A Piece of Mike Mind
In this month when our Whole SoUUl Living Theme is Spiritual Practices, I am thinking about reciprocity, the counter-cultural discipline of mutual relationships, understanding where things come from and what makes for right relationships among people and the Earth. More specifically, I’m thinking of reciprocity in the context of the news this week and the morally egregious, un-reciprocal Senate hearing that featured Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh.
For the record and for what it’s worth, she was the far more believable in my humble opinion. I’ve known people like Brett Kavanaugh. I’ve played on sports teams, changed in locker rooms, been in conference rooms, and argued politics and principles with people like him. Probably so have you. He may even be telling the truth that he doesn’t remember, but I don’t believe him when he says he’s innocent.
One of the more moving things I’ve read this week was written by a local pastor here in Denver, Rev. Reagan Humbler:
8 Beatitudes and 4 Woes for September 28, 2018
Blessed are those who get pushed into bedrooms and thrown to the floor, for they will stand tall.
Blessed are those whose mouths are covered and are told to shut the fuck up, for they will be heard.
Blessed are those whose screams are buried behind blaring stereos and locked doors, for their shouts will silence the powerful and bring walls tumbling down.
Blessed are those who run home crying and never tell, for they will speak and be healed.
Blessed are those whose "friends" stand over them and laugh, for theirs is the last laugh.
Blessed are those who are told to get over it but never will, for they are not alone.
Blessed are those who hear and believe, for they will see God making all things new.
And blessed are YOU, when people call you slut, party girl, easy and say all manner of evil against you because of the image of God revealed in you. Rejoice and shout back! For all the company of heaven shouts with you, and you have joined their triumphal song.
---------------------------------But woe to you who think that's just the way things are, for things are changing.
Woe to you who always get what you came for, for now they're coming for you.
Woe to you who pop your collar and say she was asking for it, for she's been taking names.
And woe to the quarterbacks, the choirboys, the valedictorians and all the good guys who no one thinks "would ever do such a thing," for it just so turns out that you're not so special after all. Welcome to the human race.