By The Way: We need more conversations about the ‘Common Good’

By Dave Pollard on October 15, 2022.

Our world is fraught, from economic pressures, to the conflicts we see over the world, to the deep divisions we see in our politics everyone seems to have an axe to grind, a grievance, or someone to hate.

The pandemic we are still in has not added to social cohesion, and in fact some have used it to amplify their voice because the think they have been hurt by public health officials and governments doing what they are supposed to do keeping folks safe and healthy.

I don’t want to re-litigate the variety of arguments that both sides of the COVID debate have offered up. I do want to try to persuade folks into conversations about the “Common Good.”

As a church the folks I serve have had a variety of responses to the situation we have found ourselves in. A good many of us have been vaccinated and boosted, some have chosen not to be. Our message to the folks who have been vaccinated is thank you to the many who are protecting yourselves and the few who have made a different choice.

To those who have not been vaccinated we say we respect the fact you were able to make a choice but we also want you to try to be mindful that some in our community are vulnerable some chose to mask still so we want to respect that choice.

To everyone we say keep doing the minimum to prevent the spread of illness, practice good hand hygiene, if you are not feeling well stay home if you can and recuperate, and listen to the advice of medical professionals.

The Common Good sometimes requires common sense, for those of us who follow the way of Jesus we have a duty care “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these commandments.

Let’s get back to caring for each other over being right!

Rev. Dave Pollard is minister at Fifth Avenue Memorial United

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