These are not times for building justice; these are times for confronting injustice.
— Philip Berrigan
The point is that, until we have discovered how deeply rooted injustice is, we are unable to genuinely know what justice is. Until we have honestly confronted the injustice in ourselves, and discovered how deeply it is embedded within us, we will not be able to build justice. Premature attempts to build justice will only create parodies that are inherently compromised.
Wow, Dan, I really like this post. Short and sweet. I think you are so right. I am recently coming face to face with myself and recognizing things within myself that I am trying to “fight” against in the world. It is not an easy thing to find out how much injustice lives within – not only recognizing it, but what to do with it also. And it is not easy to figure out what exactly to do with it. The Christian practice of repentance and confession does seem an appropriate beginning. Anyhow, that’s all for now…I’d like to chat more about this though. Let’s talk soon.
Also, I’d like to hear more from you…what got you thinking about this post?
It was great to see you last week…I miss you!
love,
Jude
I was reading Phil Berrigan’s prison journals (an American Catholic priest sentenced to six years in jail for breaking into a government building and pouring blood on draft lists — and then doing the same thing, only with napalm, later on. This was during the Vietnam war) and that line just jumped out at me.
I think our conversations also triggered this response to the quote — it’s tied into my thinking about Jesus being the only way to true and lasting peace.
xoxoDan