"...A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord - but the Lord was not in the wind.  After the wind there was an earthquake - but the Lord was not in the earhtquake.  After the earthquake there was fire - but the Lord was not in the fire.   After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.  When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave."  1 Kings 19:11-13

"Is rael's long pilgrimage out of domination began at the Exodus from Egypt and was refined by the prophets.  Then the prophetic vision of a domain freed from the ra vages of war - of swords beaten into plowshares - reached its greatest clarity in Jesus...In his extraordinary concern for the outcsts and marginalized, in his wholly unconventional treatment of women, in his love of children, in his rejection of the belief that high - ranking men are the favorites of God, in his subversive proclamation of a new order in which domination will give way to compassion and communion, Jesus brought to fruition the prophetic longing for the 'kingdom of God' an expresson we might paraphrse as 'God's domination-free order.'"  Walter Wink The Powers That Be

What will it take for us to let go of the need to dominate and the idea that might makes right?

But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.  Mt. 13;23 

First we have to hear the word.  This presupposes a regular reading of the scriptures and time for reflection and prayer.  The word has to soak in and change us.  As St. Paul says it, "put on the mind of Christ". 

So how did it happen that in Germany, a country full of Christians, the horror of the holocaust was allowed to unfold?   And in this country we accept the reality that many people have to live stuck in poverty.  In Alabama, a state in the so-called bible belt, there is no outcry about the fact that poor people cannot get adequate legal help when accused of a capital crime while the state continues to execute a higher porportion of its citizens than any other state. 

When Dr. Phillip Alston, an Australian fellow, professor of law at New York University and the U.N. Human rights council special envoy on executions visited the state recently he was shocked to find that "Government officials seem strikingly indifferent to the risk of executing innocent people and have a range of standard responses, most of which are charactirized by a refusal to engage with the facts."

It seems we need to do a lot more listening to the Word.   It has not taken root!

"I hear the whisperings of many: 'Terror on every side!  Denounce! Let us denounce him!'..."                                                                                                        Jer. 20:10

"Fear no one...What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops"  Mt. 10:26-27.

But we are afraid aren't we?  Generally we don't have to fear for our lives as did Jeremiah but we are afraid of being misunderstood, of jeoprodizing our status in work or society.   We are certainly not shouting the "good news" from housetops.  Jesus makes it clear that being his disciple is a total commitment.  Yet we find ways to accomodate to all kinds of social injustice: poverty, war, racism and greed.  Let's decide to do something to help us live up to our call by challenging the status quo.  Check out Alabama Arise, www.alarise.org  or Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform, www.constitutionalreform.org .  Join others who are trying to establish the reign of God in our world.

God proves his love for us in that while we were still siners Christ died for us. Rom.5:7

we humans seem to be hot wired to see ourselves as better than certain others.  But over and over our Christian scriptures remind us that we are sinners and that we need to deal with one another with mercy.  People getting out of prison need help to get on the right path.  They need an official ID, a place to stay, help finding a job and transportation.  The Lord is inviting us to reach out to these lost sheep. 

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus' heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Mt. 9:36 

Jesus sent out the twelve, ...preach as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. .." Mt. 10:7-8

Governor Riley is giving us an opportunity to do our part to carry out this mission.  He is asking members of the faith community to help reduce the prison population!  Over 60% of inmates are repeat offenders.  Each year 10,000 are released from state prisons.  Many individuals could be saved with some support from the community.  Check out www.alabamacprnetwork.com to see how your faith group can help get some some of these folks pointed in the right direction.

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