Justice For All

While my Jewish friends have already marked their last night of Chanukah, I’m only beginning to really reflect on Advent. (Last Sunday was the second Sunday of Advent, but I haven’t made the time to stop and reflect because I’ve been letting things get in the way. Not good. I think I may have been letting my life get away from me…)

On one hand, I’ve been spending a lot of quality time with people. It definitely takes desire, time, and energy to maintain friendships, and more to develop them. I’ve happily, and rather rewardingly, been doing just that this past year. Still, I won’t lie and say that that hasn’t gotten in the way of other things (namely, writing my dissertation). I wouldn’t change any of it though.

At Dignity/Washington, our theme for this Advent is “Living God’s Call to Prepare the Way.” Advent is a call to reaffirm our belief that Christ called us ALL to eternal joy. More so, it is a time “we should reflect on what good works we have done in the past and pledge to do so in the future” in order to continue preparing the way for Christ to be visible on earth (Dignity/Washington Bulletin 9 December 2007).

Presiding this past Sunday was Fr. Alexi. While I appreciate all those who preside over mass at Dignity/Washington (especially given the Catholic Church’s “official” positions on sexuality in regards to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people), I feel a special affinity for Fr. Alexi.

Due to recent struggles with his health, he hasn’t been able to preside at mass for quite some time, so I was especially happy to see him this past Sunday. While he is still battling, it was certainly good to see that he was well enough to join us for mass.

He gave a particular rousing homily, stressing Justice and Hope this Advent season.

One Jewish friend of mine recently wrote that he was reminded that “Chanukah means dedication…to loving, kindness, tolerance, freedom, and justice.” That lighting candles signals “dedicat[ing] ourselves against bigotry, tyranny, barbarism, and oppression,” and also “mark[s] the end of the war, the end of the purification, the beginning of G-d’s presence.” She wanted to stress not the completion, but rather the work.

Similarly, Fr. Alexi made clear in his homily that we are not expected to be able to overcome all oppression, but that we are RESPONSIBLE for continuing to fight injustice against all, everywhere. It was an uplifting message about the necessity of holding onto Hope to buoy us in our quest for Justice, as well as many other ways in which Justice and Hope are inextricably intertwined.

I was happily reminded of a song that I heard at the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC’s recent Holiday Show performed by Tach’shitim, the choir of Congregation Bet Mishpachah.

Allied troops found the text of the song was written on a wall in a basement in Cologne, Germany, where the author had been hiding from the Gestapo during World War II. The song speaks to the light of hope and faith in the midst of unparalleled horror.

May we all share in the light of hope and faith to bring about Justice for all.

“Even When G-d is Silent”

I believe in the sun,
Even when it is not shining.
I believe in love,
Even when feeling it not.
I believe in G-d,
Even when G-d is silent.
I believe.