embracing restoration through *solidarity

the second of our Embracing Restoration posts . . .

If *hospitality is a picture of arms wide open, then *solidarity is the long embrace that follows the welcome.  It's others being brought near and allowing ourselves to be open, humble, and vulnerable to let others near us.

What comes to mind when you read the word solidarity?  One of the definitions that is sticking for us is Solidarity as unity that breaks barriers.  A shared life that brings us together overcoming barriers.

We considered a poem that speaks plainly about the tragic and misguided aspects of Christian history while asking, "what are our barriers to solidarity"? (following post)

The unfolding story reveals a progression of understanding---from "love your neighbor as yourself" to the radical and always intended way of life in Jesus' words, ""You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies..."

Solidarity is the path toward intimacy - and the beginning of intimacy is 'putting yourself in another's shoes' - making them human.  When we label others, then we make them less than human, which allows for us to hate, use, or simply ignore the other.  Albert Nolan writes,

"Our problem is that the ego treats everyone, even those who are close to us, as objects.  The ego sees them as objects to be used, to be possessed, to be accommodated and cultivated or to be hated and rejected.  They may be objects of interest or not; they may be seen as sex objects or even as objects to be pitied, charity cases.  But what the self-centered ego never sees them as is subjects, as persons."

But, Jesus says, just as we are aware of our own existence, let us see that others, even our enemies, are human, with lives, loves, histories, futures, dreams, needs, everything that we live with, they too live with.

Hospitality makes room for all people while solidarity embeds in us others humanness, their value, and their deep connection with one another.  May we be willing open our lives to a connectedness that breaks these barriers.