beyond the arbitrary boundary
the discouraged. disenfranchised. discontent. hopeful. misfits. outcasts. pilgrims. aliens. marginalized.
perhaps it is not to our purpose to create a group incorporating the lost into a single arbitrary gaggle among many other groups, resulting in equally casting off, discouraging, and disenfranchising others.
perhaps we are to realize unity among the cast offs, the space between groups clustered at the edge of the abyss.
are not the groups arbitrary, with some underlying sense of equality or some reality, yet simultaneously cover up, gloss over, seek affinity, or outright deny?
the marginalized belong to no singular group. they're scattered and often isolated.
can we find community and love in the abyss, outside of the strict systems which inherently create an us and them?
or perhaps its only to belong to them. any us which gains power must lift up over the other, fight for control, a voice, or power. only the them are outside creating violence, and only if they respond to love and not fear.
is there nothing which catches those who've tumbled out of a huddled community, whether pushed or voluntarily leaping out?
as we each slip into the abyss can we not find the hope and faith existent in the commonality of each person's journey of self-discovery.
a discovery which is incomplete without others and an acceptance of finitude.
is this not the role of the church if we can strip it of its modern and post-modern cultural mispackaging?
remove the slick performances, the ideas of competitive excellence, and the high-school notions of relevance and coolness.
strike down the institution and recapture the people.
return to the table of shed blood and broken body.
a table marked by people of humble loss, led by a messiah marked by loss and love.
an open table offering a feast, but only if we join with others.
a person, among other people, embracing each journey in love, following an incarnational god who shares our experiences.
a feast which those with invitations are too busy to attend.
a feast forgotten by the doers.
a feast joined by the marginalized, discouraged, misfits, and hopeful.
cast aside by society, but open to response.
willing to encounter each other in the expanse of life in the abyss.
hopefully waiting and creating, joining and journeying.
in other words, living a faithful life.
perhaps it is not to our purpose to create a group incorporating the lost into a single arbitrary gaggle among many other groups, resulting in equally casting off, discouraging, and disenfranchising others.
perhaps we are to realize unity among the cast offs, the space between groups clustered at the edge of the abyss.
are not the groups arbitrary, with some underlying sense of equality or some reality, yet simultaneously cover up, gloss over, seek affinity, or outright deny?
the marginalized belong to no singular group. they're scattered and often isolated.
can we find community and love in the abyss, outside of the strict systems which inherently create an us and them?
or perhaps its only to belong to them. any us which gains power must lift up over the other, fight for control, a voice, or power. only the them are outside creating violence, and only if they respond to love and not fear.
is there nothing which catches those who've tumbled out of a huddled community, whether pushed or voluntarily leaping out?
as we each slip into the abyss can we not find the hope and faith existent in the commonality of each person's journey of self-discovery.
a discovery which is incomplete without others and an acceptance of finitude.
is this not the role of the church if we can strip it of its modern and post-modern cultural mispackaging?
remove the slick performances, the ideas of competitive excellence, and the high-school notions of relevance and coolness.
strike down the institution and recapture the people.
return to the table of shed blood and broken body.
a table marked by people of humble loss, led by a messiah marked by loss and love.
an open table offering a feast, but only if we join with others.
a person, among other people, embracing each journey in love, following an incarnational god who shares our experiences.
a feast which those with invitations are too busy to attend.
a feast forgotten by the doers.
a feast joined by the marginalized, discouraged, misfits, and hopeful.
cast aside by society, but open to response.
willing to encounter each other in the expanse of life in the abyss.
hopefully waiting and creating, joining and journeying.
in other words, living a faithful life.
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