Contemplation Corner: “In any free society. . .”

“In any free society where terrible wrongs exist, some are guilty—all are responsible.”
– Abraham Joshua Heschel

by Pastor Donnie Brooks
Marcellus United Methodist Church
pastordonnieb@outlook.com

   What could he possibly mean? All are responsible? Or anything that might occur in our purview? That’s a rather tall order, isn’t it? I think he is quite accurate in what he is saying, though. We may not all be guilty of any specific injustice. I am not an employer, so I can’t really exploit any employees. I’m not a loan shark, so I can’t exploit customers. I’m not a corrupt politician living off of the spoils of whatever “war” or lobby industry that helped elect him. But I may be able to choose which businesses I support. I may or may not stand up for workers’ rights. Choose who to borrow from, or not to borrow at all. I may advocate for consumer interests rather than business interests. I may or may not vote for the politician that does this or that terrible thing. Or I may or may not voice my opinion, seek to lovingly as well as convincingly convince my neighbor, by word and by deed, that there may be better options.

   So yes, I am responsible. When I go with the flow. When I seek to avoid just confrontation. When I don’t seek to disturb the status quo. When I overhear something prejudiced. Or something untrue. Or something said or done in a mean heart or as a mean act. But do nothing. I am responsible. I think that’s what Heschel was driving at. He said this with reference to the many injustices directed towards African-Americans (and other non-whites) in the US during the civil rights movement. He felt the call for he and his Jewish brethren to join alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and other activists of African-American rights in the South (and treatment, if not rights, in the North too). Heschel felt that his Jewish people had had their “exodus,” they had their trials and tribulations in the “Shoah” (the more appropriate term for what is usually referred to as the “holocaust”). They wanted to join in and share in the challenges and advocacy for their African-American brothers and sisters. 

   It was quite sad, at that time, how many in the Christian churches failed to do the same, to take their responsibility. Their fellow brothers and sisters in faith adamantly opposed to equal rights for voting and education and public access. Sure, those against these things were “guilty.” Those that were violent against non-violent activists (or even violent ones, especially when they didn’t initiate it) were guilty. But those that did not oppose such things were “responsible.” It should be a challenge to us, to those who may not be guilty (though we shouldn’t discount that possibility), but are present enough and passive enough, etc. in the faith of injustice, to be responsible. Let us be responsible for justice and not in justice. Love and not hate. Peace and not strife.

Sabbath on the Sabbath
Saturdays at 10:00am
July 12 through August 2
Marcellus United Methodist Church, 197 W. Main
Open to all who are looking for “a quiet, serene beautiful sanctuary to spend time with God.”
For more information, email Pastor Donnie at pastordonnieb@outlook.com

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