Condemnation - On Letting Division Cease (Focus 1 of 5)

Consider this ice breaker as you gather for the Spotlight.

Have you ever said something that was taken in a completely different way from what you intended? What happened?

Now that you've broken the ice, get into the idea of this Spotlight with another question - this one about feuds - by watching the video below. 

(And welcome, by the way! It's great that you're here!)

See what this Spotlight—and series—is focused on.
Tap on the words "Focus 1" in the image below to read this Spotlight's summary.

One more note about this series before you move on:

The phrase "division cease" comes from the ancient hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. The words of this hymn have remarkable roots: they were taken from a series of prayers (The O Antiphons) that can be traced back to at least the 6th Century AD.

Here’s the verse this series' title comes from:

Latin:
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:
Veni, et salva hominem,
quem de limo formasti.

English translation:
O King of the nations, and their desire,
and the cornerstone, which is making both one:
Come, and save humanity,
which you fashioned from clay.

Finally, here are the words as they are adapted into O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Say them together as a prayer to open the Spotlight:

O come, desire of nations. 
Bind in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid, thou, our sad divisions cease 
and be thyself our King of Peace. 
Amen.

Since you may have it in mind, if you'd like to sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel, you certainly may!

Finish this thought by listening/singing along with the song Boldly I Approach by Rend Collective, a song that approaches God as if he truly does see us as worthy and blameless.

Find a cause you don’t… love.
There are always going to be people with whom you disagree. That’s life on earth. But as we get into this series and start thinking about what to do with those disagreements, we want to humanize the “enemy.” (They’re not the enemy.) 

So, take 5 minutes to work on this now…

1. Think of a cause with which you don’t agree. A “them” cause. 
2. Research and learn about an actual, living person investing in that movement right now. 
3. Find a way to communicate with them that you value them, respect them, and otherwise consider yourself to be unified with them even though you don’t agree with what they are saying. DO NOT make a big deal out of the disagreement side of it. Make a big deal out of the unity. Make a big deal out of the love. At least a 20 to 1 ratio of unity to disagreement.
4. Play the song below as your timer and background while you work on this.
5. Hold onto your notes for next Spotlight when you're done!

Find wisdom and make peace.

O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.

The week this Spotlight was first published, the contentious 2020 US Presidential Election had just taken place. It was a time of division, but that's nothing new. What version of human division is currently in the headlines?

Here’s a question: What are the #1 and #2 qualities of heaven’s wisdom?

(Click here for the answer.)

As a group, brainstorm ways you, regardless of divisive issue at hand, can be peacemakers this week. Ask yourselves the question: What would successful peacemaking look like?

Feel free to submit a prayer request by filling out the below form.
(If you choose to make your request public, you'll see it display in the Current at the end of the Spotlight along with anyone else who did the same.)

Pray for unity.
“My prayer for all of them is that they will be one…
Then the world will know that you sent me
and will understand that you love them
as much as you love me.”

John 17:21, 23

Read this prayer together (if you're in a group.)


O God,
we are one with you.
You have made us one with you.
You have taught us that if we are open to one another,
you dwell in us.
Help us to preserve this openness
and to fight for it with all our hearts.

Help us to realize that there can be no understanding
where there is mutual rejection.

O God, in accepting one another wholeheartedly, fully, completely,
we accept you, and we thank you, and we adore you,
and we love you with our whole being,
because our being is in your being,
our spirit is rooted in your spirit.

Fill us then with love,
and let us be bound together with love as we go our diverse ways,
united in this one spirit which makes you present in the world,
and makes you witness to the ultimate reality that is love.
Love has overcome.
Love is victorious.
Amen.

Thomas Merton (1915–1968)

Sing along with (or listen to) this song to close out this Spotlight.
Feel free to sing along or simply listen. Do what makes you comfortable—but do whatever helps you focus on the song's meaning best.

Let's wrap things up by taking a look at what's Current at Illume.

Tap on the buttons in the frame below to see what’s currently happening at Illume—information on everything from current and upcoming online content to live events and opportunities to serve in the community can all be found here.