ASH WEDNESDAY.and PAX CHRISTI.
I attended Mass at St. Jude the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, got annointed with ashes(the event itself feels so sacred;it's hard to explain if you are not a Catholic--it's one of those rituals I participate in, with great awe) and afterwards went to our Pax Christi meeting.Pax Christi literally means "Peace Christ"--the group is all about Peace & Social Justice.Politically, I've discovered we're all liberal, edgy, progressives.
I spoke about how thrilled I was in the voting booth(see my previous entry, below), seeing the names.It engendered quite a discussion, and it was very moving to see people I have grown in my faith for God with, exclaim their excitement over the wonderful Democrats we have, running to be the next President!While politics and religion in public, should be separate, I was amazed how the personal(my faith) HAS influenced my politics.Not in the scary, right-wing-Christian way we all read about(and which probably exists on a very real level in red-state-Georgia-"Huckabee" country) , but in a profoundly personal, soul-searchin' way that makes me want to insist on more from our leaders--more integrity, more honesty, more ability to reach out.It has informed my priorites, as well: Peace(I am a budding pacifist) is number one for me(that means we get OUT of Iraq!And for God's sake--no more invading sovereign nations.), and social justice(economic equality for all) is an equal concern.
I think Christ himself (if he were political)must've been a Progressive/Socialist.
A really, really soul-ful Socialist.
"I give you Peace, My Peace I give you."
--Jesus Christ
"There is no Way to Peace; Peace IS the Way."
--Mahatma Gandhi



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