Daily Devotional for May 22

 

May 22                                                                Luke 13:1-9

Were you there when Pilate spilled the blood of the Galileans
and mingled their blood with the sacrifices? Were you there
when European settlers slaughtered the Native Americans so
as to possess free, undivided land? Were you there when the
slave traders kidnapped and murdered African peoples for the
sake of commerce in sugar, cotton, and rum? Were you there
when the Nazis slaughtered Jews, gypsies, and gays because
they were not members of the super-race? Were you there
when Americans of Japanese descent were herded into concen-
tration camps for fear that they might aid the enemy? Were
you there when violence was done to those who were "dif-
ferent" or "inferior" or "impure"?

Yes, we were there, because our land, our government, our
resources were built on the altar of a violated humanity,
sacrificed for the sake of Western culture's success. We are
of Rome and of Europe and of the United States. We despised
those who were less than we were, those who were greater
sinners, because they suffered this fate. Because we succeeded,
we thought we were better. After all, we know the immutable
law of the survival of the fittest!

Dear Jesus, you have said that we must repent, or we shall
likewise perish. But how are we to repent of our sin? We are
caught in the web of a system that sometimes violates our
dignity, as it has violated the dignity of so many others. We
would repent, but we don't know how. We would change our
world, but it seems so monolithic, so huge, so immutable.

Dear Saviour, you showed us the way long ago - the way
of love, humility, and nonviolence. Show us again today how
your way redeems our souls and the soul of humanity.

from The Road to Emmaus - An inclusive devotional Edited by Joseph W. Houle

Emmaus House of Prayer - Washington D.C