For what is greater than such a vision, to see the invisible God in a visible human being, his temple? ~Life of Pachomius
But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. —Jeremiah 29:7
My friend Rachel’s Instagram account was called Mixtapes from Babylon, which was also the title of the book she was writing when she passed away unexpectedly. Rachel was not only a dear friend but also a colleague, and she started every new project we worked on by creating a playlist—a modern~day “mixtape”—to inspire us for the work ahead. Rachel, maybe more than anyone, understood that until we as a society learned to be Beloved Community, we would remain in a modern~day Babylon, held captive by the same practices the Bible describes in ancient Babylon, injustices such as hatred, poverty, violence, hunger and bigotry.
Beloved Community, a term popularized by Martin Luther King Jr., refers to the “engine of reconciliation” that will eradicate our captivity, an engine that, for Dr. King, Rachel and hopefully for us, was fueled by the love of Jesus. Rachel’s playlists, like her life, were mixtures of hope, joy, righteous anger and calls to action. Like Dr. King, she knew that the only way out of Babylon was by loving Babylon—seeing and responding to the invisible God within each visible human being, caring for the brokenhearted on both sides of the street and fighting against every prejudice and assumption that pits neighbor against neighbor. Rachel knew that the present state of the world does not fulfill the dream God intends for us. She reminded us time and time again—through her words, her mixtapes and her life—that we are each other’s keepers, not just because it is the right thing to do but because it is our mandate as Christians, our mandate as the beloved to love as we are loved, in word and action.
For Reflection
What or who is the “Babylon” you have difficulty loving? What word or action can you take this week to practice loving them as you have been loved?
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