... But Love Gains

​                     Force may subdue, but love gains. -- William Penn (1693)

In theory at least, Christians of the West, remembered and perhaps celebrated their remembrance of the "absurd" possibility of the resurrection of Jesus... Meanwhile, Christians of the East, remembered and celebrated that same "absurd" possibility a week later than those of the West... Unfortunately, though, Christians of both East and West, are wedded, as it were, not to the Radical Grace of Jesus, but instead to the necessity of both "force" and profit  as the essential "gods" whom we worship in practice...

If you are at all like me, you have found these recent weeks deeply disturbing: once again, Christians at war with Christians: so much like the Middle Ages... like both the First and Second World Wars... Bishops on every side blessing the "holy cause" of "subduing" enemies... Leave it to a "non-Christian" to write "conduct your triumph as a funeral" (Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching)

We might remember Jesus in a weird sort of way, like in "going to church", celebrating Christmas, and remembering Easter. But, who among us actually cares that Jesus had something to say about the way in which we are to live: in order to awaken to the One Reality of the kingdom of God is within you! And then our purpose: building that kingdom by righteous and radical action!

So, as is plainly obvious, Russia is waging an unjust war, fundamentally, in pursuit of "profit". But let us not forget that, year- after-year, the United States is the world's "biggest" arms dealer: with few exceptions, if you've got the dough, we've got the bread. What is it that you want? Guns, planes, bombs, missiles, and the technology to perfect their use? You don't have enough dough? Well, no problem! We know how to get them into your hands, and just you never mind about the endless debt...

Meanwhile, the kingdom of heaven is within you: this is the core reality that Jesus taught and lived. It is the brief manifesto of the real and only radical revolution there is. If you wish for a more detailed explanation, there is, of course, the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount... as there is the 25th chapter of Matthew's Gospel... you know, the part that says "I was hungry and you fed me"...  Who needs more for this one life that you have?

And then there is also the "emptiness" of the Gospel: practiced in contemplation, humility, obscurity, and the ever-present Tao-ness of the Incarnation... Mother-without-end... the poverty of active nonviolence... the silence of a waiting garden... the obscure soup kitchen and whatever task needs doing... We can protest. We can organize. We can vote. We can creatively challenge the idiocies as they come along. But, most importantly, we must not forget to live! We are not about building an uninhabitable kingdom! We are, instead, building the House of Love, forgetting the doors, locks, and keys: it is a House of Peace, for Every One...