“The People have spoken”

My eyes welled up last night and this morning as the national milestone of putting an African American family in a White House built by slave labor. Anyone with a social justice bone in their body, whether they voted for Senator McCain or not, must be over-whelmed with a deeper joy today in seeing the flood of images of jubilation from around the world.

"The people have spoken!" said Senator John McCain. “All Americans can be proud of the history that was made yesterday.” said President George W. Bush. Now the real work begins of systemic change in “remaking the Nation, block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand, said President-elect Barak Obama. And I would add, “zone by zone of shalom.”

As the images of joy and celebration continue to stream in from around the world, and tears fall down our cheeks, let us also remember how fearful at least 25% of those who voted for McCain feel about an Obama presidency, according to the polls. Many are convinced that the country has taken an apocalyptic turn, that the America they know and love is gone. It is a time for understanding and commpassion, healing and reconciliation, re-building trust, taking the risk of collaboration, coming together in the spirit of hope , and finding common ground. Time to develop a global perspective as a citizen of the world. Time to trust the God of all the nations, while we seek the shalom of our country with liberty, justice and prosperity for all.

“Some trust in horses, some in chariots, but our hope is in the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:27

Liberation Spirituality: Henri Nouwen and Gustavo Gutierrez in Dialogue

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