Slow Kingdom Coming

Maybe before a small group is sent from a church to address injustice in another country—like building a church or working in a school—the whole congregation should go through a public confession about the way our own country has, for example, exploited Native Americans and African Americans, and how that pain and exploitation still creates ripples

God and neighbor, I confess that I’m tempted to contribute in ways that make me feel best, not that help most. Help me to slow down to serve my neighbor in the best way possible.

we are simul justus et peccator, simultaneously saints and sinners.

We slow down to look backward for self-examination and understanding so we can then better move forward.

life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward.

Over the past twenty years I’ve also learned that kneeling for confession is the right posture for entering into the work of justice—with humility, supplication and vulnerability. If we don’t lower ourselves before God and neighbors, we will fail at lasting change;

She argues the main benefit of working hard at school is to develop our attention, which in turn helps us improve at praying.

Above all, don’t lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself . . . cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.

(When your stream of pee hits the ground too widely, it doesn’t make foam).