Intentionally Pausing

A Holy Week Experiment in Creating Space

A Meditation on Joining God in the Liberation of the Poor

adapted from the writings of James H. Cone

The Christian community, therefore, is that community that freely becomes oppressed, because they know that Jesus himself has defined humanity's liberation in the context of what happens to the little ones. Christians join the cause of the oppressed in the fight for justice not because of some philosophical principle of "the Good" or because of a religious feeling of sympathy for people in prison. Sympathy does not change the structures of injustice. The authentic identity of Christians with the poor is found in the claim which the Jesus-encounter lays upon their own life-style, a claim that connects the word "Christian" with the liberation of the poor. Christians fight not for humanity in general but for themselves and out of their love for concrete human beings.
― James H. Cone, God of the Oppressed

We pray a long with the African American Spiritual Traditon:

Everytime I feel the spirit
Moving in my heart I pray.
Everytime I feel the spirit
Moving in my heart I will pray.
Upon the mountain my Lord spoke
Out of His mouth came fire and smoke.
In the valley on my knees
Asked my lord, Have mercy, please.
Everytime I feel the spirit
Moving in my heart I will pray.
I believe I will testify
To what the Lord has done for me.
When the Lord gets ready,
[We all agree] you’ve got to move.
Amen.

Creating Space for the Poor

Poverty shows up in many ways in our society. What is one way that you can be present in solidarity with the poor? Often the greatest gift we have to offer is our presence, which is something that can be shared in mutuality.

Where do you have surplus?
Where do you have need?
Who can you be present with today out of your surplus?