November 7

“Because oppression, or the lack of universal justice, is so insidious, we must labor constantly to bring about our great hope, the commonwealth of God.  We do this not only because oppression limits the ability of the disinherited to use their talents but also because it can easily make them doubt the goodness, if not the very existence of God.  Finally, in due time oppression will almost invariably lead the victims to resort to violence and many of the superficial to blame the victims because they could no longer bear a pain not experienced by their critics....” Dwight Spann Wilson, 1981, Daily Readings from Quaker Writings, 10/16

This is why Christ’s message of freedom is universal and therefore for everyone.  I really don’t understand what the resistance is to receiving this message.  If we strip away all false pretenses we are left with a basic human need to be loved.  If you are being oppressed you are experiencing the antithesis of love.  Love is the ultimate freedom of expression.  To be freed to love and to be loved is what life is suppose to be all about.  Along the way we have to take care of business--like food and shelter--and this is where we get into trouble.  Our ego wants more than its share or wants something someone else has and justice becomes distorted.  We begin to define it by our own desires and not by the common good.  To get what we want we oppress.  This can be done quite subtly within our own families and move outward to friends, places of business, the community, and ultimately between nations.  Christ leveled the playing field, freed us from all that greediness, and elevated us to children belonging to God.

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”  John 8:36