Wednesday Aftermath

Traci Blackmon shared this reminder.

"The traditional notions of salvation, making individual distinctions between the "saved" and the "unsaved" provide the underlying theological basis for all racism. If the revolutionary implications of the Christian ethic are not carried out the pseudo-revolutionary allure of fascism will appeal to many malleable minds.

As long as the authentic message of Christianity is ignored, pseudo-revolutionary quasi-fascists will use Christian trappings to lure the unwary. Only by returning Christianity to its true meaning can the fascist masquerade be exposed for the fraud that it is." - Howard Thurman in 1946

Many people whom I love believe Trump is the Christian candidate. They know I do not. I believe he is a demagogue and a fraud. But that no longer matters.

Today’s Franciscan Nugget: Day Six - The First Aim, cont'd - The primary aim for us as tertiaries is therefore to make Christ known. This shapes our lives and attitudes to reflect the obedience of those whom our Lord chose to be with him and sent out as his witnesses. Like them, by word and example, we bear witness to Christ in our own immediate environment and pray and work for the fulfillment of his command to make disciples of all nations.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God…this is evangelism. The call to “make everyone believe as I do” is chauvenism of the highest order. The call to discipleship is a call to weakness and suffering. It is a call to stand with the least and the lost. This is how we make Christ known.

As the second chapter of Philippians reads…

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he existed in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be grasped,

but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

assuming human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a human,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death—

even death on a cross.

Therefore God exalted him even more highly

and gave him the name

that is above every other name,

so that at the name given to Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.”

We do not know what will be asked of us as followers of Christ as we teeter on the brink of pseudotheocracy. But I do know that I will need more courage, more compassion, and greater faith to see it through.

That’s all I got today. Y’all be excellent to each other.