Greetings WAC Community,
John said, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. . . The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.” – Luke 3:8-9
It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there will be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no fruit. – Mohandas K. Gandhi
John the Baptist had a message for those who came to be baptized by him, asking people to repent which meant more than no longer doing wrong. It meant producing fruit. And as the quote from Gandhi reminds us, there’s no fruit without acts of doing the right thing, which may not happen quickly.
As we transition from Thanksgiving into Advent into Christmas and then into a New Year, first be thankful for all the saints before us who have had the wisdom and courage to heed the call to do what is right instead of choosing what is safe and selfish.
During Advent, step out of the busy-ness of the holidays to contemplate and to prepare ourselves for Christmas to accept and receive the love, peace and opportunity to make way for a New Beginning.
For the New Year, decide now what action to take to bring about change that will result in respect for those who are less fortunate, for all of creation and for that which nourishes us. The wringing of hands will not do what the ringing of bells will do.
Acceptance of societal systems that enrich greed and exploitation is wrong. Despair without hope is dealing with death. Silence is complicit with evil. Those trees need to be cut down with the ax that John the Baptist describes.
I lift up in prayer those who are at Standing Rock during these cold winter days to protect water that is life and what is sacred ground. I thank them for their courage. I thank Rosa Salamanca who spoke at our annual meeting and who through her job with the U.S. Department of Service is there with diplomacy and justice in her heart. Thank all those from far and wide who are demonstrating their support. I was unable to go there this past weekend as earlier planned, but I look forward to going soon.
One simple way you can help is to contact the investors and encourage them to no longer back the Dakota Access Pipeline. Click here for a list of them.
Fear not. Be bold. Do justice.
Blessings,
Chesie
P.S. Your financial contributions are needed and appreciated. To contribute, click here. Or mail your contribution to WAC, PO Box 1473, Laramie, WY 82073.
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