The only thing Jesus excluded was exclusion itself.

(Richard Rohr)

Oh Christian friends, when will we understand this to be true?

When will we stop creating our own little tables and thinking that we are in charge of the guest list?

When will we stop with all our dualistic thinking that leaves some "in" - surprise, we are always in! - and others "out"?

When will we stop picking groups of people - surprise, they aren't us! - and deciding they are somehow lesser than in the eyes of the Creator?

When oh when will we follow in the radically inclusive footsteps of the One whose name we claim as our own?

I fear we won't ...

I fear that our exclusion itself will somehow cause us to be excluded from the Great Party in the Kingdom of God.

What would life look like right now if we saw all people as included rather than excluded?

How would that change how we navigate the world?

How we see ourselves?

How we see others?

How we love?

The only thing Jesus excluded was exclusion itself.

AMEN.