Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

Executive Director Michael Ramos reflects on the embodiment of transformational faith as the means to repair what Empire threatens to destroy

The theme for this year’s Week of Christian Unity (January 18-25) was, “Do good; seek justice” (Isaiah 1:17). Over the history of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, unity implies a faith that does justice together rooted in the prophets – and for Christians – the prophet of integral liberation, Jesus of Nazareth. In the United States, our context of white dominant culture lends itself to our complicity with the demands of Empire. We tend to gloss over truths about the oppression of Empire because: a) it is overwhelming; and, b) we refuse to be touched by communities impacted by Empire at work. I share with you a compelling article from Adam Taylor of Sojourners on the bloated military budget and the invitation to turn to serve God’s kin-dom as life-giving alternative.

The prophets of old called us to turn away from the idols of hate, violence, greed, fear, and divisiveness. And from the faithlessness that is manifested as indifference to suffering. I have spent many years seeking to practice an embodied faith. This means moving out of my “educated” head toward a leading from the heart. Learning from migrating peoples, the Lived Experience Coalition, and the women of WHEEL, among many others, I have begun to understand the middle phrase of the first scripture I shared when I became Executive Director nearly 15 years ago, “Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8). Our religious traditions share in common the commitment to love mercy as the ground of spiritual endeavor.

May our accompaniment efforts in 2023 draw on the creative power that lies in our collective work for justice. May it contribute to the “repair of the world” (tikkun olam) following the lead of people who the culture places at the margins, specifically when we are invited to come alongside in their pursuit of life in abundance.