1-26-17 - God's Foolishness

I apologize for inserting a political view of current events into a spiritual reflection – but I cannot avoid how apt this passage is to our day. If ever we needed to hear this word from Paul it is this week, as a new president issues order after order stripping people of health insurance and poor women of health care, thwarting efforts to preserve the world’s environment, denying safe haven to refugees, closing doors to immigrants, and setting back the clock on human rights. This is what the world sees as power. But around the world this week ordinary people, “foolish women” in silly hats, came together to show the power in what looks like weakness. They did not gather as Christians, but they embodied a core Gospel value:

For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.

What a message of empowerment to those who are regarded – or regard themselves - as foolish, weak, low and despised, things that are not. What a message of hope to us when we feel powerless. That’s what the marches did for people – reminded them them of the power we have when we come together as the “insignificant." We can overcome evil. And when we come together in Jesus’ name, in the name of the One who allowed himself to become shamed, weak, low and despised, evil does not have a chance.

I’ve shared here before a definition of the devil, whom Christians regard as the source of evil in this world, as “the enemy of human nature.” Looking at the way humanity is demeaned in these executive orders prompts me to pray all the more, “Deliver us from evil.” And then I recall another of Paul’s teachings – that “our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers, the authorities,  against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) Yes, we are called as those “who are not” – in the sight of the powers that be – to reduce to nothing things that are. But our weapons are spiritual and communal, not destructive.

The Good News we have been called to proclaim is this story of God’s great reversal, of God’s lifting up those who are downcast. It has always been good news to the poor and those on the margins; less so to the wealthy and powerful. And where we are wealthy and powerful, we need to consider God’s call to humility and justice.

As we embody this good news, we bring it into being, this realm of God in which peace and justice already reign. Let it be so on earth, as it is in heaven.