Lesson 5
Good day, friends and seekers of truth and compassion, let us gather today to immerse ourselves in a call to a profound connection with the pain of our fellow sisters and brothers. Let us open our hearts to the transformative power of tears, allowing them to cleanse and baptize us into individuals who touch others with care, both in our prayers and our actions. As we journey through these lessons, may we embody the essence of love, solidarity, and inclusivity, shaping a community where all souls find acceptance and belonging. May our hearts be open to the sacred bond that unites us with those often rejected and forgotten, those standing in the shadows and margins of society.:
Jesus’ Solidarity with the Excluded
In the tapestry of Jesus’ life, we find a consistent thread that weaves through his interactions—the thread of solidarity with those cast aside by society: the outsiders, the sinners, the marginalized. This sacred stance is his sanctuary, a place beyond the confines of any local culture, a unique vantage point from which to critique self-serving ideologies. Through this solidarity, Jesus harmonizes with the suffering of the world, a profound form of world healing that transcends all divisions. His presence among the demonized, his capacity to love and heal them, stands as a scandalous testament to his justice strategy. It is the strategy of standing with the demonized until demonizing ceases. This strategy of solidarity challenges the conventional activism model, for it is rooted in love, in an unyielding embrace of God’s love.
The Way of Communion with Pain
Jesus’ ministry unfolds in a revolutionary pattern, one where he aligns himself with those deemed unworthy—the ones labeled as “bad,” the accused, the demonized. Yet, rather than condemning them, he uplifts them through love and healing. It is a practice of communion, a path that Father Greg Boyle aptly describes as Jesus standing with the demonized until the very act of demonizing subsides. It is a commitment to solidarity, to sharing in the pain, even when solutions elude us. In this, Jesus teaches us a lesson that reverberates through contemplation and actions rooted in communion with human suffering. This choice, though it may appear as weakness, unveils its true potency in its transformative patience, humility, and creativity.
The Transformative Communion
As we absorb the wisdom of Jesus’ approach, we are beckoned toward a profound shift—one that transforms our very identity and our way of being. In the spirit of Jesus’ self-emptying, we are called to stand in solidarity with the problem itself, rather than merely presenting ready-made solutions. This approach, though challenging, holds within it the potential for enduring change, enacted through patient, humble means. Our journey toward such solidarity is illuminated by two beacons—contemplation and actions rooted in communion with human suffering. The former fosters deep inner transformation, while the latter propels us to engage in the world from a grounded place of unity.
This, friends, is our name and our mission—a calling that stems from observing Jesus. As we navigate these teachings, may we embrace the transformative power of solidarity, weaving threads of love, compassion, and unity into the very fabric of our lives.
