Belief in America Via the Deity

This weekend we are going to celebrate our eldest great-granddaughter’s first communion. For a gift to mark this occasion I wrote the following:

For XXX

On the Occasion of Her First Communion

Before God created the stars or the earth

          before God created land and water,

          before God created rocks, and critters and flowers,

          before God created rivers and streams and dewdrops,

          before God created mountains and valleys and rolling hills,

          before God created birds, caterpillars and butterflies,

          before God created lady fish, bugs and snails,

          before God created all those things that exist,

          God said, I will give to XXX and XXX XXX a great gift.

This gift will be a girl they will name XXX.

          The gift of XXX will be for XXX and XXX but also for everyone.

             She will be such an important gift that the world could not be without her.

This gift of XXX will also be a gift to Myself, God’

          and I will love her always.

It does not make any difference what she does or does not do

           I will love her, unconditionally and with compassion and passion,

          I will love her.

My hope is that every time she comes to my table for a symbolic meal,

          to share with all her brothers and sisters the Eucharist,

          she will remember I love her and celebrate with her universal family

           and that love of Mine I have placed within her.

I wrote it in fancier font so I’m not sure how this will look on the blog but it is about the words anyway. I also put in x's for names to keep them anonymous. In my belief it is also true of every little girl or boy on their first communion or its equivalency. Theologically it represents a supralapsarian point view, but that is just stuff theologians get into. The sentiment is pretty clear.

I am one of the folk who believes God has a definite plan for the world and that plan is going exactly as it should, even if parts of it annoy us and we are at a loss to see the good in it; but I believe the plan is good and is for the benefit of all God’s critters.

Since I mix religion and politics together all the time anyway, that is the reason for the title of this piece. I believe that what role America has to play is a part of God’s plan and since I believe that God’s plan is good, it is good for all Americans and all people everywhere. If we keep things in a God perspective, not matter how we define or name the Deity, I think we make better citizens with also a concern for all God’s critters.

Now there are dangers in that line of thinking as well. A recent Sojourners piece was called the Idolatry of Politics and Promise of the Common Good. They see this year as a good illustration of all this. Idolatry comes when we place hope in persons or things that should only belong to God. Republicans and Democrats are political categories not religious ones as the article tells no religious position should be an endorsement of a political party. They believe, and I agree, this is likely to be one of the ugliest elections ever. A good part of that is because of our idolatry and lack of perspective. Politics today seems a struggle for power and to win at all costs, and that type of thinking lacks humility and regard for folks of differing points of view.

We are all God’s children, all necessary for God’s world, God’s plan for good. We should treat each other as such.