Beside Restful Waters

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Dr. Martin Luther King

When I think of global justice, I usually find myself feeling useless. What can I do about the lack of water in the back countries of Africa? What can I do about racial tensions in major cities? What can I do about pipelines crossing the sacred lands of Native America?

Righteousness (Justice) is not just the private practice of doing good; it sums up the global responsibility of the human community to make sure every human being has what they need, that everyone pursues a fair sense of justice for every other human being, and that everyone lives in right relationship with one another, creation, and God. (Richard Rohr)

Again, I get overwhelmed at my inability to have a global impact on anything. However, I found a sense of purpose later in Richard Rohr’s writing when he explained that all issues of injustice are connected. As Dr. King stated, this is a global connection. The issues of a single family or school system or community are intimately linked.

Each of us, then, is able to impact the justice of the universe with our individual efforts to “befriend the victims of systemic injustice, side with them, listen to their stories, let their pain break our hearts, join the movements to end injustice, tithe our money to the cause, and commit ourselves to the struggle…”

Our impact will occur one person at a time. I don’t need to be in a march of thousands or millions, yet this may be an option. I don’t need to be on the community or global stage, though we may have this opportunity. I can trust in the simplicity of life in my world and the opportunities my Higher Power offers to me.

I will commit to one or two of the issues of injustice as I encounter them. I will strengthen my commitment to these opportunities with the confidence that our connection to the global needs will evolve as directed by God. Again, I am reminded of our relationships and that each one of us is related to others, who are related to others…... This is, we are precisely who will make our global community an effective energy of change.

Those of us who chance to meet beside the restful waters will make efforts to reassure each other that our individual commitments are indeed profound and necessary. Our collective energy is moving mountains. Our collective energy is contributing to the creative revelation of our Higher Power’s intention to engage in the kingdom here on earth.

Thank you.

Namaste’