Romans 8:14-17

Pentecost - Year C

Romans 8:14-17

Again and again it must be asked, "Who is not a child of G*D?" because, again and again, for one reason and then another, we keep dividing ourselves by subtracting one one Child of G*D after another from the whole of creation.

We can be very rational and persuasive in determining discriminatory criteria. Whether by a single characteristic or through a more sophisticated multivalent set of characteristics we formalize our areas of uncomfortableness and fear by projecting them on to someone else. This dynamic seem to arise with no second thoughts while it takes a number of intentional thoughts to begin to counteract them and include back in what was never really excluded.

Discrimination is reverse idolatry — it constrains an expansive love. Where run-of-the-mill idolatry simply covers up G*D through addition of an easier to deal with overlay, discrimination audaciously refutes G*D's basic intention to create multiple images, each legitimately whole.

Pentecost is yet another nonviolent civil and spirit rights movement. It is hard to battle when we are telling the best we know and, through the witness of others, hearing additional bests with wonder and thanksgiving.