I read the words written in
2010 by a young man who takes
Jesus at his word and I thought
of 2016 and rich, wannabe leaders
appealing to the worst in human
nature by shouting “The wall
will be built” to a vulnerable,
frightened crowd:

…our culture that teaches us to insulate ourselves from suffering, to build up gates and walls and border fences that separate us from those who are suffering right outside of our comfort. But we come to find out that not only are we locking the suffering out, but we’re locking ourselves in–to a life that’s incredibly lonely. Those patterns rob us of life and community.*

Promises, promises which
result in anti-community,
isolation and perpetual
loneliness and ever more
fear and hate. When will
we ever learn, when will
we ever learn that when
we open ourselves to the
suffering of others, par-
ticipate in that suffering,
we are touched by their
hearts and their hearts
grow into the love and
gratitude of our hearts?

*Shane Claiborne, When Action Meets Contemplation, 2010