Scripture: Galatians 3:26
…for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.
Thought for the Day: The death of Supreme Court Anthony Scalia has, to no one’s surprise, created a political firestorm. Plans about his funeral have not yet been created, but the fight is on. You might have been a big fan of Justice Scalia or maybe you disagreed with him, but whatever the case, Justice Ginsburg’s tribute to him was an important reminder about what it means to live in community. The media would have portrayed these two Justices as enemies, but there was nothing further from the truth. Ginsburg, using a metaphor of an opera, wrote:
Toward the end of the opera Scalia/Ginsburg, tenor Scalia and soprano Ginsburg sing a duet: ‘We are different, we are one,’ different in our interpretation of written texts, one in our reverence for the Constitution and the institution we serve. From our years together at the D.C. Circuit, we were best buddies. We disagreed now and then, but when I wrote for the Court and received a Scalia dissent, the opinion ultimately released was notably better than my initial circulation. Justice Scalia nailed all the weak spots…and gave me just what I needed to strengthen the majority opinion. He was a jurist of captivating brilliance and wit, with a rare talent to make even the most sober judge laugh.
Have we allowed a system to exist (maybe profit) with a purpose of keeping us at odds with one another? There is so much dissension and conflict, but is it really what is occurring? Of course we are going to disagree, but these two Supreme Court Justices help us to see things differently – respectful disagreement that seeks common ground and the best for everyone.
Prayer: Let me live my life as one of your children, O Lord, and see others as you see them. Amen.
