Pam Y. Fields

Miroslav Volf talks about the ‘will to embrace,’ where we give ourselves to others and welcome them; where we readjust our identities to make space for them.  Having just celebrated the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and his giving of himself for others, I am reminded of this call to us all and especially believers.  “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny…”  It’s a time in my life where some points are all converging to this one common theme.  I am working on a Doctorate that is looking at diverse congregations and how they can be unified through the practices of spiritual formation and reconciliation.  I am doing a program to become a Peace Ambassador to help bring peace within myself first and then throughout the world.  Through classes, reading, experiencing and sharing, I have been impressed with two action items.

1.  Become involved in healing/peacemaking discussions between Blacks and Hispanics or start one if I can’t find one.

2.  Research more the workings of reconcilers and peacemakers and see if they are having discussions with one another and start a discussion if they are not doing so.

Oftentimes, we can’t appreciate one another’s struggles because we don’t know their histories and our collective histories.  We also have a lot of media information that is incorrect, based on stereotypes; which leads us to incorrect assumptions.  Because of this, we miss out on our similarities and our collective and connective humanness.  Malachi 2:10 says, ‘Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?’  My prayer, as I look at all the conflict and oppression throughout the world, is that we humans can begin to act humane and begin to take on the challenge of the “Will to Embrace.”