Initially I entitled today’s service “Pushing Further Into the Dark.” It was a continuation from a couple weeks ago when, for Fall Equinox, we talked about Turning Toward the Dark.
“The dark” was not so much about good vs evil / light vs dark as much as choosing to step into that which is less known and less comfortable. This was all in the context of the invitation to engage with others whose perspectives may not match yours.
Thus, the original plan was to entitle the service “Pushing Further into the Dark” … challenging ourselves to push with more intention to interact with the others.
The idea of wholeness – Leaning in the Dark Toward Wholeness – was added because of the significance of wholeness in this process… recognizing that we, as parts of this sacred human species, made in God’s likeness…we are not whole without each other (yes, even the other in that ‘each other’).
Jesus frequently spoke of wholeness, especially when it came to healing. I’m thinking of the man at the healing pool in Bethesda who was too immobile to get himself into the water.
Jesus sees the man lying there and learns that he has been in this condition for a long time. So, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
The man responds that he can’t get in the water, and others keep going past him to get in. Jesus then gets right down to it and says, ‘You’re healed, be on your way.’ And so, the man did.
Later Jesus bumps into him at the temple and says, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
Two hugely important things Jesus says here. One is…Do you really want this situation of yours to get better?
And the second is… If so, stop removing yourself from grace, because if you don’t your body will suffer even more.
It’s a good story, and it certainly can apply to our physical self-care, and becoming whole in that way. But that’s not our focus today.
This story is a great metaphor for us, as the body of the United States of Americans, because, like the man, there is a grave illness within our body, rendering us literally immobile (it’s called a government shutdown).
The things we talk about on Sunday, reflecting on Jesus’ message and what love looks like across religions…it all has the power to heal this ailing body.
But we have to want it and be willing to choose it.
Do you remember during the Equinox reflection that I posed the question “Do you truly believe that leaning into the other has potential to make a difference?”
I have another question today. It’s just as pointed.
It’s a Jesus question… Do you really want this body to be healed?
Notice the question isn’t if you want your perspective to win out.
The question is…Do you truly wish for healing and wholeness?
Keep in mind, when I say wholeness of our nation’s body, I’m certainly not talking about perfection, or even unity of thinking.
Jesus never spoke of a goal of flawlessness. What he did say was… Stop doing what’s making you sick, or you’re going to get sicker. And that’s what’s happening in this country right now.
Each of us has a choice about how sick our American body is, and what we do to work toward wholeness.
Jane Goodall (may she rest in peace) said it well… “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Each of us have the opportunity to make a difference. Including, say, Sean Penn, who has an idea about what to do.
In a recent interview, he observed that there was something unique about the killing of Charlie Kirk, because Kirk wasn’t what Penn calls a salesman, but instead truly believed what he stood for.
Penn (a strong liberal) goes on to say, We need that guy. We need that debate. We’ve gotta fight it out and find a compromise. These things [what’s happening in our country right now] do come into fashion, and the way we kill the fashion of it is people of conscience on both sides recognizing that if somebody really believes something, that’s your friend.
I think in this country, if this can be a turning point, this Charlie Kirk thing, it’s understanding that we are not going to be what we were before. We can be better, we can be worse. But what’s going to be the architecture of the new America?
We won’t be what we were before. Indeed, it often feels like we’re in unchartered territory. And each of us have to decide what kind of a difference, if any, we’re going to make.
There are public ways, such as leaning into the other by attending a Coffee and Conversation gathering, held every Tuesday morning at the McLean County GOP headquarters. Yeah, it’s a thing.
And then there are the more private opportunities to lean in, to explore with people who think differently.
To explore and exchange, and hopefully expand, and then excel in the process of healing this ailing body.
I want today to be a chorus of voices, not only mine but yours too, as we share experiences and ideas in response to the invitation to lean in.
I invite your thoughts about what you’ve heard today, or better yet, any wisdom you’ve gained from attempting to lean in.
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