Crafton sums it up...

The Rev. Barbara Cawthorne Crafton, writer of The Daily eMos and other wonderful stuff, wrote in today's eMo the words I have not been able to find in myself regarding the most recent news in the Church and the current Advent season. I think anyone can think better than I can at this point in time. Here are her pearls of simple wisdom and observation, of why Jesus came to us in the first place, and answers the question in my mind recently as to why Jesus never spoke a Beatitude for blessing those who divide the Body.

Catherine+

THE SELF-ANOINTED RIGHTEOUS

So much un-peace, in the Church and in the world. A peculiar pride in our own stubbornness has infected many of us -- as if reconciliation somehow represented a failure of moral nerve. We are strongly attracted to visions of ourselves as lonely martyrs for a holy truth -- and this is a dangerous self-image to have. It leaves no room to accept criticism we may desperately
need.

And so we leave churches that aren't holy enough for us. Assume we know God's will solely through a narrow reading of scripture, and pride ourselves on never changing our minds. We stay the course.

In doing so, we are in danger of ignoring a God who is free. A God who does new things. We won't allow it. We insist on worshipping the ancient record of God's work in the world, instead of the God to which it all attests. We will not allow God to be the unexpected thing God must be in every age.

Here comes Jesus -- a child born into a world of division. In his name, we will exclude and even kill, and we will tell ourselves in that very moment that we are doing the work of the Prince of Peace.

No wonder Jesus wept. Lord, have mercy.

Copyright C 2006 Barbara Crafton - http://www.geraniumfarm.org

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"You see," writes Catherine of Siena,
speaking in the person of the eternal Father,
"this sweet and loving Word born in a stable,
while Mary was journeying; to show to you,
who are travellers, that you must ever be born
again in the stable of knowledge of yourselves,
where you will find Him born by grace within
your souls."