and homeless

And without health care

 

Because it is NOT working

This way of essential selfishness

This raw worshipping of power

This focus on money

 

It is not working

 

Which is why we need to remember, always

that we are called

as children of God

people of the Spirit

followers of Jesus

 

to embrace a different way of doing life

 

it is all there… in red letters (in my old childhood bible)

it is all there in black and white

we know the way we must live

 

in the power of the Spirit

may we live it