A Virtual Church

Those things undone

38 minutes ago

There are things in life that are hard to reconstruct once they are destroyed.

A marriage is one. Infidelity is devastating to a marriage. Even worse than a divorce, which rips a family apart, infidelity is dirty dealing and cowardly as participants cannot find words or conscience to address the real problems that might exist between a husband and wife.

Plastic surgery is another thing that once done is almost impossible to fix. Patients of endless plastic surgeries become poster children of what can go wrong. Lips permanently pouty. Eyebrows that could be tattooed on they are so stationary. Breast implants that would put Dolly Parton to shame.

The ancient prayer of confession says, “we pray for those things done and those left undone.” It speaks to the sins of commission and the sins of omission.

At the present time, Donald Trump wants to undo our land preservations and heritage locations by drilling and mining for coal and oil. Trump’s act is a sin of commission. Privatizing Yosemite National Park is being done for his own benefit.

He is our contemporary Don Quixote, chasing windmills in pursuit of fame, fortune and legacy. He does not know the distinction between dominion and domination.

Careful thought and prayerful reflection are needed when large change is considered. Is there evidence that anybody in Trump’s orbit is capable of that?

Donald Trump’s new subject of conquest is our National Parks and Heritage Landsites that have held protected status since Teddy Roosevelt was president. Land was set aside so that people could visit, marvel, and delight in the beauty of creation.

Genesis speaks of creation where humans are set as stewards, caretakers for all that is. God entrusted humankind to do right and good in caring for the earth and everything.

Once these parks and sites are contaminated with drilling and mining, we will have lost this gift permanently. Those coming after us will never know the gift of these wonderful parcels of creation.

All for the cause of a horseshoe nail, a kingdom is lost. America will lose a crown jewel in the carelessness and thoughtlessness of one sad and sorry man.

He is scrambling now. He knows he is in the short rows of his years and his time in office. Like a chicken with his head cut off, he is desperate to remain relevant. Decimating national treasures looks like easy pickings. Where are the tree huggers when we need them?

There is no leadership in Congress or anywhere in the Trump Administration who will slow down this wrecking ball.

Wasn’t it enough that he demolished the East Wing? Surely somebody thought it was wrong to start a war in Iran! Americans need help in affording groceries. Who knows the origins of the massive supplies of un-FDA approved ground beef? This is genuine mystery meat.

We who have been voices of resistance to this administration cannot lose our passion and resolve. We have lost our democracy in ways we do not yet fully know. We do know voting rights have changed. Mail in ballots are being challenged. Voter ID is the tip of the iceberg. Some MAGAs would love to repeal voting writes for minorities and women. Districts are being re-drawn as I write.

Instead of rewriting and revising the Constitution, they are bent on undoing it, trashing it to accomplish their nefarious acts.

Recently in church, the text read was Romans 12. Rome was powerful in the first century. Emperors were deifying themselves, not unlike Trump is doing. Trump doesn’t act like God, he thinks he IS God.

Paul in his letter talks about ardent love – of God, of neighbor, and of creation. God has done a perfect work in creation. God called it good. Of humanity, God said we are very good.

Goodness presents itself unabashedly as a hand up, a handout, a helping hand. Love does not repay evil for evil. There is no place for evil in God’s economy.

The long arc of love leads to God, who will judge all things in their time. You and I may not live long enough to see the justice we know will come.

We live by faith, not by sight. We look for signs of miracles everywhere. The trees are full of angels. We pray. We seek quiet. We build where we can and look for the sun to rise.

We will do what is right, even when no one is watching.

Lib Campbell is a retired Methodist pastor, retreat leader, columnist, and host of the blogsite Avirtualchurch.com. She can be contacted at libcam05@gmail.com. 

 

---