Dear Friends,

Our Gospel this Sunday speaks of rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and rendering unto God the things that are God's. This reminds me (Ron) of the bishops who have spoken out asking Catholics in their dioceses not to vote for a candidate who is not opposed to abortion. Sometimes these bishops even mandate refusing Holy Communion to such pro-choice candidates. Others respond to these bishops who try to force their constituents to vote in a certain way that the tax exempt status of the Catholic Church should be revoked if bishops are going to be part of the political process. This debate is larger than the scope of this inspirational weekly email.

What I would like to zero in on is a life-ethic for us today that was recently captured in a new way by the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. He advocated "a consistent ethic of life" and used the image of the seamless garment of Jesus which his executioners did not tear (John 19:23). As Bernardin looked out at the world, he noticed that the same people who were the most ardent advocates against abortion were also the most vociferous proponents of capital punishment and militarism and war. What Bernardin taught is that we must have "a consistent ethic of life—like Jesus' seamless garment." He said, "Life must be consistently valued and protected from conception to natural death." In his mind, abortion was not the only issue as some of the above mentioned bishops would lead their constituents to believe. Bernardin thought that we must consistently value life in the face of euthanasia, militarism/warfare, capital punishment, abuse, social injustice and economic injustice as well.

Bernardin said, "I believe it is when we learn to love life the way Jesus did, it will have an unreasonable impact on our life."

When I look at the way Jesus treated people, I see this modeled for us. When Zacchaeus was excommunicated by his neighbors for betraying them by collecting taxes for the Romans (Luke 19), Jesus accepted him as he was and visited him in his house. This unconditional love brought about a change in Zacchaeus' heart prompting him to repay those he had cheated and give some of his wealth to the poor. When the woman at the well/Samaritan woman was looked down on by her townspeople (John 4), when the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears was discounted by dinner guests as a sinner (Luke 7), when the woman caught committing adultery was condemned to death by those around her (John 8), Jesus stood on their side against the crowd, loved them just because they were human beings (and because he could see the goodness in their hearts) and this loving acceptance brought about a change in their lives.

What does this mean for us today? Can we have a consistent ethic of life—a seamless garment of valuing life wherever we find it?

• Can we value and protect our earth with plant life and animal life and all its resources and take care to protect it? Albert Camus, the French Philosopher, noted that autumn was his favorite season because "every leaf becomes a flower." Buddhists talk about valuing "all sentient beings." We mourned the loss of our daughter Heidi's kitten Thunderstorm this week and see how much comfort and enjoyment this little pet brought her; so many others, from children to elderly experience the same. Some describe animals as "little people with fur on."
• Can we work for an end to war and be makers of peace? Can we mourn not only Americans who die in war valiantly fighting for freedom, but the far larger number of Iraqis who die in the war and not see them as collateral damage to our efforts to bring democracy to Iraq?
• October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Can we promote harmony and care and acceptance in our homes and neighborhoods? Can we not exploit the vulnerabilities of those we care about? Can we work to eliminate sexual abuse and economic abuse and work to bring about healing of those who are victims? Can we work to eliminate bullying and road rage and violence in computer games and movies? Being opposed to violence, doesn't mean being a wimp or a doormat: when the guard slapped Jesus across the face (John 18:23), Jesus replied in anger, forcefully confronting the violence. Can we be people of integrity standing up against violence however it shows itself?
• Can we not write off those who are different and even more seek to understand them and accept them? They may be different because of a mental or physical disability, because of cultural upbringing or sexual preference, because of choice of religious belief system or political candidate. Can we try to enter into their world and understand them and value what they believe as important to them. Someone said that difference is God's generosity. Multi-splendored people bring richness to our lives and are many faces of the prism each reflecting God in their own ways.
• Can we as a Catholic Church accept others as Catholic and as people of good will even though they consider themselves Catholic but have a different way of conceiving God or hierarchy or priesthood or community or revelation than we do? We at the Spirit of Life, a Catholic Community of Justice and Joy, worship in the round and see liturgy as the work of the People of God, all the people. We see God as still revealing today who God is and how God is alive and well in our midst. We see ourselves as embodying God for each other and for all we meet. We see God's Spirit as speaking to everyone and therefore value listening to everyone both at liturgy and in our community meetings: God is generous and we are richer because our diversity nourishes us all. Other Catholic communities approach things in different ways. Can we remember that we have four Gospels and over the years faithful Catholic communities have had and do have many different faces? Can we include in our circle of care and prayer, all of these, and all Christian communities, let alone the many faithful Jewish or Muslim or Buddhist or Hindu communities or people of no religious preference but of deep spirituality?

I am afraid this has turned in an epistle. In short, can we have a consistent ethic of life—the seamless garment of Jesus that values life and loves people wherever and however we find them?

If you are look for to support you as you deepen your relationship with your God, we invite you to join us at the Spirit of Life. As a community, we try wholehearted to "be Christ" to one another, to tend to the needs of one another and to those in need in our world. And together, we celebrate our belief that we are being transformed by God's grace as we gather together in prayer. We warmly invite you to come, and gather with us at our Table and join in our experience of the "kin-dom" of God! We are an inclusive, open, affirming and interactive community, deeply committed to being a people of 'justice and joy.'

With prayers for you as you live out a consistent ethic of life and love,

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