“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed.”
—Genesis 1:31
One of the unique things about the creation narrative is this depiction of Yahweh the creator surveying all that was made and in response exclaiming, “It is all very good.” From the stars in the universe, to the asteroids darting through space, the animals and plants on Earth to the people who were made in the image of the Creator. Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim or of another religion, one can’t shake the fact that we are all interconnected.
Shalom is a common word used by Hebraic speakers. It is used as a greeting. Its most simple translation into English is the word peace, but it more closely translates to wholeness. The state of being whole. When I think of spirituality, I think of our mutual longing to be whole and to be well. Wherever there is brokenness, there is a desire for it to be fixed. Wherever there are divides, there is a longing for reconciliation, repairing and restoration.
The picture that comes to mind when I think of spiritually is actually the picture that is displayed in the south side of the Wellington Heights Community Church building. It’s a mural that depicts people from all walks of life sharing space together. People who may disagree theologically and politically and in personal values, but they gather together without judgment in community with each other. They understand God’s desire for unity through the bond of peace.
My spirit is renewed when I see unlikely people sharing spaces. I am renewed when I see people who disagree sharing a meal, sharing a park and sharing a moment. The Good news in Christianity is that God came down to Earth and lives among us. God came down and shared space with us in order to reconcile us back to our Creator and each other. May we all follow Yahweh’s lead in being agents of reconciliation and restoration to both people and the rest of our environment.
—Pastor Keeyon Carter, Wellington Heights Community Church
image of a mural in the Wellington Heights neighborhood by the Gazette