Minnesotans: You are amazing. “You have been called for such a time as this!” * I used to hear this prophetic word used, usually quite erroneously because it was used as self-congratulatory hogwash and egotistical justification for someone in power in the temples of a staid and self-complacent Christianity. But it was first said to a Hebrew woman named Esther, who while a queen, had all the power that women of her day had, which is to say, Zilch! Zero! None — that is compared to the great powers of the Persian Empire in which she and other Hebrew exiles lived in. * Are you all feeling as I am, that we have been exiled from our homeland? * So Esther did what Minnesotans are doing today, and other people across America and the World are doing — she fought for social justice and a moral worldview through peaceful resistance. That is also, by the way, one of the number one teachings of Jesus: “Turn the other cheek. Treat your enemy with love — the only thing that can change the tide of hatred. Of course, we never imagined that our enemy would be our own government and not some other nation’s; and we never imagined our own primary religion of Christianity would be used by so many to support a worldview that is so antithetical to the teachings and life of its founder or its God, but of course, that too, is what happened to Jesus. * Minnesota: I am awed, I am proud (especially as a born and raised Midwesterner). I am astounded at the collective and communal peaceful, ethical force of the Minnesotans understanding that Truth, Justice, and People matter and being willing to risk everything for it. This is what the prophet in the ancient book of Esther tells her: “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for your people will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). That is YOU, Minnesotans. * My words fail me but I thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul for standing together for all of us in this dire and tragic time. I am so sorry you have had to go through this (And I don’t know any one else who is so hardy and strong they could do it in sub-zero temperatures!) But I thank you for answering the call and leading the way. I mourn with you, and for your many martyrs, including the horrendous and very public murders and martyrdom of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
In my little patch of the greater Los Angeles area, I am not only praying and lifting you up daily, but trying to do my small part, though I fear I have not one particle of the heroism so many of you show daily. We kindred souls weep for each and all of you and we cheer for you. We thank you for rising to the challenge of the position you have, through no actions of your own, been placed. Like Esther, you are risking your very lives for the lives of others. Like Jesus, you are risking your very lives for the lives of the least and lost. * I hope the rest of the world sees that YOU, Minnesotans, are what Americans are, want to be, and can be. I applaud the actions and words of your Governor and Mayors, even the Republican senator who said he could. no longer take part in the evils of his chosen party — but most of all, I am awed by the small actions of the anonymous daily warriors of truth, justice, peace, Midwestern common sense, for Pete’s sake, and love for each other and for your neighbors — and what may seem like small actions have created a Red Sea Flood that will overcome the soldiers of Empire and evils of this hour. Justice will roll down like waters! * I rejoice that little did this foolish federal administration know, they had chosen the wrong people for this evil fascist empire experiment. Minnesotans: “YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS”. We love you for your strength to save us all.
Today I am struggling with this conundrum. I grew up in a pretty different American Christianity and very different America — in the “heart-land”, “Bible-belt” of the Midwest (for you Coastal folks, that’s still your fly-over zone). Were there problems? Yep. Was there error and misunderstandings about Christ’s life and message? Our Mea Culpa. But there was one phrase — (God bless whoever first came up with it) — that became a reminder, words of instruction and wisdom along the way, and shorthand for everything we were supposed to do to walk in The Way of the Christ. People had bumper stickers and acronyms on necklaces and t-shirts and for those of you young-ones watching the insanity today of people claiming Christianity as their belief-system or you who did not ever hear the catchy Catch-phrases of a Christianity once trying to live like Christ, this is what we thought was really the basis for, as Francis Schaeffer once wrote, “How we should then live”. What we said to ourselves and each other in moments of decision was this: “What Would Jesus Do?” WWJD? * I was so very happy to see the priests, and pastors, and rabbis, and imams gather in MN — coming from near and far, just as the Magi did — to stand for what Jesus would have stood for and did with his life here on Earth. I am heartened to see so many people, in Minnesota, in Maine, in Los Angeles, in Oregon, and throughout Europe and Canada and the world — who may have never really heard much about Christ and also those who have a different doctrinal worldview or what we call “religion” and who are standing up for what all people of God believe in: Love above all, Sacrifice for Truth and what is Right, and treating others as you would want to be treated. And of course, for some, that includes What does God want me, as a human being who loves and serves Him, do with this one small life of mine? WWJD? * If you have never read about what we know about Jesus and what he taught and did, it is worth a look — some even believe it is worth risking their own lives for, as Renee Good did and as many who have been abused and beaten by the long arm of an evil empire are doing today throughout the world and in our own backyard. I am trying to take a new look in my own life, at what this very intriguing and unique person, Jesus, actually did and said and thought. He had a different kind of wisdom about how to live and I think it had a lot to do with “how we humans should now live” according to what is not just God’s way, but Our true and best way. Smart guy in a strange kind of “smart” Way. Rumors have it he was even the Son of God. So it makes sense if you know about him and think he had any valid points to ask yourself: What Would Jesus Do? WWJD? Right?
* And so I ask some of you who I think you think you still “believe” in this idea of Christianity and of Jesus as The Christ — beyond what you believe — what do you think you should DO? Are you saying you are no longer of the opinion that when you see someone murdered for standing up for what Jesus called “the least and the lost” that Jesus would condone that and support it? Are you saying when you hear the words of hatred, racism, violence, and verifiable and endless lies and you repeat them and give them credence that you can say that is what Jesus Would Say? When you see children, the children that Jesus said “let them come unto me” and whom Jesus said that “unless we become like little children we cannot enter the kingdom of God” — are you saying that Jesus would say that’s okay because he didn’t mean that color of chlld, or a child of those kinds of parents, or…. ? Please forgive me but I am just so confused about what you say you believe. WWJD? * You can see, my mind is truly boggled. Because I sat in your pews, and I ate at your tables, I taught and thought and bought it all — and I talked the talked with the best of them. But I just didn’t realize that we were not Jesus’ disciples, but the “blind guides” and dead cemetery stones, just like the Pharisees and Sadduccees of the days of Jesus’ own history here on Planet Earth. Mea Maxima Culpa. But I thank God, that I left “Christianity” in time to hopefully find Christ. I hope you can too, my friends. I really do. * Maybe it is too hard for some of you to admit you were wrong. We used to have another belief in the Christianity of my youth: “If you will confess your wrong -headedness (sins) and turn from your evil (broken, mistaken, selfish) ways, you will be forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness (misguidedness, greedy, self-centered, egotistical or just plain foolish choices)”. I know it to be true, because as a great “sinner” myself (broken, wrong-headed, miss-stepping, tripping over myself, ego-driven, and weak-spirited, and very, simply struggling, learning often the hard way, Human Doing), she who has “sinned much” has been forgiven much.
*
It took only a handful of people to spread the Good News of the human being we call Jesus (for you young ones, that was before internet, cellphones, and Tik-Tok. Yes, I know, it’s going to be okay — have your parent get you a cold glass of water and lie down for a while. You’ll get over the shock.) I hope and pray that today’s “handful” of people who are trying to turn this Titanic around will succeed — I believe it has been done before and so I have to believe it can be done again. The Davids of this world have defeated the Goliaths before. It happened during the civil rights movement. It happened when the Berlin wall fell. It happened in a stable in Bethlehem. But for the rest of us — maybe for some of you reading this far — I just have to ask…
*
What Would Jesus Do? * Can we try to recalibrate our beliefs and hop back on the Narrow Way? Can we start making popular again in our pews and synagogues and mosques the idea that we should be asking not what we should believe but how we should now live? And can some of us, who at least maybe when we were children, used to ask ourselves What Would Jesus Do? Can we ask it — and mean it — and start to step out in faith doing it?
*
I am not proselytizing, so please hear these words differently than you may have heard them before from people who want to “save” us but don’t want to suffer with us as Jesus told us to do; as Jesus did. He suffered with us. But he also partied with us. He experienced everything we did in life and still came out believing in a God of Love and that all we had to do to live the right way was to Love. So I ask this with humbleness of those who don’t know Jesus and those who say they do: Who is your Jesus? Who is your “Savior”? Maybe it isn’t the man we know as Jesus that some call The Christ. Maybe it is but by a different name in a different culture in a different part of the world. Maybe it isn’t any one you can name or think of or even believe in. But if you are feeling that today, in your world, in your life, you need someone to show you a different, better, more sustainable, wise, caring, peace-giving and love-promoting way; if you are feeling that today, you need some kind of radical and very different kind of Hero, than the wanna-be saviors and heroes today masquerading as emperors with no clothes or rich people with no souls; then I have a humble suggestion. I am finding it enlightening and wonder-full (full of mysterious Wonder) in an anxious, fearful, sorrowful world to read about the life of one man who was called Jesus and to ask myself moment by precious moment:
This is my poor attempt today to wrestle with some of the brilliant, enlightening thoughts of Joseph Campbell and Richard Rohr and of course, some of the great myths and stories of questers and seekers and heroes.
*
We foolish mortals who think the prize
is in being a queen or a king
so we miss the boat
and we blind our own eyes
and mistake the Soul’s Odessey
for ego-trips and small I’s.
We search and we search for that one special thing
I like traditions — well, many of them I do, (not a real fan of having a colonoscopy every 5–10 years, but I do it). This is one of the most tradition-full seasons of the year, at least in America. And yet, America and other kingdoms on earth are now undergoing, as never before perhaps, a time when traditions are being bucked to a rather outrageous and dangerous degree because truth and love are being bucked to a dangerous and insane degree. But one of my long-held traditions, as many of you have, has been writing a letter to friends and family that wish you felicitations for the season we call Christ-mas or Holy-days and to encourage you to have a good year in the next reincarnation of our calendars. And so it is this year, that I write again.
Sometimes I don’t feel like writing, especially when this season’s exceptional story of God’s Love seems so far from the religions and nations that claim it to be true; but I do appreciate all the traditions that try to keep this story alive — the nativity sets, the fragrant Ever-greens, the car rides to see neighborhoods decorated like electricity was free this time of year in honor of The Light of the World; the candy and cookies and sleigh bells ringing, the carols about Peace on Earth; and songs about St. Nick, giver of gifts to rich and poor alike — all the symbols that speak of joy and community; and of freedom, and kindness and generosity and care; of sacrifices for future generations and humble righteousness defeating power and greed for the benefit of humanity and the human good; and of love that has no barriers, no agenda, no judgement — because it is the love told and symbolized in the story of a helpless baby and his struggling mother and father. It is a Love that endures this life’s suffering and pain because of anticipated joy. I was incredibly blessed to go through the pain of child-birth four times, and let me tell you, there is nothing, no pain as agonizing as letting a new little human being struggle her or his way out of your body into the world — but the anticipation of going through that pain to the absolute joy you experience when it is over is worth every excruciating moment. I love that this season centers around that pain leading to joy because of love: the universal, very human story. As a long-time Literature-Geek, perhaps most of all, I love the symbols and metaphors and True Truths of stories and story-tellers that have those themes and unseen, but not unrealized, truths that transcend the place, time, and culture in which they were written and become ever-living testaments to what all humans seek and all wise ones find. And this season has some of the best stories ever written which can point us to True Truth — if we know how to listen with our hearts.
For me, though, the best part of this season has always been the anticipatory aspects of it; I love Advent. Traditionally, this year, my hubby and I gave all our adult kids Trader Joe Advent calendars. I have squirreled away stocking stuffer gifts from “Santa” and look forward to the family opening their stockings on Christmas morning (sometimes more like noon now by the time they can gather from their homes), and some of “Santa’s” gifts will be met with the surprise of “Oh, I love this!” and some will immediately mentally go into their “To be regifted later” pile. I don’t care; it’s the journey to the opening that counts. The house is decorated with all the traditional things in “hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be here” — the tree has ornaments the kids made in Sunday School, although some of the stars are missing a point, and the glitter ratio on most is diminished; I have the little ceramic table-top Christmas tree that lights up that a neighbor gave me years ago which reminds me of the one my Grandma Gladys used to have; and the nativity that my Mom gave me my first Christmas as a mom myself; and a ratty old four-foot stuffed Santa I have had since I was a one-year-old whose stuffed body has seen better days (as has mine, which is maybe why I like it so much). But my favorite tradition that I keep year after year, despite the fearful rumblings in the world, despite the personal trials or tribulations, despite my age, or despite the suffering of people I know and of those I don’t know — the tradition I keep despite any of that, despite my very own self — is the tradition of Anticipation. At odd times, like when I am doing the dishes, or lying in bed wondering if today will be the day the world’s insanity stops and we will all choose to turn it around in time, or when I am convincing myself that “yes, I do really want to head out at dawn again for my run”; or when I am snuggled up next to Raoul thinking about not a whole lot except how glad I am to have him with me all these many years and also just in this very present moment — sometimes — out of the blue — my heart will start pounding like a little drummer boy, (and at my age, you do worry when that happens); but then I remember — that is how one’s heart feels when there is a sense — not a thought — not a belief — not a doctrine — not a law — not a government instituted program — but a Sense — that something Good is coming. When the heart flutters like a butterfly taking flight, it is a sign that wherever and whenever human beings still anticipate that good things are just up ahead, that no matter how dark things may seem, that the Light of Truth will “Dawn” and that a Star will always dispel the darkest night, and that the truest symbol of all our truths can be found in the story of a mother giving birth to a New Life. When we can trust that the Heart of Love never lies then we can anticipate that tomorrow will shine forth with what a little baby-in-a-manger story teaches us — that Love wins. Love always wins.
Happy Advent: the season of the heart. May the stories of this season, and the examples of all those who came before us bringing truth, goodness, peace, and love, fill you in unexpected times and inexplicably joyful ways, with hope and peace — enough for you to give birth to your own renewed, and eternally-blessed Love.
May we live in the hopeful expectation that just around the proverbial corner, one day we shall have Peace on Earth and Good-will for All. May your hearts flutter at unexpected times with a sense beyond words, beyond explanation even, that God is Good and that we small, little specks in the Cosmos, we here and now and on-call-today human beings have what it takes to bring heaven to Earth, because somewhere deep inside, just like the story of heaven incarnated on earth in the manger scene, we each have the divinely-given desire and capability to Love. And Love always wins.
Jane Tawel 