Good Trouble

 This past Saturday, in 1200 cities across America, people came together to peacefully protest the destructive policies of this administration. Thousands of people gathered in Rochester, tens of thousands in other cities, to carry signs and make their voices heard. Similar protests on behalf of our country took place around the world. Can all this possibly make a difference?

My mind turns to the words of Civil Rights activist and Congressman John Lewis, who died in 2020, but is immortalized by the lessons he left: 

"Do not get lost in a sea of despair.  Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble"

"Freedom is not a state, it is an act.  It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create a more fair, more just society."

I am not ashamed to say that I took part in this protest, though some reading this may not agree. I will never be afraid to stand up for what I believe is right. We all have to do what has the ring of truth to us at the core of our being.

Last week, I wrote about admitting our powerlessness, which applies to what we do in our own strength. But when we pray and God moves us to take action, we need to listen. In my opinion, it is about being open and sensitive to the call of the Spirit.

May we always heed this call.