It’s two days after Election day, and no President has been declared. Four years ago, we elected a man into office that has deeply disturbed me. I have spent the last four years largely experiencing anger, disruption, jaw-dropping shock and cynicism, but mostly deep sadness and longing.
Much of my anger has been directed toward our elected officials, but as I peer below the surface of things, that is not what I’m angry about. I’m angry and deeply sad that we elected such people to run our country. Our leaders are a metaphor for us as a nation. We elected them. We handed over power to who reflects us best. Our leaders reflect our collective soul back to us. And what I’m seeing is that our country has become toxic with hate and violence running rampant.
We will not change anything until we face our reflection and begin to heal, both individually and collectively. This is not an easy move to make. It means laying down our weapons of divisiveness- the mentality of “us and them” - and begin to take in our inner landscape and notice the places that we’ve disconnected ourselves from the rest of the human race. The reality is that we are all deeply connected and the “least of these”, our weakest, most vulnerable brother or sister must not be left behind.
My cry is not “God Bless America”. My cry is “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy”.
Recipients of mercy could have a beautiful, different future. It is a harder path, a more profound path. Honestly, I’m not sure we can do it. As Cynthia Bourgeault states, “the route to all new beginning comes by leaning into the diminishment, stripping and emptiness. Not by trying to distract ourselves, anesthetize ourselves, or use our spiritual tool kit to re-establish the status quo. New beginning is intrinsically disorienting and anguishing; it builds on the wreckage of what has been outgrown but not yet relinquished. As the veils are lifted and familiar reference points dissolve, it is only on the timeless path of surrender, or “letting go” (= CONSENTING TO THE PRESENCE AND ACTION OF GOD) that we find our way through the darkness and into the new beginning.
So this is my prayer, for myself and us, as a nation…. Working on a painting currently to reflect these thoughts….
More to come…..