Judith Valente's Blog: Mindfulness in the Age of Twitter - Posts Tagged "oprah"

Few people have spoken with as much moral clarity about the spiritual illness afflicting our country than Benedictine sister and author Joan Chittister. Oprah Winfrey recently interviewed Sister Joan about her latest book “The Time Is Now.” This is must listening and reading for all of us who care out the soul of America.

We are in a “crossover moment,” according to Sister Joan, traveling without a moral compass. We need only consider the children who have died in detention on our southern border; the relentless gun violence in our public places, not to mention the culture of lies in our public discourse and increasing disrespect for the rule of law.

Sister Joan calls this “a complete collapse and crisis of American values.” And what are those values? Compassionate respect for others. Character as a crucial component of leadership. Striving for the common good. All themes stressed in the 6th century Rule of St. Benedict. All still cogent to a well-functioning (and, dare I say, Christian) society today.

One of the worse evils in such a time, Sister Joan points out, is to remain silent.

I recently watched a History Channel documentary on the rise of the Third Reich. Even some German Jews initially supported Hitler’s grand promises to rebuild the economy and make Germany “great again.” A majority of the German people wasn’t responsible for the racist laws that led to abductions, beatings, arrests, and ultimately to the death camps. The vast majority was guilty of keeping silent.

Sister Joan calls on all of us to be not merely churchgoers, but prophets. A prophet, she notes, speaks truth to lies. A prophet says no to the abuse of other human beings based on their skin color or their passport designation. No, to the degradation of our natural resources. No, to the concentration of wealth and power among the few. No, to national self-centeredness, but yes to mercy, compassion, and to life.

She reminds us too that Jesus -- the ultimate healer -- was also the ultimate prophet. Jesus contended, contested, confronted and challenged those who put the good of the few ahead of the common good.

Sister Joan’s words challenge me to speak up, to work harder for the kind of country I want America to be. She recommends meeting with our neighbors, going to community events and meetings, and keeping ourselves informed.

I would also suggest that we start demanding to talk about these issues within our churches and to hear about them from the pulpit.

As a daily Mass-goer, I’ve heard three homilies about abortion law changes in recent weeks. (Chittister accuses many churches of being “pro-birth,” rather than pro-life). I’ve heard nothing about the deaths at the border, the recent deployment of additional U.S. troops and military equipment to the Middle East, or the growing evidence of corruption within our government.
I’ve heard nothing about the need to improve our health care system or the growing gap between rich and poor.

A storm is gathering, Sister Joan warns. We can close our eyes and hope it won’t hit us. Or, we can work to force that storm to change course. We’re not on this earth simply to win, she notes, but to love, to grow and to leave the world a better place. That’s when everyone wins. How can I begin this week?

The Time Is Now

Here is a link to Oprah’s recent interview with Sister Joan. https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey...