I’m on my flight back home from the Social Media Conference at Luther Seminary, and as I was reading the Daily Office for today, I was struck by the words of Psalm 96:
Sing to The Lord and bless his Name;
Proclaim the good news of his salvation day to day.
I think all my years of playing with Lincoln Logs and old fashion puzzles trained me to look for ways to fit things together. Every time I read, see, or hear something I’m always looking for ways to connect it to other things. Today’s scripture, some early morning chatter in the Twittersphere, and the talks from this weekend’s missional church conference have me reflecting as my body joins my mind in the clouds somewhere over the heartland of America.
This morning Leonard Sweet (@lensweet) tweeted that one cannot proclaim the gospel without telling a story. Stories are the social Velcro of community. They not only connect us with each other, but they also defy time linking multiple generations with each other. Today’s lectionary reading from the Hebrew Bible was the forbidden love story of the Moabite Ruth and the Israelite Boaz. It’s an interesting story of transgressing boundaries and finding salvation in the loving arms of the other. I’m thankful for the many others in whom I have found myself online. Some have been individuals with whom I’ve had physical relationships, and others have been people I’ve never met in real life, some of these connections have started with strangers and oddly become embodied relationships outside the digital deep. When we connect with the stranger, with the other, whether it be online or in line, we strengthen a link in the great chain of being that holds us together in the universal dance of humanity. When we touch each other’s suffering we are mystically reminded of interdependence that exists between us. Sonmi 451′s revelation from Cloud Atlas contains much wisdom reminding us of the butterfly-effect of human relations: “…by each crime, and every kindness, we birth our future.”
Let us speak of God’s salvation, one story at a time — day by day — and together build a better tomorrow!
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5 comments:
Great post! Thank you so much for investing in and sharing this way. It's a double blessing. One is that it's been a long while since any of us posted, and so your interjecting new life here is a big gift. And your spiritual insight and relevance was lovely and meaningful. I loved your remarks on the role of stories and on our interconnections. As I reflect, I am so grateful for the relationship God has given us.
--Rickey
I don't usually think of "beauty" when I think of technology (I think of knowledge, connectivity, other things), but you've written beautifully here about it. Thank you. I am grateful for the relationships of this online gathering.
Mark, I really appreciated this post. Your words, “When we touch each other’s suffering we are mystically reminded of interdependence that exists between us. Sonmi 451′s revelation from Cloud Atlas contains much wisdom reminding us of the butterfly-effect of human relations: '…by each crime, and every kindness, we birth our future.'" My mom died 10 days ago. In our suffering, my siblings (and stepsiblings) have managed both to significantly hurt and help each other. It seems all too easy to remember the crimes and forget the kindnesses. But your reminder is particularly helpful. It is by speaking of God’s salvation that I am able to experience God’s grace, which enables me to fully embrace all the stories. My heart doesn’t want to get into weighing and judging them so much as sit with them all and breathe; slowly breathe, breathe slowly and then move, connecting grace with hope for a better tomorrow. Thanks again!
--Blessings, Anna
Anna, Thanks for your comment here. I appreciate the concrete connection you make between Mark's reflections and you present situation. Our prayers are with you while you are up there.
Yes, thank you Anna for connecting your story to my thoughts. Your words mingled with mine is yet another layer of the mystical bonds that connect all our lives. Blessings!
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