Philippians 1:6-7
…the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ (v. 6).
What would it look like if the good work God has begun among us were brought to completion? The schools have been integrated, but then there’s White flight and a resurgence of hatred, so we’ll work, as the old song says, ’til Jesus comes. New drugs have helped AIDS to not be the crisis it once was, but now we have a new pandemic, so the work goes on. One leg of the TransCanada Tar Sands Pipeline has been discontinued, thank God, but the southern leg continues to carry dangerous sludge throughout the south. The work goes on.
I remember so well two of the young Tar Sands Blockaders in their orange jumpsuits sitting outside a courtroom, and a guard blocking me as I went to hug them. Despite their misdemeanor charges for nonviolent civil disobedience and despite my husband’s testimony of their good character, the judge refused to let them spend Christmas with their families. Like the church at Philippi, we held the imprisoned in our hearts.
Along with Jim Wallis of Sojourners and Richard Rohr of the Center for Action and Contemplation, my husband went to jail in Washington, D.C., in the 1980s for nonviolent civil disobedience. Think of all the good work that has come to fruition over the past forty years. Jim Wallis has completed his work with Sojourners and passed the baton. Richard Rohr has reached thousands through his books, retreats, and online platforms. We’re all just pressing on until the day of completion in Christ Jesus.
Consider
What good work among your faith community has come to fruition? How does the work continue?
Pray
Holy Spirit, sustain us in our work to help bring God’s commonwealth among us, as it is in heaven, until the day of Jesus Christ. Amen.