From the Bible:

Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the Lord
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly[a] with your God.


From Swedenborg:
For when the good and truth residing with a person have been joined together his will is new and his understanding is new, consequently his life is new. When this is how a person is, Divine worship is present in every deed he performs; for at every point the person now has what is Divine in view, respects and loves it, and in so doing worships it.
[4] The fact that this is the true worship of God is unknown to those who think that all worship consists in acts of adoration and prayer, thus in such things as belong to the mouth and thought, and not in such as belong to deeds flowing from the good of charity and the good of faith. …
[5] In short, acting in accord with the Lord's commandments constitutes true worship of Him, indeed constitutes true love and true faith, as may also become clear to anyone who stops to consider the matter …
[6] … the outward performance of worship without this inner devotion is not worship …
In Micah,
Shall I come before Jehovah with burnt offerings? Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams? He has shown you what is good; and what does Jehovah require of you but to carry out judgment, and to love mercy, and to humble yourself by walking with your God? Micah 6:6-8.

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Message

Acting Justly

n 1864, workers in Chicago began to agitate for an eight-hour day, which seemed like another form of freedom as in the abolition movement.

A law for an eight-hour day was passed in Illinois and was to go into effect May 1, 1867. That day, tens of thousands of Chicago’s workers celebrated en masse in the streets of Chicago.  But on May 2nd,  employers ordered their workers to stay the customary 10 or 11 hours. The city erupted in a general strike, but by May 8, employers had won, and workers went back to work with their long hours.
 
In 1886, the Chicago Central Labor Union again demanded an eight-hour day and held a strike on May 1st. It led to a huge battle between police and workers. On May 4, there was a huge protest rally at Haymarket Square. Thousands of people were there, and someone threw a bomb at the police, killing one.  The police began shooting into the crowd, killing 11 more people.

Many of the wounded were afraid they would be arrested if they tried to get medical attention.  A controversial trial of sorts followed, in which 8 were tried for their political beliefs, and eight were hanged.  Around the world, people were outraged about the Haymarket incident.  It wasn't until 1938 that a law for an eight-hour day was enacted.

In many countries, May 1st is a day to honor workers and to remember the history of the Labor Movement.  In North America, labor is honored in September, but May 1st is an important date for many.  This year, many people in the "occupy" movement held protests as part of the historical meaning of the date.

This period in the history of Chicago was quite fascinating.  We have already talked about the Swedenborgian architect Daniel Burnham who was an up and coming architect in Chicago.  Seven years after Haymarket, the Chicago Worlds’ Fair would open.

May 5

The 5th Of May, celebrates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862.

The French army invaded Mexico at the Gulf of Mexico and began to march toward Mexico City, a distance of less than 600 miles. Although American President Abraham Lincoln was sympathetic to Mexico's cause, the U.S. was involved in its own Civil War and he couldn't send troops.

The French army encountered strong resistance near Puebla at the Mexican forts of Loreto and Guadalupe. Lead by Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, a Mexican army of 4,500 men were able to defeat the French army of 6,500 soldiers, which stopped the invasion of the country. The victory was a glorious moment for Mexican patriots, which at the time helped to develop a needed sense of national unity, and is the cause for the historical date's celebration.

For the most part, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is more of a regional holiday in Mexico, celebrated most enthusiastically in the state of Puebla. There is some limited recognition of the holiday throughout the country with different levels of enthusiasm, but it's nothing like that found in Puebla.

Traditional Mexican dancers Celebrating Cinco de Mayo has become increasingly popular along the U.S.-Mexico border and in parts of the U.S. that have a high population of people with a Mexican heritage. In these areas the holiday is a celebration of Mexican culture, of food, music, beverage and customs unique to Mexico.

These two celebrations, in some ways, show us justice from a Swedenborgian perspective.  To Swedenborg, the most important aspect of justice was to honor the needs of others.  It involved putting our personal wishes aside to look at what would best serve others.  The concept of workers being able to work and also spend time with family would have made sense to Swedenborg.  The idea of a country's independence from outside rule could also  be seen to honor those concepts.

What does justice mean to you?  Where do you see justice/injustice in your life and around you?

Next week we'll go into more depth about Swedenborg's writings on the topic.

PRAYER FROM Rev. JUDITH

This weeks focus is on union with God through social justice. Gurumayi once said, "Take a broom and sweep your heart!"
Believe it or not, this action done in meditation and prayer unifies you with God' s Grace, and opens us to a larger expression of Divine Love and Wisdom. Through this practice we achive clarity and direction. This is an act of social justice on an individual level, and adds to the good in the universe around you. Try it you'll like it!! And so will the others that share your world. ;-)

"Dear Lord, keep us close to you each day. Help us to sweep our hearts clean and listen for your quiet voice that guides us to do your will. Show us where our work and love will help those in need. Help us to spend our talent, our time, and our treasure in service to the marginalized and downtrodden. Keep us focused on your presence always. AMEN. "
Love,
Rev. Judith

 

Closing song

Let Justice Flow
 

Extinguish your candle.

                    

    

Close the Bible

   

 

Go in peace, doing God's justice every day.

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Next week:  Swedenborg's concept of justice.