Luke 18:9-14 "Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
I got lots of hate mail yesterday. It didn't particularly make my "snow day" pleasant considering I was stuck in here. But hey. It's a free country. This one particularly struck me as needing a response since it's referring to a theme that's been repeated over and over - that by working toward inclusion I am sinning.
One reader emailed me this passage and told me to read it because I am gravely sinning against others by speaking up for inclusion "to exalt my own agenda" and told me to "shut up and be humble you cripple".
Let me take this opportunity to put things into perspective.
Inclusion is not my agenda alone. Maybe this blog is your introduction to it, but there are disability ministries in churches all over the country which are supported by the USCCB. If you read around on this blog, you'll find documentation of this. Under Catholic resources on my blog links you will find information.
The point of inclusion is that no faith community is complete when it excludes those who are part of the Body of Christ.
4 comments:
I think this reader has trouble seeing his own faults but likes to nitpick at others. I think it takes humility to speak up knowing you got to put up with this kind of stuff. This kind of thing has been going on for years whenever people want change.
Earl
Sounds like you're hitting a nerve there. Sometimes any reaction is better than none but then my email box isn't full of this so easy for me to say. Well put response.
Ruth,
Hope you have been freed by now. I talked about my rather different situation on my blog.
tvs, thanks, put a link to it up top! Yes, it warmed up and even rained a bit..so I'm freed! thanks..
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