A Facebook Post About Changing The World

If you spend any time on facebook, you can find just about anything.  Some folks post nothing but pictures of their pets or the food they eat.  Some post pictures of their daily adventures.  People ask a lot of questions too.  Some are funny ones.  Some make you think.  The other day a friend of mine posted a question which I just had to comment on here.

The question posted was "If you are given a chance to change the world, would you take it?"  A number of people liked the question without commenting.  There were a lot of comments though including some who said they were already doing it.  I responded that I always believe in changing the world.  (That's one reason why I write this blog).  Someone posted that they didn't believe they could ever be influential enough to change the entire world.  Oops!  Wrong answer, (as far as I'm concerned).  We ALL can change the world!  Every one of us!

Some people think that facebook is a waste of time, but I find some great information and some wonderful discussions there.  This one wasn't huge.  There were only about 25 responses, but I like that several people were seriously looking at changing the world.  I guess I might have an issue with the question's wording "If you are given a chance .   .   ."  It is my belief that we all have that chance every single day.

A lot of people post great quotes on facebook too.  Sometimes the quotes are in the form of posters that you could decorate your walls with.  One person posted a wonderful quote in response to this question: 

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -Mahatma Ghandi

End discrimination

When I was little I witnessed so much prejudice and hate. I can remember the "Whites Only" signs and the separate drinking fountains and I remember all the hateful things that were broadcast on television. Most of the obvious prejudice was racial. Later I became aware of the prejudice that existed based on sex, religion, age, gender identity, and prejudice based on sexual orientation.  

 

There are some people who think that such discrimination has ended. How wrong they are!  We have seen so many examples this year.  While there are indeed better protections under the law, and while many attitudes have gotten better, we still have a very long way to go.  This includes privilege and preferential treatment.  When a missing white woman is trending for days on social media and the lead story on tv news, but missing people of color are ignored, that is discrimination.

Will it EVER end? This is one of those things that we really can do something about. We have the power! We can make things better. Why do we tolerate so much hate speech? Why do we remain silent when people are discriminated against right in our midst? If we all spoke up and if we all decided to say No! to discrimination, it would end immediately. Do we really want a world of hate?

What do YOU think?

Reflections from Twenty One Years Ago

The words below I have printed here before, but in this troubled week, I think it will be good to see them again.  Twenty-one years ago, when the terrorist attacks stunned the nation, Frank Tracy Griswold was Primate and Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States.  Three days after the attacks, as the country was trying to understand and to heal, memorials were held.  Bishop Griswold recounted that day of mourning in an essay in which he mentions the "selfless volunteers and their eagerness to be useful."  That was certainly true in the aftermath of 9/11 and the world would be so much better off if it was always true. 

As I said, I think Bishop Frank's words are good to see again, so here below is that essay:

On Friday, September 14, the day of national mourning, I knew my place was here in New York with those who were courageously struggling with the aftermath of the hideous events of the previous Tuesday. A police van picked me up at the Church Center and transported me through checkpoints to the Seaman's Church Institute within the restricted area where police, firefighters, National Guard, rescue workers and Con Edison technicians were being cared for with food, fresh changes of clothing, and words of thanks and encouragement from tireless volunteers.

In the midst of the chaos I was asked to celebrate the Eucharist. It was Holy Cross Day, and how appropriate and right it was that our mourning and grief be rooted and grounded in the mystery of the cross. St. Paul speaks of sharing the sufferings of Christ. I thought that every act of violence, and all that it produces, is an instance of Christ's own suffering with and on behalf of those he came to reconcile to one another through the cross.

In the Gospel reading for the day, we hear Jesus proclaim: "When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself." The cross is Jesus' facing into all the subtle and obvious forces of evil the divide the human family, drawing us all to himself in order that we might be transformed and live in new patterns of relationship: patterns which are grounded in the awareness that - at the heart of all differences of language, race, culture and ways of believing and naming God - we are profoundly one in the mind and heart of our Creator. That this terrible act of terrorism has provoked blind and indiscriminate blame directed against our Moslem and Arab neighbors is to allow the evil we are suffering to catch us up in its ongoing destructive force, and make us its victim in yet another way.

After the Eucharist, Phoebe and I were taken through more checkpoints to "Ground Zero." This close to the impact, gray ash lay everywhere and coated the silent and abandoned buildings, among them St. Paul's Chapel where George Washington worshiped. Outside the church the American and Episcopal Church flags, stained and torn, fluttered at half-mast. An ancient tree had been uprooted and its branches rested on the gravestones. The building was intact, but the churchyard was thick with ash and debris and thousands of bits of paper. The iron gate was ajar. I pushed it open and climbed the littered and ash covered steps to the open door of the church. In an eerie way, everything seemed to be in order, except for the covering of dust. I found myself in tears. Here, at the heart of all the chaos and destruction was a place of solace and prayer.

The sacristy door stood open. I went in and found a piece of paper and a pen and wrote "I have been here and you have my prayers and my love. Frank Griswold, Presiding Bishop." I turned to leave and just then the priest arrived. "I'm here and the church is open," he said. What more could one ask for at a time like this than the ministry of presence.

As we left, I looked up at the crucifix above the altar and had the sense that the extended arms could receive and embrace all the madness and hatred and destruction and suffering that lay close by and in all the places in our fragile world where violence and death and innocent suffering are a daily reality. Somehow this terrible event has joined us in solidarity with the suffering of the world.

That evening I took part in a service at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. At the end of the service, the congregation with lighted candles in hand followed us out onto the cathedral steps where people, instead of dispersing into the evening, drew close to one another, still holding on to their candles. Passersby joined them, some stopping to buy candles in nearby shops.

Spontaneous singing began…"We shall overcome…." I thought of the overwhelming generosity of spirit that had flowed through the day. I thought of the selfless volunteers and their eagerness to be useful; the many workers and their gratitude; the congregation bound together in mutual support. I was seeing evil overcome by good which is the only way in which our world can be healed. I was also seeing our church in action and prayer and hospitality mediate the real presence of Christ.

How grateful I am for our Episcopal household and for its clear witness at this time. The days ahead will be difficult and demanding for us all, and I pray that we will be able to live them with the courage and strength that are ours in the risen Christ.

    +Frank T. Griswold
    XXV Presiding Bishop and Primate
    The Episcopal Church, USA

Death of the Queen

After 70 years as queen, and after 96 years of life, Elizabeth II passed away yesterday afternoon with her son Charles and her daughter Anne beside her.  Charles became King at the moment of her death, but I want to say something about Elizabeth.

Elizabeth II became queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland way back before most of us were even born, following the death of her father, King George VI.  Her face and even her manner is so known to just about everyone.  As her son and daughter-in-law face new duties ahead, they and they rest of the family are so busy with official duties, that they hardly have time to grieve.  Losing a mother is tough.  I know.  To lose your mother though and then need to immediately replace her officially, has to be a difficult chore.

I have no idea about the funeral plans or the official transfer of power.  We will all certainly hear a lot about those things in the days ahead.  

I know many people are anti-monarchy.  There are many reasons, but right now that doesn't matter.  Queen Elizabeth always cared about the people of the Commonwealth.  For good or for bad, she cared.  From everything I have seen, Charles cares too.  It would seem to me that the kind thing right now would be to show decency and respect.  Let the family grieve.  Remember the good, and there is so much good.  There will be plenty of time later on to address any changes.

Elizabeth II

 

honoring labor

No school.  A last chance to picnic.  The end of summer.  The last opportunity to wear white.  Labor Day means many things to different people, but the first Monday in September is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers, and it is a day to celebrate our labor unions.  The working class are the ones who keep the nation moving and so a day of tribute is indeed in order. Hard work, whatever you do, has value.  This is the day we honor that.

 

Now many folks get the day off from work today.  Seems odd, huh?  How do you celebrate labor by not laboring?  This is a workingmen’s holiday, but not all of us need to work on the day to appreciate the significance.  For over 100 years we have remembered labor on this date - it all began back in New York City with the Central Labor Union, and hopefully we will continue to, because as I said, workers truly are our country's backbone.

Have fun today.  Enjoy whatever it is you may be doing.  Remember though the real meaning of today, and give your support to labor! 

Harvey said

The wonderful actor and writer Harvey Fierstein has brought thousands of hours of enjoyment to the world.  I can't tell you how many times I have watched Torch Song Trilogy for example.  Harvey also says some pretty inspiring things too.

Harvey said "Time will tell us what we did and didn't do."  Yup.

"Never be bullied into silence," he also said.  "Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself."

One more thing from Harvey:  "I do believe we're all connected. I do believe in positive energy. I do believe in the power of prayer. I do believe in putting good out into the world. And I believe in taking care of each other."

Thanks for continuing to not only entertain us Harvey, but also to inspire us.