Jonathan Kozol steps back from his relationship with kids at the afterschool at St. Ann's Episcopal Church in the South Bronx and tells a story from 1969 about his encounters with Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator who was teaching at Harvard. Freier also was a commited Christian.
He described people " 'dying from their class' to be reborn with a new loyalty to other social classes that they may have scorned, ignored, or even viewed as humanly dismissable before. To break the ties, to step away from all the benefits our birth afforded us, to see the world in a new way and take our vision not from books about the poor but from the poor themselves -- this is their Easter" (page 249).
As we await the birth of Jesus, there is the opportunity for a new birth in each of us. An Easter -- which provides a new way of living life -- and a new vision with which to live that life.
Comments
New Birth/New Life
Perhaps one way that we as individuals and congregations can resurrect that spirit of new birth/new life within us is to intentionally reach out to the children in our communities, learn of their stories, and to offer ourselves as instruments and catalysts in God's resurrection work. The challenge is to deeply listen , to lay aside our own agendas and preconceived notions (no matter how well meaning they might be)and to be prepared to be companions on the journey regardless of where it may take us.
Add new comment
Our comment policy requires that you use your real first and last names and provide an email address (your email will not be published). The Communications Office of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark reserves the right not to publish comments that are posted anonymously or that we deem do not foster respectful dialogue.