The Celtic theologian, poet and wisdom-carrier John Philip Newell often speaks about ‘the healing of the world.’ I have been thinking about this phrase alot this week. On Tuesday at our staff meeting, another wise man I know spoke of the United Methodist notion of ‘going on to perfection’ and the difficulty he has had in giving flesh to these words, this concept. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, often said that as Christians we are ‘going on to perfection’. Since I, too, have had difficulty with this concept, these words, I listened intently to the content of the conversation searching for further understanding.

Sometime over the years I have begun to translate this concept of perfection into ‘going on toward wholeness’. For me, this is more helpful, less full of baggage. Perfection has such a heavy cross to bear in our 21st century culture. Ads of ‘perfect’ bodies, ‘perfect’ homes, ‘perfect relationships spring to mind. This is, I am fairly sure, not what John Wesley had in mind. But wholeness,shaping my life, my walk in faith, in a way that leads me home to the original wholeness from which I was born, that makes sense to me. And it seems even doable.

I am pretty sure that wholeness and healing go hand in hand. In a world that is splintered by so many factions, so much ‘us’ and ‘them’, ‘right’ and left’, ‘included’ and ‘excluded’, wholeness would certainly be a goal to pursue. If we believe that we are created in the image of God, which I do, that pursuit toward wholeness and, eventually,  holiness seems a noble endeavor, doesn’t it?

And how to do that? I don’t really have the complete answer but I am sure that some attention to compassion, justice, humility, and kindness is in order. These are not qualities that are celebrated in the advertising world of perfection. But they are qualities that were lifted up by Jesus and other prophets of God as the way in which we bring healing to the world and wholeness to ourselves. Embracing these goals may not help any of us fit into a size six pair of jeans or keep the wrinkles from aging our faces. But setting our intention to live a life of kindness and compassion, following a path of justice and humility just might bring about a better world. And some how I think that would be worth it.

In one of his prayers Newell writes: ‘Grant me the grace to reclaim these depths, to uncover this treasure, to liberate these longings, and in being set free in my own spirit, to act for the well-being of the world.’ Sign me up.

Have a blessed weekend……..