Skip to main content

Week 4 of Advent

 Longing for Justice

"That's not fair!"  The desire expressed by this statement seems hard-wired into every person.  We long for our circumstances to be just, for people to conduct themselves in a manner that we experience as right, for things to turn out in a way that we can call "good."


And we have a picture of what life will look like when that happens.  We may not even be aware of this vision, but when we find ourselves inclined to say, "that's not fair," it signals that what's in front of us and what we envision are not lining up.


Our longing for things to be fair, right, and good is sometimes viewed as evidence of immaturity or selfishness.  And this can certainly be the case.  As believers, we are called to align our vision of what is right with God's vision.


The prophet Isaiah provides a vision of the justice God wants for the world.  He names Jesus as the one through whom these visions will become reality (chapters 9, 42, 58, 61).  Christ quotes some of these scriptures as a way of confirming himself as the promised justice-bringer (Luke 4).


Jesus' arrival on earth reveals that our longing for things to be right in the world is a God-given one.  His presence tells us it isn't foolish to hope that our ache for justice will find relief.  


Yet we must also remember it took hundreds of years for Isaiah's hope-stirring promise to become reality.  Then, only three decades later, the justice-bringer willingly suffered the greatest injustice of all time.


The rhythms of Christ's long-expected birth, short life, and unjust death--even his  miraculous resurrection and, soon after, ascension--punctuate the gap between what we hope for and a final fulfillment of that hope.


Someday it will no longer be necessary to keep the hope for justice alive in our hearts.  But not yet.

  • Where in your world do you see a lack of justice?  Where do you find yourself thinking, saying, or praying, "that's not fair."
  • What happens in your heart--to your hope-when justice seems slow to arrive?

If there is a word, a phrase, or a prayer that expresses your response to these questions, you are invited to post them here, or bring them as we gather for the third Sunday of Advent.


You are also invited to listen to the teaching from the third Sunday of Advent at All Souls--A Holy Longing:  Longing for Justice.


"Longing for Justice" devotional by Anne Lowry Pharr

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 1 of Advent

What do you want? John’s gospel records this question as  Christ’s first words  to   those  who would soon become his disciples (1:38).   It   was an invitation -- not  just  to  pause and   reflect   on  what they  longed  for,  no t  just  to   see  those longings , but to say them  out loud .  With this question, Jesus invited these men to name the desires of their soul—and  not just to anyone, but  to  someone t hey understood to be the very Lamb of God.       Some interpret Christ’s question  as  “’What do you seek?’”    To seek something  means it has value.   If we  seek   something,  it is important enough for us to  put our desire into action, to pursue it.    To   seek something  often   means working .   But   seeking   can  also  in volve  waiting .   In all of our seeking and wanting,   work ing   and   waiting ,  we are hoping.  Sometimes our  hope  is  like  a light that shines, bright and strong .  But t here  may also be  moments—or seasons-- when  shadows  of  disappo
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 2 of Advent

A Different Way to Pray Many years ago at a retreat, I was introduced to a new way of praying.  Rather than using words, we were led in a series of physical postures:        Standing, we placed the palms of our hands over our hearts.         We then lifted our arms overhead, open-palmed.         Arms still lifted and palms open, we paused.         Next, we brought our cupped hands back to our hearts.         Then, we extended our open palms in front of our bodies.           We closed by again lifting our hands, palms towards the sky. After familiarizing ourselves with the different postures, we learned the words our movements were meant to communicate:        Lord, here I am.   palms over hearts        Today, I offer all that I am to you.   arms lifted, palms open        I also come in need, Lord.  Will you fill me anew with your spirit?   arms lifted, palms open         I gratefully receive what you are giving me.  Thank you, Father.   cupped hands to heart         As I move into this
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 3 of Advent

Are You at Home? When you think of the word “home,” what comes to mind?  What makes a place feel like home to you?   Toni Morrison   once said   the most important thing   a parent  can do is   to  allow our   eyes  to light up when a child enters the room.      This simple act-- expressing delight in their presence  through our  body language-- is   an   important way to help our children understand that they have a home in us.    Even as adults ,  our day-to-day interactions influence whether we feel at home in a place, a relationship, a group, or even the world.  Though we are often unaware of this, the people we encounter--their very facial expressions--are giving us information about how others see us and, hence, how we would be wise to see ourselves.  Over time--and especially in our most significant relationships--an understanding of our basic identity is being formed.  We are determining the answer to these questions:  are we seen, valued, cared for?  Most of God's follower
Post a Comment
Read more