For the season of Lent this year we took some time to explore the kind of justice that Jesus invites us into as Christ-followers. We referenced the book, The Justice of Jesus, by Fr. Joash P. Thomas as a guide, as we reflected together what it might look like to decolonize our theologies, practices and communities – in a pursuit for greater liberation and wholeness.
February 22nd – Centring on the Justice of Jesus at the Table
As we considered the path that Jesus walked on earth – showing us the way of love, justice and peace – we were invited to examine the ways that our faith, worldview and understanding of Jesus have been shaped and corrupted by colonization and empire. A starting point in decolonizing our faith is to center ourselves on the Eucharist table. We spent some time reflecting on how centering the Eucharist/Communion table leads us to the centering of Jesus – in our gatherings, our faith community and our lives.
Part 1 Podcast Link
March 1st – The Cost of Justice
In a world of “Thoughts and Prayers” and performative social media posts, what does it mean to embrace the cost of Justice? This week we spent some time digging into the story of the Good Samaritan as we continued exploring together what it means to centre on the Justice of Jesus. In what ways can we lean away from “cheap justice” and lean towards the life of true justice that Jesus calls us to?
Part 2 Podcast Link
March 15th – Pursuing Justice through Decolonization
The Church as we know it in our Western culture has become intertwined with the dominant colonial systems and power structures. These systems and structures do not reflect the ministry or the justice of Jesus, and can perpetuate inequity and harm on the marginalized. This week we looked at how our congregation may pursue justice by intentionally stripping away those biases and actively promoting restorative justice through our teaching, our community, and our budget.
Part 3 Podcast Link
March 22nd – Holy Proximity: Moving from Sympathy to Solidarity
How do we move from feeling overwhelmed by the world’s needs to actually participating in its healing? This week, we continued our Justice of Jesus series by diving into the practical architecture of the Kingdom. We explored four essential disciplines that sustain any movement for restoration: Prayer, Advocacy, Partnership, and Community. Following the message, we gathered around tables for interactive exercises to help us identify how these four pillars can be built into our daily lives and our collective work in the community.
Part 4 Podcast Link
March 29th – Decolonizing Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday: Palm Sunday, The Original ‘No Kings’ Day!
How do we understand Palm Sunday in the original historical and scriptural context of Jesus, Justice & Empire? And how does the example of Jesus in Palm Sunday inspire us to live in ways that peacefully resist the ways of the empires of our day in 21st century Southern Ontario today?
This week, we concluded our Justice of Jesus series by reflecting on Palm Sunday through the lens of Jesus, justice, and empire, with Fr. Joash P. Thomas. Together, we explored the historical and scriptural context of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, considering how his non-violent, unifying way stands in contrast to the exploitative, “divide and conquer” patterns of empire—both then and now.
We reflected on how the example of Jesus invites us to live lives of peaceful resistance in our own context, here in Southern Ontario today. Moving beyond teaching, we also gathered at Jesus’ Table—one of the most ancient and unifying practices of the Church—reminded that we come with our full, God-given identities. In this space, we named the truth that those often labelled as outsiders or “heretics” by empire are, in fact, deeply beloved by God.
Part 5 Podcast Link