Letter from the Church Council
While I am writing this piece, concerning (political) developments are taking place in my homeland and in multiple places around the world. Basic values that Jesus taught us, unfortunately, are not prevailing. Instead of love for one’s neighbor, peace, and justice, there seems to be more support for division, violence, and injustice. This fills me not only with great concern but also with a sense of despondency and powerlessness. What can we, what can I, do against these much larger forces in Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, Congo, Israel and Palestine, Ukraine and Russia, the USA, and Europe?
God calls us, nonetheless to action! In Amos 5, God calls the people of Israel to act. We are not Christians through our words, but through our deeds!
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. (Amos 5: 21-24)
When it seems impossible to bring justice on the world stage, start bringing it to your neighbors, your friends, your colleagues, your brothers and sisters in ACC, and in encounters with others. If we cannot bring justice at a small scale, we will certainly not succeed at a global scale. It is our mission to walk through this world with an open heart and do good wherever and whenever we can.
I want to conclude with a part of the prayer that Benedictine Sister Ruth Marlene Fox wrote in 1985:
May God bless you with holy anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.
May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you really CAN make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with God’s grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.
– Andries van Eckeveld ACC Council Member