I’ve been in several conversations recently about how to respond to the direction our country is heading. It is scary – there is ample evidence of that. This post is about the challenge of individually and collectively deciding where to focus our response and what actions to take. 

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I find the philosophy of Richard Rohr and the Center for Contemplation and Action very helpful in considering my own path. The Center’s website sums up their point of view this way: “Franciscan Richard Rohr founded the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in 1987 because he saw a deep need for the integration of both action and contemplation—the two are inseparable. As Father Richard likes to say, the most important word in our Center’s name is neither Action nor Contemplation, but the word and.

“Contemplation is a way of listening with the heart while not relying entirely on the head. Contemplation is a prayerful letting go of our sense of control and choosing to cooperate with God and God’s work in the world. Prayer without action, as Father Richard says, can promote our tendency to self-preoccupation, and without contemplation, even well-intended actions can cause more harm than good.”

A recent Sunday’s sermon at our local community church focused on our shared obligation to be involved for the common good. Our minister pointed out that in its original Greek “politics” was attention to the affairs of the city or community, how we share power and ultimately make decisions. The threats to our democracy and commitment to values of justice make clear our need to engage in “politics”. The question is how?

At our church, the “sermon” is a short talk by the minister, followed by comments from the congregation. Our leader Sunday has been to Ukraine twice as part of a faith-based action group. He focused on the misuse of power in last week’s White House embarrassment of Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky. 

Drawing from the notion of combining contemplation and action, there was much discussion of the temptation to demonize President Trump and his administration. That demonization does not advance a world based on love and justice. Separating the person from his actions permits outrage at the actions which then allows compassion for President Trump and our elected leaders. 

This sounds very far-fetched and naive. Yet, look at the leaders of change who brought people together. Martin Luther King, Jr. studied and embraced the nonviolent principles he learned from Mahatam Gandhi. The civil rights movement made progress because of its commitment to love and justice; it’s the same energy that guided Dr. King and his followers. 

If you are looking for a short and powerful summary of Dr. King’s life and how he balanced his commitment to love with action, there is a new (2025) young adult edition of King A Life now available. I found it a compelling testimony to the courage and faith required to take action for justice. 

The dangers of action without contemplation are many. The biggest danger is taking compulsive action driven by anger and resentment. Trying to do too much when angry leads to frustration with everyone and everything. This feeling does not advance coalition building. Constant action without grounding in some larger values or spiritual beliefs leads to burnout and short-term victories at best. Long-term change demands an openness to new ideas and people and ways of doing things. This change is enhanced by a practice of quiet time, meditation, and prayer. We can then connect with other people about the values guiding our work. 

If the 2020 election had any lessons, one certain takeaway for me was that demeaning people who disagree with us does not advance the common good. It will take time for those committed to working from love for justice to connect and build the coalitions needed for real change. This work is expedited each time another citizen decides that both contemplation and action are needed to bring about real change.