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| "Holding Hands in Solidarity" - Photo by Trista Wynne |
Hopkins says that his desire for freedom for all peoples flows forth out of his particularity – in his case, from being a second generation black theologian. I might very well say a similar thing regarding my personhood as a woman theologian with a liberation slant. And that, I think is where I am drawn into reflection this evening.
A woman in the empire – that is one way to describe me. I am a woman, and I was born into an empire, one that appears at this point to be on the verge of implosion. Whether or not that will happen in my lifetime remains to be seen, but one way or another, I, as a woman theologian with a liberation slant in the twenty-first century of our Lord, am called to play a specific role in the preparation or recovery. I may or may not have a large impact on a large number of people or any governmental structures, (I leave the specifics to my Beloved) but I do know for certain that I am to live as a light-bearer and bringer of hope. To a self-absorbed people group obsessed with success, I have been gifted with writing, art, poetry, song and, occasionally dance and speech, both as a critique and as a healing balm.
Out from my own heart, where experience, faith, observation and knowledge of my Beloved dwells, a river of tears flows forth, a veritable tidal wave of emotion, on behalf of a broken world because I, myself, know what it means to be broken.
I have never understood how people can walk out of the service on Good Friday and jovially enter into conversation with one another! Why would they leave You when You’re broken, my Love?! How can they turn their backs on You? Does Your Spirit not call to them? Aren’t they moved with deep distress by Your cries still echoing throughout the world?!
The whole world knows the pain of the cross – they feel it in their everyday lives. What they are lacking is the joy of Your resurrection and the power of Your freedom and love! But we, who were born into freedom, ignore their plight and thus we ignore our own joy, and we neglect love completely. You, Beloved, are rejected again and again; but still You call.
O Sweet Jesus, when will Your voice be heard? When will freedom and justice and peace and plenty be evenly distributed among the nations? When will we all know how intimately we are connected in You? When will we be free from fear and come to embrace the fullness of life in You?
O Precious Lover, share me with whomever You wish; I desire for You to be known and to release You to the world. O Spirit, Sophia, Comforter, Guide – spread the seeds of the Kingdom far and wide; I desire to labor together with You in the world. O Father, our Papa, our Blessed Creator, quicken my mind, spirit, body and heart; enliven them more fully so I can best serve You. Triune God who holds all of creation within the palm of Your hand, You love us with an everlasting love! I deeply desire to share this love with others; infuse me with an ever-deepening understanding (body, mind and spirit) of Your being. O let me become more like You, Love! Let there be less and less distinction between us so that others around me might see through me to You!
Disperse self-centeredness; infuse servant compassion. Disperse darkness; infuse light. Disperse death; infuse life. Amen.
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