From worship last First Day: tikkun olam and Pirkei Avot 2:20

Some of the themes that wove themselves through the vocal ministry during Meeting for Worship last First Day included ethical behavior and justice; how our own personal behavior and choices effect justice in the world, effect other people and creatures and the planet; hope; and overwhelmedness.  

Are our choices too small in the grand scheme of things to matter, or does every single action make a difference? 

Perhaps because of the spiritual / religions traditions I was raised in -- Catholicism, Witchcraft, Judaism -- I have always known, in a deep, unshakable place, that all actions toward tikkun olam, toward healing the world, make a difference.  (It took longer to learn that it is not up to me to do this by myself.  Whew!) 

So the two things that came to me on First Day were this:

• That what we were all talking about, in that thread in the vocal ministry, is tikkun olam; 
• and that:

"It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work; neither are you free to desist from it." (Pirkei Avot / Ethics of the Fathers 2:21)

Blessed be.