Cooperative Liberation From the Bottom Up

Random, but while going through the digital post-it notes on my laptop, I came across this response I wrote up for one of my classes. I didn't want to just delete it along with the post-it note, so here it is.
___

Liberation in the context of political and liberation theology calls for a subversion of the current domination system - where one social class controls and dominates another, resulting in the inability of all to live a life of human fulfillment.

The revolutionary struggle calls for an approach of power from the bottom up, where the people hold their power, as opposed to a top-down approach, where the top few percent have dominance over the rest of the world. (ref: Placher)

The concept of liberation can also be understood in relation to the Eucharist - where we are freed from injustices, oppression and violence to be in right relationship with each other as the Body of Christ, united to each other and God; in solidarity with each other. To attain this freedom, we need to keep our eyes and hearts centered on the hope we receive from the resurrected Christ, and together, we need to find ways to live into the kingdom of God together - the alternative to the domination system of today.

Liberation is not an easy task, and comes with much sacrifice. It calls for a death to self, to rise as a whole in solidarity with others. It calls for us to embrace discomfort by rejecting the system of dominance from which we may enjoy privilege or security, to practice downward mobility so that freedom is something that can be shared not just by the privileged class, but by all. It is not giving voice to the marginalized and the oppressed as much as it is magnifying the voice that is already present but has been suppressed. Finally, the task of liberation is not just in the hands of the privileged - it is in the hands of all - when we cooperate as a Body of Christ and as a unified whole.

Storms

I like watching storms. I realized its been a while since I stopped to sit and watch storms, now that I'm doing so. Guess I've succumbed to the whole "I'm too busy to slow down" lifestyle, unfortunately.

Maybe its because storms create an inconvenience and interruption to the daily routine - what would otherwise be  simple and mindless errands transform into something of a point of consideration. The degree of wetness and squishiness (is there such a word?) of my shoes - a sensation I very much dislike. Storms evoke a desire to stay put - to be right where I am (indoors, that is). It's a nice excuse to hit pause on the to-do list, especially if it requires venturing outdoors.

For some reason, I'm fascinated by how water falls - how the heavy stream of water flows down the glass and the sides of the wall. I love how it sounds - steady but not robotic, continuous and dynamic. It is calming.

Sipping hot tea, sitting beside a loved one in silence with the occasional conversation, watching and listening to the storm, I am present to the moment, and grateful that I'm not battling the storm on the highway, hands gripping the wheel to make up for restricted vision, dreading the occasional reckless driver weaving through lanes, abandoning the use of their turn signals.