Justice
~ Justice Immersion~Godwalk
It is reported in the Gospels that Jesus told us that the whole of the prophets can be summed up in two Commandments: to love God passionately with everything we have and are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. In order to build the foundation, we strengthen our personal relationship of love with our God through prayer and worship (see discipleship), Scripture and so on. But in order to love God fully, we must love that part of God that is in our neighbor and treat that neighbor as we would like to be loved and treated ourselves. We must find and honor that part that is God not only in those we like, but even in those we would like to hate. If we fail in this, we fail in truly loving God fully. Jesus told us many times to bless those who curse you, to love our enemies, to give until it hurts, even to lay down our lives for our friends. When we lay down our lives even for our enemies, then we have truly become Christlike, for Christ loved us and died surrendered to whatever we would do to try to destroy Him. He surrendered in love and humility not just for those who loved Him, for at that moment there were few, but most especially for those who were hating Him and torturing Him and took pleasure in His suffering. The contrast between their arrogance and hate and His humility and love, between their sin and His saving grace, was and is striking and life changing.
This Christlike love is the basis, for me, of all justice. It is not enough to love that part of God that is easy to love, but to truly love God, we must love that which is hardest to love, the part of God that resides in those who are the “least of these.” If we do not make the welfare of our brothers and sisters as important to us as our own, then we are truly missing the message. To be truly Christian, Christlike, we must surrender our own comforts, when necessary, to provide for others who are in need, either emotionally, physically or spiritually. All justice comes back to this, our basic human inability to love and care for our neighbors as ourselves as we are commanded. If we take more than our share, if we place ourselves above other races and cultures and genders, we are not loving God in our brothers and sisters. Justice comes from a deep, intimate unity of love with God, which builds the base of the Cross, and gives foundation and strength for the cross-bar, the reaching out as Christ did, to embrace all unconditionally. The more deeply we love God, the more deeply we are drawn to love each other, for that is His Way, and where we find Him.
Because of the importance and necessity of loving our neighbor, Catholic Social Teaching and justice and service action, are a large and necessary part of ministry. I have always felt that Matthew 25, the least of these, makes a clear case for the importance Jesus placed on caring for His people, for loving our neighbor, not in just good feelings, but in concrete actions of service and justice. What we have been given, either in gifts or goods, is for us to share, to give up, in the surrendering love of Christ. Therefore justice is high on the list for catechesis, not as an extra, but as a necessity for discipleship. So for two reasons, because there was not enough time in a year to do all the catechesis for discipleship and also a strong justice/service component, and because it is easier to gain an overall justice perspective in an extended period of catechesis, I developed the weekend Solidarity Cafe and the Justice Immersion.
What is the Justice Immersion?
It begins with a coffeehouse setting, the Solidarity Cafe, in which the community is invited to experience justice teachings through creative arts: through visual arts and environment, drama skits, music, keynote address, prayer and ritual, and a global simulation justice game in which all participate. This evening cafe features opportunities for self expression in justice theology by youth leaders. We also have for refreshments, the Global Potluck in which guests are asked to bring their favorite ethnic potluck dish to share and fair trade coffees and teas are served. These coffeehouses provide young lay leaders the opportunity to share their gifts and to learn justice teachings in a fun, entertaining and prayerful way, using many intelligences and gifts, involving more of the whole person.
The second part is the immersion day in which youth and young adults come and experience many prayerful times, more role playing and simulation games, witness talks, reflection, partner interviews and much more. In our immersion, teachings are build on experiencing first, then drawing forth feelings and understanding in group reflections/discussions as well as in private reflections. This stimulates real and deep learning, as the students discover the Catholic Social Teaching tenets themselves, through what they experience, and then share it with each other. The last part of the immersion experience is a sending forth movement where the participants are invited to take what they have learned and turn it into action in the community. This culminates with the Justice mass with families of participants and community members. The mass reflects the learning that has taken place, and sends them forth into the community to share what they have and have discovered.
Service
In well grounded youth programs, students are given opportunities for group service as well as being asked to participate in individual service projects regularly, preferably weekly. For example, one might visit a homebound person once a week (or so), or aide in ongoing church service projects, like food collection, and so on. The idea is to find something you are called to do, for we are all called to action, and make a habit of it, so it comes naturally to be a person of service, as Christ has asked us to be. Students are also encouraged to work towards justice in not just charity work and service, but in social change towards a more just world.
A deeper journey in justice, an outgrowth of these immersions and service, has been the God Walk, which is an extended service pilgrimage developed by my son Perrin Brady. The God Walk is part walking pilgimage (about 5-10 miles a day), daily group service projects, prayer and worship including with the sponsoring community, catechesis and socials in the evenings, and a lot of fun. It is an adventure that catches the idealism (and energy!) of youth and gives a deep, life changing encounter with the Gospel Life. For a more complete explanation of this exciting adventure, please visit the God Walk site.
"It is not enough for us to say: "I love God," but I also have to love my neighbor. St. John says that you are a liar if you say you love God and you don't love your neighbor. How can you love God whom you do not see, if you do not love your neighbor whom you see, whom you touch, with whom you live?" ---Mother Teresa
For more information on these programs, or to request an immersion leader or team, please email Caryn.
Files of descriptions of some of the activities, or links to more, will be added soon.