Seeking Justice

He has told you, O mortal, what is good,

    and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice and to love kindness

    and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8

This past Sunday, we had a third virtual co-preacher, Árelis Figueroa,  join us at City Church. Árelis is a community activist, organizer, and minister. She has done remarkable work in Latin America and the United States in caring for people and communities as well as fighting to end systemic evils—like poverty. Árelis works for the Kairos Center for religious justice which is one of the anchors of the Poor People's Campaign (PPC). Before being assassinated (1968), Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. launched the PPC in 1967 to address the impact of poverty on millions of lives in the United States. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed three key evils: poverty, racism, and militarism. In her community work with the PPC, Árelis shared they have added to two more evils: ecological devastation and the false moral narrative of religious nationalism. The way Árelis cares for communities and advocates for change is in a response to the evils she witnesses and her call to do justice as a Christian. 

Let’s pause. From King to Árelis these are pastors, followers of Jesus, calling out evils in this country. As I have admired Árelis and reflected on her life experience, work, and wisdom, I keep thinking she is so close to the heart of God. Many of us long for that feeling of being close to God. We want that feel-good-spiritual-moment. While that is not bad, Árelis reminds me that being close to God can be being close to others, sufferings, and fighting for justice. 

As we reflect this week on “blessed are the poor” and fighting against systemic evils, would we continue to ask God to bring us close to God’s heart. Take a moment to ask God to help you see injustice, to help you feel compassion, and to help you do justice. 

I’ll leave us with this quote from Árelis to meditate on: “The gospel of Christ compels us to work for justice and peace in order to build the kin-dom of God in our midst.” 

Amen. 

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Dottie Oleson