Ramblings and Reflections
Newsletter 28
November, 2005

Dear supportive and encouraging friends,

November to me is a special month of thanksgiving. Both co-defendants, Jackie (Nov. 19) and Carol (Nov. 21) have birthdays along with Jonah House community members, Liz McAlister (Nov. 17) and Susan Crane (Nov. 22). I owe thanks to them and you and you and you every day.

In this little world of people in prison, we have been blessed to learn more about and experience Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Ramadan, All Saints/All Souls days and share discussion of St. Francis of Assisi and Gandhi. In these past weeks we remembered the 4 th anniversary of the bombing of Afghanistan, the 3 rd anniversary of our Sacred Earth and Space Plowshares II action and United Nations Day. On October 6 th it was a gift to speak with Jackie and Carol via phone, a renewal of our hopes and commitments.

For the newsletter I have lifted excerpts and concepts from a Franciscan Conference letter and from Jane Orion Smith's presentation at the Yearly Meeting of Friends in Abiquiu, NM. Both have an effect on me, but have so many profound thoughts that I am not able to include all of them.

Instruments of Peace – Letter of the conference of the Franciscan Family, on Pentecost 2005

Francis of Assisi confirmed: “The Lord revealed a greeting to me that we should say: ‘May the Lord give you peace.'” Today, united and obedient to him we also affirm it to all of you, while we live in a world lacerated by many wars, terrorism, social injustice, hunger, and natural catastrophes of almost apocalyptic proportions.

The followers of Francis go on to say:

1. It is our mission to announce peace – the greeting of peace and the initiatives in favor of peace were an integral part of self-understanding, of style of life and mission.
2. Itinerary for peace – (a) maintaining God at the center of activity; (b) proceed always with strength and wisdom in communion; (c) identify and call by name the true causes of violence; (d) promote conversion and reconciliation of all parties; (e) seek to heal and restore relationships rather than resolving disputes only; (f) re-establish justice, the basis of peace; (g) recognize that conflict implies an imbalance and evil use of power; (h) remain disarmed; (i) reject demonizing, for we are all sisters and brothers; (j) become involved.
3. The difficult path of peace – (a) personal reconciliation with God, ourselves, our brothers, sisters and all creation in a design for a culture of peace; (b) reconciliation must include our structures, style of life, work, mission to add to the construction of peace, justice and love. It calls for courageous condemnation of every form of violence.

I am grateful to our wonderful sister and brother Franciscans for these thoughts for our meditation.

Shaking the Foundations: A call to prophesy in the Society of Friends by Jane Orion Smith, General Secretary, Canadian Friends Service Committee, June 16, 2005

George Fox in his journal gave his exhortation to Friends (Quakers) in the ministry. It begins with, “Bring all into the worship of God.” and he continues, “…with the same spirit people must be led out of captivity up to God…and do service to him and have unity with him, with the Scriptures and with one another…a charge to you all…be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations…walk cheerfully over the world…answering that of God in everyone…spare no deceit … keep yourselves clear.”

This is a call to Quakers, a call to prophecy, to life, to ‘being'. These words reflect the values – integrity and truthfulness, joyful living, the equality and divine nature of all persons – familiar sayings in Quakerism, that is to be prophets answering that of God in all. It is a call to live a life of faith, that honors creation and upholds human dignity, that seeks “the good of all” over that of the few.

What makes a good prophet?

The traditional task of prophets was to correct moral and religious abuses, to proclaim truths, to speak for God to humanity. The great truths are embodied in testimonies of integrity, peace, community, simplicity and equality. Prophets raise awareness. The prophetic message of Friends is that of answering to God in everyone a message of hope and opportunity. It lifts the veil – in code and symbols - on oppression and its causes, on the power of hope, that the true transformation is needed within our own hearts and minds to stop supporting the oppression.

How do we break ourselves free?

Our first task is to cease participating in the oppression perpetuated by the philosophy of empire. From the companies we choose to work for, to the things we buy and where we buy them, to the investments we make, to the values we hold, we must question any collusion with the values and practices of empire. For example, we make choices that impact small farmers, the environment through pesticide use and genetically modified seed; the globalized clothing industry's underpayment of workers; continued unsustainable logging practices; consumption of gas, oil and other non-renewable energy resources which perpetuate war and global warming. The peaceable kingdom lives in our soul waiting to get out and be lived into existence.

What preparation is needed for prophecy?

1. Prophecy first requires divine inspiration, which comes from being grounded in God and with a listening heart.
2. The Light will transfigure us – if we let the Light in our consciences – search us, reveal us, strip us, strengthen us, act through us.
3. The inward journey is the essential groundwork for spirit-led witness in the world to which we are called.
4. The spiritual disciplines keep us oriented to the Holy. These include prayer, worship, reading inspirational literature, a mystical appreciation of the universe alone and in community. “If we do not surrender to the Light and let it lead us, we will be unable to rattle – let alone shake – the foundations, and we will be leveled.” “The early Quakers realized through the devastating experience of war, that a social and spiritual transformation within society was necessary if the change they were seeking was to come into being. For the means are the end.”
5. Love is an essential ingredient in our community, prophecy and activism, a radical love, that commits us to nonviolence, requires our vulnerability, to let go of judgment, to forgive others and to remain open to those with whom we never agree, and to get beyond our fear of suffering and change. “Part of the point of prophecy is to learn the compassion that leads to action…to see and feel the experience of others – family, friends, then moving outward to the whole human family.”

Where is God calling us as Friends?

“…to the edge, to the uncomfortable place within and without. To make the connections between the civil wars of Africa and the Americas and the natural resources we consume in the West – diamonds from Congo, oil from Sudan, gems from Guatemala, even water from Uganda. To lend our privilege to the women and children of eastern Europe and Thailand being trafficked for sex, to the men – including Quakers – being conscripted by force to fight in wars in the developing world, to people who are earning a dollar a day in Mexico – or 5 bucks an hour here – so that we can buy inexpensive goods at big box stores…This is the domain of prophets – and peacemakers. We have to find the courage and conviction in our souls to go there, individually and collectively and to have the courage to break the silence, to act, to shake the foundations of society by being what we believe.”

Thank you Jane Orion Smith. Your full sixteen-page presentation gives us much to ponder. I have summarized some of it for others.

What is Love? - from the mouth of babes

A four-year old child, whose next-door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife, went into the old gentleman's yard when he saw the man crying. The little boy climbed onto his lap and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.”

With my love and gratitude,

Ardeth Platte, OP # 10857-039
Federal Correction Institution website:
33 ½ Pembroke Station
Danbury, CT 06811