From our Sacred Ground in Action and Simpler Living Creation Care Ministries
In these often dark times, we wonder what difference we can make when so many issues – the climate emergency, racial injustice, voting inequities – seem to be insurmountable. This excerpt from The Episcopal Church Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN)/Episcopal Office of Governmental Affairs reminds us that we are not alone: quoting the late Dr Paul Farmer, as shared in Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder, “I have fought the long defeat and brought other people on to fight the long defeat, and I’m not going to stop because we keep losing.”
As Christians, we believe that Christ already is victorious. And so, even if the odds are long, even if we face defeat after defeat and do not see a way ahead, even if we feel that we are fighting the long defeat, we remain steadfast, our eyes fixed on the cross. As advocates this means we continue to carry out our work and strive for justice. We do not do so because we will win every time, because we won’t. We do not do so because we are assured of progress, because we are not. We recognize that on a human scale, we may face defeat. We keep striving for justice because that is what we are called to do.
For those of you who are feeling discouraged, we encourage you to stay connected to your faith and to the ultimate victory we believe awaits us. We also encourage you to stay involved and committed to public policy advocacy.
Go to episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/ and navigate this site to take part in the advocacy efforts of our faith tradition.
