Reflection on the Holy Spirit and Justice

May 26,2010
At the Church of the Reconciler yesterday I continued the practice I began some time ago by greeting those gathered there for the daily breakfast with the great identities that the Holy Spirit bestows on us. I said, " good morning beautiful people, good morning Children of God, good morning citizens of the United States of America, good morning citizens of Alabama, good morning citizens of Birmingham." Many people, a growing number of people, responded with a strong good morning.

One man commented to me later that he had read about these identities as they might exist for other people but he had never considered himself to have them for himself to personally live.

This is what Jim Crow and the 1901 Alabama Constitution has stolen from us.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to restore these identities in our souls as living active realities for the work of justice and peace for all creation.

Nancy and I at the United Methodist Women's National Assembly in Saint Louis MO., 2010.