Dear Partners in Mission:

Today is election day in our nation. Many of us have already voted (I did a week ago). This election, particularly in Texas has been deeply contentious, sowing seeds of deep division. The goal being to make us fearful and pointing the blame for any of our concerns on the “other.”

This past Sunday November 1st was All Saints Sunday. That day we heard the gospel proclaimed in the words of Jesus known as the Beatitudes. The Blessings. In the face of Roman occupation, the violence of Empire, Jesus’ blessings came for those who are poor, meek, mourning, hungering for justice and righteousness, peacemakers, and those persecuted for proclaiming this good news.

Jesus’ blessings are, sadly, antithetical to the empire in which we spend much of our lives today. A society built on accumulation of wealth, domination, war making, polarization, and demonizing of those on the margins. Words and work intended to make us afraid of one another and particularly those who are seen as different.

Jesus’ gospel challenges us to be people with eyes of faith to see in one another the image of God. This is especially important when we see those on the margins of society because of their race, immigration status, sexuality, gender, economic status. We are called to have the eyes of the beatitudes and see all God’s people as blessed, and in so doing recognizing that we are included and blessed. Not because of what we have or what we have done, but because of the life giving cross that defeats death and empire.

However the election season ends our work does not change. We are to be voices of hope trusting in the gift of grace and salvation freely given to us in our baptism. Working for the life of the world and sharing all we have abundantly.

#Juntosenmision

Bishop Gronberg