One of my classes this semester requires I construct my own
theology, so we are reading from a variety of authors to help us each identify
those things that most resonate with us, and which, after a 7000 word paper has
been developed, will give us the makings of an elevator speech. Some of the books fit better than others for
me. Today was a good day, reminding me
of the interconnectedness we have within our many communities as well as within
nature.
I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 12:15-26—those lines about
how all the parts of the body are important, necessary and required to create a
“whole.” You lose one, and the whole
thing goes off kilter. Of course,
relationships morph into different identities, with different people, in
different places, but the way we touch one another, for any length of time,
affects who we are and why we are who we are.
In the book I was reading today the author wrote: “…the
centered self reaches out for relationship and finds the true self only in
interdependence with other beings. It is aware that it can view the surrounding
world only from the perspective of its own center, yet it sees its well-being
only in relation to the well-being of others within the web of interdependent
relations. It reaches out to the surrounding world without losing identity or
dissipating one’s energies.5” Fernandez, Eleazar S. (2013-12-03).
Reimagining the Human: Theological Anthropology in Response to Systemic Evil
(Kindle Locations 4856-4860). Chalice Press. Kindle Edition.
I find myself pondering this idea that my well-being is tied
with others. That doing and being in
community is an integral part of my health and it helps to define me as much as
it defines others and is an integral part of the health of others. We need each other, we need the ecology
around us, we need to love and be loved.
We co-exist because that is part of the plan of creation!
Dear God, who created
us to be in relationship with creation, be with those who are in pain and
sorrow as they wait for news of their loved ones who boarded a plane to China
and who have not been seen since. Be
with those who are afflicted with chronic illnesses and pain. Be with premature babies struggling to
thrive. Be with the birds of the air as
they migrate, with raccoons, bears and other animals as they emerge from their
winter rests. Protect us as the snow
melts. Keep us ever cognizant of our
dependence on you. Amen.