In Ancient Greek, the word epiphany is translated as, Theophany, Θεοφάνεια, theophaneia, meaning "vision of God." For me epiphany has always been a great time of hope brought through the revelation that God has come to earth through the birth of Jesus Christ. I can't imagine what a great surprise this was to the wisemen, Mary, Joseph, and all who believed. Finally, the one prophesied in Isaiah has come to make things right and bring about peace to all and justice.Yet, more than two thousand years after the great revelation it is a bit harder to believe and have hope that God is still doing new things. Most days in the world that I live in it seems as if the world is bent towards injustice and the only bit of justice that shows her face is wrought out of some sort of corruption. As I await and prepare for our big celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Branches, I am inspired by the hope Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had when he proclaimed, “The moral arc of justice is long, but it bends towards justice.”
This epiphany although I do not see any signs of new life I chose to believe they are coming. Although I do not see the arc bending too deeply right now I must sit and force myself to remember the ways God has made himself known this past year. The next few days I would like to share with you the visions of God, the visions of hope that I have seen.
Today, I am reminded of the way the United Methodist Church has divested from the private prison industry. Prior the UMC was invested in CCA and GEO Group (GEO group being the private prison company who tried to build an ICE Immigration Detention Center in Florida City, which would hugely affect the farming industry and family life of our community!) You can follow this link to read the press release sent by the General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits of the United Methodist Church, www.gbophb.org/news/releases/pr20120103.asp. CCA and GEO Group are companies that are becoming rich off of imprisoning people.
Private Prisons will only turn a profit if people continue to behave badly. They rejoice while others mourn. They shout for joy as others cry. In order to continue to bring in a profit private prisons are now building and running many of the Immigration Detention Centers. So it is not so surprising that GEO Group and CCA have been huge advocates for the anti-immigrants laws in states like Arizona and Georgia. An investigation by NPR in 2010 proved right that CCA was involved in the drafting of Arizona's illegal immigration law through their involvement with the American Legislative Exchange Council.
The efforts of the UMC might seem small but I believe it is a big thing whenever individuals, churches, or businesses can say "no" in the face of injustice. God is doing something new! May we all believe! May we continue to look and watch and participate in the new things God is doing!
