Thankfully, as one friend recently noticed, I'm not dead in a ditch. =)
About 5 weeks ago, I left this house (I'll be in Akron, PA and NYC and Goshen, IN over the next few days; the joys of holiday!) to walk. While that's not a full explanation, at the time it was enough, and it was all I had to tell. Walking allowed me to slow down, get away from technology and simply listen, in other words a spiritual journey. Ultimately, the goal was to meet people along the way, to share and connect with them; walking was also the vehicle that started conversation, the icebreaker.
Out of this beginning, a question: What is the purpose of this walk?
I arrived in Philadelphia almost four weeks ago. There as everywhere is a suffering city, but in the midst of it people live in hope. Here is a small map of the places I encountered hope.
In North Philly, on Norris Street, is New Jerusalem Now a very literal place of recovery and rebirth.
To the east in Kensington is The Simple Way house, where they practice being good neighbors and advocates for change.
Nearby, on Lehigh Ave is a Catholic Worker house that runs a free clinic for the community.
In Center City, I visited Broadstreet Ministries that daily welcomes and feeds anyone who walks through their doors.
Farther south, on the corner of Broad and Alter Street, is one of many places that Circle of Hope worships and builds community.
Over the Schuylkill, in University City, is a Vineyard Community Church congregation that welcomes and reaches out to college students and neighbors.
Just a few blocks west, on Baltimore and 48th, is where West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship worships and works for peace.
Far from a complete list, in the end these are just places; what matters are the relationships started here. I could also mention all the chance encounters on the street, the small group and cell meetings and the meals shared, which all occurred outside of these spaces.
And then over the past two weeks I've been pondering this question: What was the purpose of making these connections and acquaintances? I know I am called to return to Philadelphia, but meeting people and making connections is no longer enough. It's like a treasure hunt. I'm not given all the pieces. I have to go searching for them.
The miracle is that a picture is forming, as I walk, a vision is revealed. The writing is on the wall. But it's in a language in which I'm not yet fluent. Yet, I'm not the only one who feels it. Coincidences happen daily: Strangers tell the same anecdotes my friends spoke about days ago, newspapers print stories on the conversations we had in living rooms, institutions implement plans I had secretly dreamed of while walking. What exactly is happening? Is this 6 degrees of separation in action? Am I seeking out people and groups who are unknowingly connected to each other? How sensitive are we to the trends around us? Do we really share the same ideas? The idea of justice in an world that acts unjustly. Or peace in a world that lashes out with violence. Is this Christ and God, hidden, but ever present in our lives?
How many times these past few months did you feel that something odd, something new is happening? From the highs of President-Elect Obama's acceptance speech in Grant Park to the lows of a system so clearly broken that even the comfortable, the intellectual, the rich are unsure of the future. Do you see the same signs of hope I see? Is this mess of a "filthy, rotten system" just chaos or is it also the labor pains of a new birth?
I look forward to seeing you all again soon. Many blessings this holiday season.
In Peace, Hope, Faith and most of all Love,
Curtis Villanueva Jantzi
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Devil in the Details
It's been a week since I left Akron, and here I am at Pendle Hill, a Quaker retreat center just outside of Philly. How did I get here? The days have sped past. I've journeyed some 70 miles so far with infinite support and love I hardly know where to begin. I'd love to share all the details, but not over such an impersonal medium as a blog. (The luddite in me shines through!) Ask me when we meet face to face and I'll tell you some tales. But I do want to thank all of you:
To Ronie, thanks for the conversation my first hour on the road.
To Christina and everyone at Market Street House, thanks for welcoming me in and rocking the joint with music.
To Tim and Jared, thanks for the warm party on a cold night.
To Steve, thanks for picking up a stranger hitchhiking and celebrating with me.
To Officer Abel, thanks for picking me up and dropping me off at The Church of the Good Samaritan.
To Pastor Carol, thanks for directing me to Daylesford Abbey.
To everyone at Daylesford Abbey, thanks for sharing your faith and making space for me.
To all of you who have contributed to this walk financially, thanks for giving me the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with the kindhearted folks at Pendle Hill.
To those who have given me clothes or food for the journey, thank you.
To everyone who has offered a kind or challenging word, thank you.
And thank God for literally opening the way before me.
I'm off to enjoy the community. I hope you all have a wonderful day of thanks. And if you don't have someone to celebrate with, go out and look for them, they are there waiting.
PS Please keep thinking about security and comfort. The world isn't as dire as we sometimes fear. I'm still listening as I walk, something is happening, I can't figure out what exactly, but I know all of us will have to work hard for it to be born.
In peace,
Curtis Villanueva Jantzi
To Ronie, thanks for the conversation my first hour on the road.
To Christina and everyone at Market Street House, thanks for welcoming me in and rocking the joint with music.
To Tim and Jared, thanks for the warm party on a cold night.
To Steve, thanks for picking up a stranger hitchhiking and celebrating with me.
To Officer Abel, thanks for picking me up and dropping me off at The Church of the Good Samaritan.
To Pastor Carol, thanks for directing me to Daylesford Abbey.
To everyone at Daylesford Abbey, thanks for sharing your faith and making space for me.
To all of you who have contributed to this walk financially, thanks for giving me the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with the kindhearted folks at Pendle Hill.
To those who have given me clothes or food for the journey, thank you.
To everyone who has offered a kind or challenging word, thank you.
And thank God for literally opening the way before me.
I'm off to enjoy the community. I hope you all have a wonderful day of thanks. And if you don't have someone to celebrate with, go out and look for them, they are there waiting.
PS Please keep thinking about security and comfort. The world isn't as dire as we sometimes fear. I'm still listening as I walk, something is happening, I can't figure out what exactly, but I know all of us will have to work hard for it to be born.
In peace,
Curtis Villanueva Jantzi
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Freedom and Security, pt. 1
I have only been walking for a few days now. I doubt I've gone more than 20 miles. But the time on the road allows so much freedom to think and breathe. I've been staying with friends in Lancaster, PA. Tomorrow I head out towards Philadelphia. Yet, I've been too preoccupied with daily life to worry about where I'll stay during the 60 miles from here to there.
My current thoughts turn to Blossom Hill Mennonite Church, where today Pastor Jane Peifer spoke on Matthew 25:31-46. This is the passage where Jesus talks about the sheep (the righteous) and the goats (the self-righteous) being separated and receiving their reward. But the reward isn't what interested me, rather I'm curious why the righteous are blessed.
Matthew 25:37-40 (NIV)
37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
The righteous have been rewarded because they were merciful to those in pain. What strikes me most about this passage is that everyone of us has been a stranger, hungry, naked, thirsty, sick, even imprisoned. This passage is about recognizing ourselves and God in the face of others. When one of us suffers, we all suffer. Whoever comforts one of the least of these is a citizen of the Kingdom. But what does belonging to the Kingdom mean, what does it represent, how does it manifest itself? I can see that the entire Biblical story is about two kingdoms (I am definitely not the first to have this thought).
Last week I read TimN's insights on 2 Kings 17: 7-23 (Young Anabaptist Radicals) and was reminded of the Lord's response to Samuel when Israel demanded a king. The desire of the Israelites was to have a visible sign of strength. They wanted a leader they could see and hear, rather than live by faith.
In order to give some context, at this point in his life Samuel was old and appointed his sons to be the next judges for the nation of Israel. The people trusted Samuel but his sons were dishonest. The elders gathered to tell Samuel that his sons were unfit to lead. Furthermore, they wanted a king in order to be like the other nations that threatened them.
1 Samuel 8:6-7 (NIV)
6 But when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king."
Interestingly, the Lord went on to say in the next verses that the people had been rejecting him and serving false gods ever since he freed them from slavery in Egypt. The Israelites were willing to give up freedom almost as soon as they left the civilized world of Egypt. In fact, when faced with the desert wildernesses, shortly after the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, they longed for the security they had as slaves in Egypt. (Exodus 16:3) Although, time and again God had provided them with everything they needed, it was not enough.
The Israelites wanted concrete assurances that they would be protected in times of trouble. They did not want to trust in a God who only spoke through a few individuals. Why believe in an unseen God when they could place their trust in the very real power of military might and economic prosperity? All they had to do was look at neighboring empires with their massive armies and sprawling cities.
It's as simple a choice as trading freedom for security.
(I'll continue this at a later date, good night all.)
My current thoughts turn to Blossom Hill Mennonite Church, where today Pastor Jane Peifer spoke on Matthew 25:31-46. This is the passage where Jesus talks about the sheep (the righteous) and the goats (the self-righteous) being separated and receiving their reward. But the reward isn't what interested me, rather I'm curious why the righteous are blessed.
Matthew 25:37-40 (NIV)
37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
The righteous have been rewarded because they were merciful to those in pain. What strikes me most about this passage is that everyone of us has been a stranger, hungry, naked, thirsty, sick, even imprisoned. This passage is about recognizing ourselves and God in the face of others. When one of us suffers, we all suffer. Whoever comforts one of the least of these is a citizen of the Kingdom. But what does belonging to the Kingdom mean, what does it represent, how does it manifest itself? I can see that the entire Biblical story is about two kingdoms (I am definitely not the first to have this thought).
Last week I read TimN's insights on 2 Kings 17: 7-23 (Young Anabaptist Radicals) and was reminded of the Lord's response to Samuel when Israel demanded a king. The desire of the Israelites was to have a visible sign of strength. They wanted a leader they could see and hear, rather than live by faith.
In order to give some context, at this point in his life Samuel was old and appointed his sons to be the next judges for the nation of Israel. The people trusted Samuel but his sons were dishonest. The elders gathered to tell Samuel that his sons were unfit to lead. Furthermore, they wanted a king in order to be like the other nations that threatened them.
1 Samuel 8:6-7 (NIV)
6 But when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king."
Interestingly, the Lord went on to say in the next verses that the people had been rejecting him and serving false gods ever since he freed them from slavery in Egypt. The Israelites were willing to give up freedom almost as soon as they left the civilized world of Egypt. In fact, when faced with the desert wildernesses, shortly after the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, they longed for the security they had as slaves in Egypt. (Exodus 16:3) Although, time and again God had provided them with everything they needed, it was not enough.
The Israelites wanted concrete assurances that they would be protected in times of trouble. They did not want to trust in a God who only spoke through a few individuals. Why believe in an unseen God when they could place their trust in the very real power of military might and economic prosperity? All they had to do was look at neighboring empires with their massive armies and sprawling cities.
It's as simple a choice as trading freedom for security.
(I'll continue this at a later date, good night all.)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Walking Shoes
On November 4th 2008, millions celebrated the election of Senator Barack Obama to the office of President of the United States of America. As I watched the crowd in Grant Park and felt the irrepressible hope at a chance for change, I realized that no group nor person has a monopoly on hope. Even though I did not vote, I fully agree that the election of Sen. Obama is a move in the right direction as a nation.
Nevertheless, I am not the first to recognize that he will be unable to fix the social ills we suffer from: sexism, racism, homophobia and poverty. Nor is it his job as President, to fix these problems. True change doesn't come from the top, but from the bottom. As anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” It is my view that the Church, those of us who call ourselves believers in Christ, must be on the front lines of social change.
I believe the US church has forgotten our role to be different, radically different, from the world we live in; we are to be set apart by our love and compassion. A love so powerful we cannot abide to see the hungry, and homeless on our streets, nor a woman being abused by her partner, nor the rich family suffering because they are isolated in their wealth.
For that reason, I have decided to walk from now until our hearts have changed to reflect the love we believe is real. It will be a purposeful walk, in the hope of building a community on and along the way. I'm very hopeful that some of you will join me if not physically then in prayer and spirit. Ultimately, this is not something I can, nor want to do on my own. I will be looking for others who want to see the same change and we will walk together, even if only for a short time.
Tomorrow I'll be heading down to Lancaster, PA and spending a couple of nights there before making my way towards Philadelphia. I'm extremely excited about the journey and I'm looking forward to sharing the stories of my travels with all of you. It is a goal of mine to keep you all updated whenever I have access to a computer.
Joyfully,
Curtis Villanueva Jantzi
Nevertheless, I am not the first to recognize that he will be unable to fix the social ills we suffer from: sexism, racism, homophobia and poverty. Nor is it his job as President, to fix these problems. True change doesn't come from the top, but from the bottom. As anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” It is my view that the Church, those of us who call ourselves believers in Christ, must be on the front lines of social change.
I believe the US church has forgotten our role to be different, radically different, from the world we live in; we are to be set apart by our love and compassion. A love so powerful we cannot abide to see the hungry, and homeless on our streets, nor a woman being abused by her partner, nor the rich family suffering because they are isolated in their wealth.
For that reason, I have decided to walk from now until our hearts have changed to reflect the love we believe is real. It will be a purposeful walk, in the hope of building a community on and along the way. I'm very hopeful that some of you will join me if not physically then in prayer and spirit. Ultimately, this is not something I can, nor want to do on my own. I will be looking for others who want to see the same change and we will walk together, even if only for a short time.
Tomorrow I'll be heading down to Lancaster, PA and spending a couple of nights there before making my way towards Philadelphia. I'm extremely excited about the journey and I'm looking forward to sharing the stories of my travels with all of you. It is a goal of mine to keep you all updated whenever I have access to a computer.
Joyfully,
Curtis Villanueva Jantzi
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Why I choose not to vote
I've spoken with a few of you about my choice not to vote. Hopefully this will clarify why it's important I don't vote. And what I choose to do instead, which I believe will be infinitely more useful.
For starters, I want to live in a society that says, there is enough for all of us. I am looking for a community that says the hording of wealth is not the way to peace. The way of the sword and the dollar has failed us again and again. Yet all I hear the presidential candidates refer to is, "the American Dream," "I believe in the free market system," or "Protect America's interests." My heart breaks for the profound violence inherent in those phrases. I cannot support a leader who accepts the American way of life as default and good.
I won't vote for either candidate because my faith lies with another kingdom. My politics are intertwined with my faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, I don't want to muddle my beliefs with the messianic promises of change that permeate this election. I already have a savior and I doubt he ever wore a suit, although I can't be positive. I've never seen a photo of him.
I'm not apathetic towards the dilemmas of living in this world. But our current problems are the same old crises, in fact it seems that we are living in a cyclical world: the more things change the more they stay the same. It's a scary country to live in when so many of us are hurting and there are so few places to turn. We aren't facing a new vague threat, just a rehashing of the same tired plots.
What is it that makes this election so much more momentous than any previous one? Why the anxiety and anger and fear now? An honest answer to these questions is perhaps the most depressing thing I can imagine. Has the US always been in a war of some kind? Have there always been elderly amongst us who cannot afford to retire? Have there always been homeless on our streets? Does the Hippocratic oath still apply to someone who can't afford to pay the hospital bill? Have the poor always been with us?
The fact is that I'm as complicit as anyone in living a comfortable life at the expense of my neighbor. (I'm not saying the reader is complicit, that's for you to decide, trust me I'm a terrible judge. I know many of you have hearts of gold and serve tirelessly. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone other than myself and the system, which we have let convince us is good.)
This is my cry to our community and to the church. I'm asking to be held accountable to this decision that by not voting I'm taking on a much bigger responsibility: to do whatever small thing I can to love my neighbor, to love as I have loved myself. I have been unfaithful for far to long. I just can't convince myself that voting will absolve me of my responsibilities as a lover of God. The idol of independence has lost it's appeal. My vote doesn't matter if I'm not willing to stand up next to my neighbor, who is suffering, and share their burden and neither does my faith for that matter. I want to seek a new way of living. Nothing I've tried so far has worked.
I just can't believe that any political candidate offers anything fundamentally different from the past 200 years of US policy. But I do believe in the small way, the way of humility and self-sacrificial love and service. I reject the promise of power and change that our right to vote is supposed to symbolize. I believe there is a better system, a better way to live, which is founded on interdependence. I want to participate in a society where 'mine' becomes 'ours,' unfortunately that's not what America means, yet. The vote on November 4th is no paradigm shift, it is no peaceful revolution. But we have been promised a better world. I know I won't vote for the old world when I know there is a new one being born right here, right now.
If anyone reading this has any suggestions about faithful communities that are trying to live a new way, or if you are active in life affirming work, please let me know I'm always looking for new rays of hope.
"We can do no great things, only small things with great love." --Mother Teresa
I was greatly inspired by The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborn, it's an exciting read. I have to thank Shane for sharing his thoughts on community, God and love. Also here are a couple of links that helped me compose this note, maybe they can make clear anything I stumbled over. (I recommend exploring these sites. They contain a wealth of, what I'd call, prophetic vision):
http://www.thesimpleway.org/shane/sampler.pdf
(The Irresistible Revolution, Chapter 5)
http://www.cpt.org/resources/writings/sider
http://www.cpt.org/about/gitw
http://www.catholicworker.org/dorothyday/
And just for fun:
http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2947
For starters, I want to live in a society that says, there is enough for all of us. I am looking for a community that says the hording of wealth is not the way to peace. The way of the sword and the dollar has failed us again and again. Yet all I hear the presidential candidates refer to is, "the American Dream," "I believe in the free market system," or "Protect America's interests." My heart breaks for the profound violence inherent in those phrases. I cannot support a leader who accepts the American way of life as default and good.
I won't vote for either candidate because my faith lies with another kingdom. My politics are intertwined with my faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, I don't want to muddle my beliefs with the messianic promises of change that permeate this election. I already have a savior and I doubt he ever wore a suit, although I can't be positive. I've never seen a photo of him.
I'm not apathetic towards the dilemmas of living in this world. But our current problems are the same old crises, in fact it seems that we are living in a cyclical world: the more things change the more they stay the same. It's a scary country to live in when so many of us are hurting and there are so few places to turn. We aren't facing a new vague threat, just a rehashing of the same tired plots.
What is it that makes this election so much more momentous than any previous one? Why the anxiety and anger and fear now? An honest answer to these questions is perhaps the most depressing thing I can imagine. Has the US always been in a war of some kind? Have there always been elderly amongst us who cannot afford to retire? Have there always been homeless on our streets? Does the Hippocratic oath still apply to someone who can't afford to pay the hospital bill? Have the poor always been with us?
The fact is that I'm as complicit as anyone in living a comfortable life at the expense of my neighbor. (I'm not saying the reader is complicit, that's for you to decide, trust me I'm a terrible judge. I know many of you have hearts of gold and serve tirelessly. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone other than myself and the system, which we have let convince us is good.)
This is my cry to our community and to the church. I'm asking to be held accountable to this decision that by not voting I'm taking on a much bigger responsibility: to do whatever small thing I can to love my neighbor, to love as I have loved myself. I have been unfaithful for far to long. I just can't convince myself that voting will absolve me of my responsibilities as a lover of God. The idol of independence has lost it's appeal. My vote doesn't matter if I'm not willing to stand up next to my neighbor, who is suffering, and share their burden and neither does my faith for that matter. I want to seek a new way of living. Nothing I've tried so far has worked.
I just can't believe that any political candidate offers anything fundamentally different from the past 200 years of US policy. But I do believe in the small way, the way of humility and self-sacrificial love and service. I reject the promise of power and change that our right to vote is supposed to symbolize. I believe there is a better system, a better way to live, which is founded on interdependence. I want to participate in a society where 'mine' becomes 'ours,' unfortunately that's not what America means, yet. The vote on November 4th is no paradigm shift, it is no peaceful revolution. But we have been promised a better world. I know I won't vote for the old world when I know there is a new one being born right here, right now.
If anyone reading this has any suggestions about faithful communities that are trying to live a new way, or if you are active in life affirming work, please let me know I'm always looking for new rays of hope.
"We can do no great things, only small things with great love." --Mother Teresa
I was greatly inspired by The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborn, it's an exciting read. I have to thank Shane for sharing his thoughts on community, God and love. Also here are a couple of links that helped me compose this note, maybe they can make clear anything I stumbled over. (I recommend exploring these sites. They contain a wealth of, what I'd call, prophetic vision):
http://www.thesimpleway.or
(The Irresistible Revolution, Chapter 5)
http://www.cpt.org/resourc
http://www.cpt.org/about/g
http://www.catholicworker.
And just for fun:
http://www.sinfest.net/arc
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