\u201cVigil\u201d is a frequently used word these days. On Nov. 13, 2023, a vigil was held at the University of Idaho to acknowledge the 1-year anniversary of the horrific murders of four U of I students in their Moscow apartment. Friends and family gathered in Moscow (and other Idaho colleges) to continue the grieving for lost friends and healing of aching hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vigils are being held regionally and all over the world to protest the horrific war in Israel. Pro-Israeli and Pro-Palestinian advocates are demanding their people\u2019s plights be heard. The general moral quicksand of war is being transformed every day through the power of vigils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How can I talk about Vigils in some helpful way? Maybe a 70\u2019s-era greeting card offers a bit of comic perspective: \u201cBe Alert. The world needs more lerts\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The call to be alert is a call we need to listen for every day. We are called to be \u201cVigilant\u201d. How about \u201cpay attention\u201d? Stay awake, keep watch, open your eyes and your ears! However we say it, life calls us to not fall asleep on matters of great importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is well past time that we dilute the power of distortion and disinformation with a stronger power. It\u2019s the power to be \u201ca lert\u201d, a person who pays attention, who listens, who keeps watch, who opens ears and ears to be aware of what is happening. To know what can happen when we stop paying attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVigilance\u201d is a spiritual virtue in every major world religion: Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Bahai, Christianity, and many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It lives in the ministry of Jesus, for sure. He calls his followers to have eyes that see and ears that hear (Mark 8:18). He calls his followers to \u201ckeep watch\u201d (Matt. 26:41). Stay awake, folks, and act on your alertness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In December 2019, Congressman John Lewis said this about the impeachment of Donald Trump: \u201cWhen you see something that is not right, not just, not fair, you have a moral obligation to say something. To do something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The trick may be to actually see something that isn\u2019t right, just, or fair. We fool ourselves too easily into seeing past those things. So being vigilant means to look in the just and fair direction, to clarify what is consistent with our personal and social values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve been reminded of Vigilance\u2019s importance by Steven Harper, a retired seminary professor who writes insightfully about vigilance in his blog \u201cOboedire.\u201d Like Dr. Harper, I\u2019m very concerned about the dangers to democracy in our country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many choose to see these dangers. Many choose to not see these dangers. Yes, there\u2019s more to being \u201ca lert\u201d than wide-open eyes and ears. Open minds and hearts are also needed<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today\u2019s danger? I see political leaders and ordinary citizens believe their versions of Christianity Nationalism should be the \u201claw of the land\u201d. I see those same people wanting to restrict voting rights, reproductive rights, social rights. Authoritarian speech has incited violent actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How can we stay vigilant and actively engaged? Vigilance must begin inside our spirits. Courageous self-examination of our motives, but also of our deeper strengths, is called for. Being vigilant requires much of us. Like humility to admit when we might be wrong about certain things. Like being willing to act on wisdom attributed to Thomas Jefferson: \u201cWhen injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vigilance transforms persons and society through acts of compassion and nonviolence. It\u2019s an attitude and action of Light and Hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Light subverts the darkness. Hope subverts cruelty and hopelessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So become a \u201clert\u201d. Consider what it means to be vigilant!
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As vigils for peace and healing are held, Rev. Paul Graves shares in this month’s Faith and Values column shares thoughts on the need to be alert or spiritually vigilant for hope, light and love in our world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":23633,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[78,19],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-23632","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-devotional","8":"category-greater-northwest-area"},"yoast_head":"\n