We celebrate indigenous people today in order to reject a worldview that centers and normalizes the European colonization of much of the world. And yet, most of us cannot escape a life deeply rooted in that colonization. Even as we seek to decolonize our minds and our lives, many of us live on stolen lands. Our food chains, our languages, and even our identities are inseparable from colonization.
Where do you experience remnants of colonization around you today?
We are not always in a position to give our all. But there are moments when we know what we can offer is exactly what is needed for a particular moment in time. -JeKaren Olaoya (CLF)
What gift can you offer to your community?
Theologians Rebecca Parker and Rita Nakashima Brock examine the harm done by the Christian theology of redemptive suffering in their book Proverbs of Ashes. Many Christian theologies are based in a particular view of redemptive suffering—that the suffering of Christ on the cross was mandated by God to atone for the sins of humanity. This understanding has led many to embrace the harmful theology that suffering brings humans closer to God.
How can you reject theologies that ask you to atone by suffering?
Caregivers showing up is an exceptional example of love. They could be a parent, guardian, child, or stranger. They commit to giving their time and energy to the care of another person, often with minimal thanks and acknowledgment. They are heroes who aid in the survival of others. -JeKaren Olaoya (CLF)
Thank a caregiver today.
“For so many acts both evident and subtle which have fueled the illusion of separateness,
I forgive myself. I forgive you. We begin again in love.”
-from Litany of Atonement, by Robert Eller-Isaacs
How can you forgive yourself today?
