Faith from the reigns of a Christmas Sleigh?

         I am a bit crotchety when it comes to theology and biblical studies. If you scroll back to one of my first blogs from Christmas last year (shameless plug, “Bah-Humbug”) I offered some commentary concerning the way we view the birth narrative of Jesus the Christ this time of year. To be honest I thought I took the cake when it came to being crotchety at Christmas until I came home to be confronted by my wife concerning our continuing open invitation to our obese and jolly old friend; Mr. Christopher Kringle. My wife had read several articles and blogs condemning or revoking his welcome into this holiday season. The reason for this proposal is because Mr Claus draws attention away from Christ and offers up a mythology which disheartens the young views of our own Christian stories that contain problematic contradictions and mythological components themselves. The proposal was simple; if you offer up a mythology that will later be discredited then that will plant a seed of doubt that will pollute the truth we receive in Christ. There are other objections centered on the pagan roots of the tradition and the “fairy tale”, as some describe it, which surrounds the tradition. It was odd to hear my wife so concerned about such criticisms. She is a wonderful wife and a good mother but she seemed to be questioning the impact of this tradition on our children along with her judgment as a mother.

        Well, first of all I was a little surprised. My wife doesn’t ask for my opinion on things theologically all that often, nor does she ask me for my opinion on how we care for our children. Most often we agree to disagree or she just ignores my theological ramblings. Just the fact she looked to me for my opinion made me concerned but it also raised my own concerns regarding our open invitation to our obese cookie eating friend who also drinks a beer or two on his way out the door every year. Perhaps we should revoke his pass? Maybe it is time for us to demythologize Christmas, as one of my dearest mentors and teacher advised me after I showed him a picture of my children sitting on Santa and Mrs Claus’ laps last night (yet, another red flag for me considering my great admiration for this brilliant theologian and mentor).

         I have and continue to explore our options for this tradition as objectively as possible. What I have found is that if I continue to pick at that loose thread on my tacky Christmas sweater the whole thing is just going to unravel into a ball of green, red, and white yarn on the floor. You see, the whole thing is grounded in something less than “truly” Christian. Pope Gregory hijacked the winter solstice along with other pagan holidays in order to evangelize to those outside of the Christian faith. It gave them the opportunity to find a bridge between their own traditions while finding a new hope in Christ. Essentially Pope Gregory adopted traditions that can be truly defined as pagan in order to permit a much more comfortable transition and conversion to the Christian faith. This is one of the many reasons I refer to our family Christmas tree as our pagan trophy case every year (again, this does not please my wife). It’s all a hijacked tradition, from the date, to the decorations, to the manner we give and receive gifts. So which parts should we sanitize and whitewash out of our holiday season? It seems like the one we are most frustrated with is ol’ Satan Claus. It reminds me of the old Dana Carvey SNL Church Lady skit from years back when Carvey's character rearranged the spelling of Santa to spell Satan.

         This all leads me to a realization. Perhaps we should take a page out of Pope Gregory’s book? With the decrease in church attendance and the constant complaints from church leaders concerning the draw away from Christianity into the secular, today I wonder what our condemnation of the “fun stuff” at Christmas says to those outside the doors of the sanctuary. I am finding that both fundamentalist Christians and progressive Christians are coming full circle and finding themselves of like mind regarding this condemnation of Santa Claus. So there is certainly hope that agreement can finally be struck somewhere I suppose, but here of all places?

        

         Paul Tillich spent a great deal of time discussing the power of symbol. Tillich believed that Jesus was in fact most powerful when held up as an existential symbol for all and I agree with Tillich. Tillich spent a great deal of time exploring the possibility that the Holy Spirit could work through all things to create traces of God through symbol, drawing attention to the truest of all symbols; Jesus the Christ. At one point Tillich claims that the Spirit can manifest itself in the secular and the superstitious stating; “In this way the Spiritual Presence has used antireligious media to transform not only a secular culture but also the churches.” He implied this positively.

         Tillich’s point aside let’s consider for a moment what Santa actually does. He gives gifts to children without regard or credit for himself, on the day set aside to recognize the birth of Christ. It would be safe to assume that Santa Claus does this in honor of the birth of Christ thus Santa Claus is associated with Christmas rather than St. Nicholas Day (December 6th) in most American homes. We can claim this is due to the close relationship between Odin worship in German pagan culture, Washington Irving’s imagination, or even Coca Cola’s commercialization of the holiday. I would argue, however, that in this tradition we find an example of selfless giving that transcends the mythology and provides an example for children in a world increasingly devoid of such examples that most certainly point to qualities of truly Christian living. Within our American mythology and folklore there may be no greater example of Christian living than in Jolly Ol’ St Nick himself. Take it any way you want, if that is a sad commentary on the state of the church today should we really be blaming Santa?

         Might I make a suggestion? Let’s decorate our Christmas trees (pagan trophy cases), hang our stockings above the fireplace (thank you Washington Irving), hang our wreaths (circular greenery for the promise of the cycle of life), and kiss under the mistletoe (sacred druidic plant). When we are done why don’t we let Santa point to the door of the sanctuary for all our secular, atheist, and agnostic brothers and sisters and tell them another story. In the absence of a cross or Bible in many homes these symbols and signs point to the doors of the worship space, as Tillich seems to suggest. Maybe there they will enter those doors where we can share the gospel and show them another way the Spirit is present in this world at Christmas.

        
          Instead of tearing down and demythologizing why don’t we leave up these signs and show people exactly what the signs point to? As Christians we are called and sent to share the power of the story soaked in the irony of the incarnation. The true King is born into a bed of filth, a shell of flesh, to suffer an agonizing and brutal death for the sake of a creation groaning for God’s reversal. Christmas isn’t pacified by decorations and mythology; Christmas is pacified by our failure to lift up the story being pointed to.

         But the day will come when our children will claim that St Nick is no longer welcome. They will question his existence, perhaps even his intentions. What if we used him for the very purpose he has always been there for when that day comes? What if we used Santa to point to Christ? What if our children, on that day, took the opportunity to take the reigns of that sled for their sibling? What if they took the reigns of the sleigh for a hungry family or classmate? Leaving an anonymous gift without the expectation of reward or recognition as they sneak away whispering with you at their side “Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!” That, my friends, is the true meaning of Santa and he learned from the best; Jesus the Christ, Emmanuel, God among us. 

         Santa Claus, take it or leave it. It’s up to you. I would suggest we be wary, however, of our self righteous claims upon those who already feel alienated by both fundamentalist and progressive Christians alike. Instead maybe we should let the Spirit work through any and all means that give hope for a broken humanity that is in desperate need of the joy Christmas brings and the celebration that indeed points to the One who first loved and died for us.

          The myth of Santa Claus gives Christians an opportunity to exercise the deeper meaning of belief. Without a doubt there is scant trace of the "historical Santa". The references to his historical roots are blended and shaped to formulate what is nothing more than a human holiday construct. It is in this undeniable myth that we can confront the difficulty many face concerning the historical Jesus. If we can use the myth of Santa to teach our children as they grow to wrestle with a deeper existential meaning than what surrounds the commercialized, fictionalized, characterization of Santa, perhaps we can wrestle with bigger questions. I hope my children can take the opportunity to reclaim Santa Clause and when they sit upon his lap I hope he can point to the Christ. Not pointing to the objective certainty of the historical figure but pointing to the certainty of being IN Christ. Belief is deeper than a historical meaning and it changes our world if we let the most powerful of all beliefs to change us.

Yours in Christ

Moore, Clement Clarke. The Night before Christmas. First paper-over-board edition. New York: Harper, 2011.

Tillich, Paul. Systematic Theology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1973.

ISIS has taken over the town I love

        


    As I approach the completion of my final year of academics in seminary I have attempted to commute back and forth between Gettysburg and home weekly. I have attempted to do so for two reasons; family and the Sunday school class I am teaching on Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Interreligious dialogue has become a passion of mine. It has become a passion of mine for a number of reasons, but one reason is because it gives me an opportunity to share a voice that most do not expect to hear.

I fought against Muslim fanatics. I literally fought against extremists who sought out my death. Now, I am not saying this as a supply clerk or administrative personnel Sergeant (no offense to you guys, I respect the old adage “without supply rounds don’t fly’). I was an Infantry Marine deployed to the Al Anbar Province of Iraq during 2005. This was an incredibly violent time when insurgent forces were forced out of Fallujah towards our area of operation in response to the offensives during the 2004 missions. During our deployment 46 Marines and 2 Navy Corpsman were killed from our Battalion during combat operations. To put it simply, it was a brutal, violent, and shocking time in my life I will never forget. I was a 26-year-old Corporal at the time serving in a city known as Hit (pronounced Heet), Iraq. During my deployment I wrestled with my understanding of Islam, especially militant Islam. What were the differences? Were they different? I had NO idea. I was mad, however. I wanted revenge every time I received word of another casualty.

Upon returning home I never thought I would find myself in seminary but God’s grace got me through my experiences by faith through Christ. Because of this I followed a call that took me on a journey to not only seminary, but Israel and Palestine as well. It also landed me in the Quran, into dialogue with other Christians and Muslims as well. I didn’t go to Seminary to study Islam but I learned about the importance of love, which led me to a deeper appreciation for Islam. So here I am, a deeply religious Lutheran Christian (fairly orthodox confessional Lutheran, also known as a “grumpy wannabe theologian”) combat vet, intrigued by Islam. I love Judaism and Islam for their beauty and particular focus on the unattainable nature of the divine. I also found I could combat militant religion by focusing on their beauty. That’s right, I am still fighting terror by recognizing the heretical view of a religion that I don’t even claim as my own! It should be hypocritical but here is the problem; I don’t want the Muslim brothers and sisters I have come to know associated with these people who have perverted how they practice their faith through hate. I don’t want to make allowances for that anymore than allowing anyone to associate my Christian faith with the Westboro Baptist Church.

So, tonight I was putting my daughters to bed and one of my daughters had a minor meltdown. I try to make the weekends I am home special since I am away at school during the week. I told them what I was planning to make for breakfast in the morning and my oldest began to cry. When I asked her why she was crying she told me because she wanted pancakes. I’m not sure why but I became frustrated. I told her that there were boys and girls in Iraq who don’t even know where their Mommies and Daddies are (I know, a bit overboard, sorry). She seemed surprised that any child wouldn’t wake up to their Mommy or Daddy being there. I asked her if it was really important enough to cry over pancakes and she admitted it wasn’t as she rolled over and went to sleep.

As I came downstairs I thought “I need to get a grip”. I needed to relax and just enjoy my weekend home, stop thinking about the Middle East all the time. As I came down the stairs my wife asked me if I had heard the news. It was then that she informed me that the city I had lived in, fought in, and many of my brothers had died in, had been taken over by ISIS. To be honest I was surprised. I had assumed the city had already been overrun. None-the-less I called many of my Platoon mates from nearly 10 years ago to see how they were. I called my best friend, my RTO, and my best Squad mate. Everyone was okay but my RTO reminded me of the kid we used to see daily on patrol. He was about the age of my oldest daughter today, back then. He and his brother used to bring us bread and water. We would chase them, put our helmets on them, play with them. They were the children I had in mind when I scolded my daughter tonight. It was in that moment I realized; “Merciful and Loving God, protect that boy” because it was in that moment I realized that this child we had all come to love is of age to serve ISIS as one of their own. He is probably of age to fight now, and he very well may already be fighting or worse, dead. The thought drug my heart into my stomach.

Tonight Iraq has come home. Not because the city I fought to keep out of the hands of people like ISIS has fallen to ISIS, but because of the human faces in that town. I care about these people. I fought for these people. My brothers fought for these people. Some of my brothers died for these people. They are members of our shared humanity. I’m not going to make suggestions about foreign policy but I will make suggestions about our view of our shared humanity. Paul Tillich once suggested in a sermon that only love can transform calculating justice into creative justice. He claimed that love makes justice just, but then clarified that a love that swallows justice could only result in chaos and extinction. He later defined his claim in stating that he was speaking of a “love in which justice is the form and structure of love”. I believe that if we consider ourselves members of a shared humanity called to be instruments of that shared creative justice in this world, we can defeat the hatred that plagues our world in the form of disease, violence, and hate. It isn’t easy or nice but it is just. It may not be the justice we seek, but God’s justice fulfills the needs of God’s world. With the intention to serve God’s community in the world, I hope we can consider our role as leaders in this shared humanity. It will take more than bombs; it takes justice in the form of God’s creative love and work in the world. The answer is God’s reuniting love and justice, law and gospel for the sake of God’s mission in God’s world.

            To my brothers of 3/25, lift your heads high, there is no reason to feel shame. To the people of Hit, Iraq; you are heavy in my heart and mind. To the militants of ISIS; I will lift you up in prayer. I will pray that God’s wisdom, love, and peace guide your way before your way is lost. It is never too late to fight for a shared cause of creative justice through love and mercy. At the height of many of the Islamic Caliphates, the models you claim to follow were often instruments of that love and mercy. They oftentimes protected Christians and Jews as people of the book and “dihmmi”. The true Caliphate also protected shrines, temples, churches, and synagogues that predate Islam until ISIS came and destroyed them. This isn’t a form of God’s work in our world. It is human brokenness and evil. So, I pray that you can turn back to a true path before your legacy becomes a permanent blight on the conscious of our shared humanity. I pray that it’s not too late. I pray these things as a member of our shared humanity.

سلام, שלום, and Peace

Breaking News!!!!!

Sermon on 08/24/2014 for Ruth 3 Narrative lectionary. 

         Welcome back to our live coverage on MBC (Moabite broadcasting network) of this breaking news report concerning the actions of the tribe of Benjamin. We are continuing our coverage of the Benjamite oppression of the Moabite refugees. The actions of the Banjamites have really taken a turn for the worse after events unfolded last night concerning the purely intentioned Moabite refugee; Ruth. In the late hours last night, in desperate hunger while attempting to feed her elderly widowed mother-in-law, this Moabite woman of the purest intentions longing for nothing more than leftover grains that even filthy swine wouldn’t eat, was victimized by an elite land owner; Boaz. I can’t help but make the observation that this Benjamite elitism has taken the ugliest of turns. This wealthy landowner, Boaz, apparently based upon eyewitness accounts gorged himself on the best food and wines possible right in front of this lowly moabite refugee. After not even offering her a single morsel he attempted to force himself upon her. During these events witnesses are claiming that Mr Boaz used his status to promise this poor young woman some type of financial compensation. I’m sorry, I am just at a loss for words right now as reports continue to come in. I just ……. bear with me, after victimizing this refugee, he simply cast her aside. This is an appalling development we are uncovering at this moment. I just really cannot believe the reports we are hearing. We must demand justice for this Moabite. I mean, how much longer will we make allowances for this kind of behavior. We cannot, we should not, just sit idly by while this elitist privilege persists. 

Ugh! Now from what we are hearing Mr. Boaz threatened this poor refugee and demanded that she tell NO ONE what took place on the threshing floor. I cannot imagine what she must be feeling at this moment. These events are absolutely appalling. I’m sorry….. I am just getting word that we have a friend of a nephew of Naomi who is willing to tell us what he has heard from the sister of the shepherd that saw this poor refugee victim, Ruth, come out of the threshing floor last night. Please stay with us through the commercial break and we will be right back with that information after these messages. And please, ladies and gentlemen if you have young children you may want them to leave the room. We’ll be right back after this……

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Welcome back to BNN (Benjamite News Network) as we continue to cover the events in Bethlehem this morning concerning what took place at the Boaz threshing floor last night. This is currently a developing story and details are pouring in. Just to fill you in on what we know so far; the Moabite insurgency has taken a despicable turn in the late hours of the evening last night. Mr. Boaz, the hardworking farmer of a small plot of land, may have everything he has worked for ripped from him because of a refugee Moabite flinging accusations at him. While the family of this refugee, a “Ms” Ruth, have not formally filed charges as of yet, we are awaiting further developments in light of the accusations that have come from a nephew of the cousin of Mr Boaz’s foreman’s son who just happened to be on site last night in the midst of the developments we are seeing. If you are not already aware, Mr. Boaz, who worked hard for this land, has already attempted to extend care to many of the refugees and needy we have seen come out of this Moabite incursion. Ladies and Gentlemen, I mean, here is a guy who worked hard for everything he’s got. This isn’t just some guy who took a hand me down from God, here folks, and along comes this Moabite who some are saying even killed her first husband. Honestly, what would you expect from a Moabite, folks? Now she is alleging that Mr. Boaz, a hardworking Benjamite and a chosen Israelite has taken advantage of her amidst his generosity and compassion for her and her people. How much lower can you go, folks?

Reports are now saying that after this alleged assault on Ms. Ruth took place, Mr. Boaz was not seen coming out of from the threshing floor for some time after the Moabite, Ruth stormed out with a cloak loaded for bear with an unknown substance concealed. I don’t think it’s a far stretch to assume that Mr. Boaz was not only assaulted himself but that this petty thief, this woman of ill repute, perhaps even a killer, but definitely a woman from outside of God’s covenant people, stole property from the Boaz farm and is now accusing him of victimizing her. How much more can this woman ask for, folks? When we come back we will talk with one of our Sadducees here at BACS who handled the Ballam ass case. You all remember that nut don’t you? Seriously folks, when are we going to quit allowing this kind of nonsense from these Moabite terrorists? I’m sorry, people, there is just no other way to put it, they are a bunch of terrorists.  Stick around, we’ll be back after these messages with a special guest to shed some more light on this situation. 

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Hey….. My name is Jephthah and I have been challenged by Samson to participate in the Moabite assistance fund’s ice bucket challenge. Before I dump all of this bucket of ice water over my head *thanks a lot Samson!* I extend the challenge to Ibzan, Elon, and Eli. You have less than 24 hours to accept the challenge or donate 100 baskets of barley to the cause. Okay, here I go……..

Ugh…. Thanks Samson, now why don’t you go cut off all that hair and donate it to the Philistine relief fund!

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Welcome back to God’s word, where you get the true story of the Gospel without commercial interruption although it seems we have had plenty of human interruption. The latest news coming out of Bethlehem is full of good news although this great hope is still developing as we speak. Apparently things are changing in the midst of starvation, war, as well as partisan, tribal, and ethnic claims. God is apparently working through us to be a light unto the nations! Yes, in the midst of the all of the recent anger and hate, God is opening the covenant to the world. Some are saying that this will infringe on their own covenant with God, and God doesn’t have enough to go around. Others are claiming that God is working to bring down those who once held the covenant over the heads of everyone else. They are claiming it is time to bring the oppressive holders of the covenant down in order to establish a new covenant. 

While the debate rages on, we have a great example of God’s work coming out of Bethlehem right now. It would appear that a cautious and wealthy law biding citizen from the tribe of Benjamin is allowing a Moabite peasant into the covenant under his care. Yes, you have heard it here, a Moabite. As this covenant expands it would appear that it is having a deep impact on God’s economic relationship with the world. It appears God is working through ALL people to establish the Kingdom in this world. 

There are problems however. Rival claims to God’s goodness and mercy are driving a wedge within our human community. While God is attempting to unite all people under the reign of a just and righteous Creator, many are attempting to decide how this Benjamite and Moabite should go about their business and God’s plan. Some are claiming that this Moabite, Ruth, is not a member of the covenant community, while others are claiming that this Benjamite business man should see what it feels like to be on the other side of the covenant for once. 

In the middle of all this we are still waiting on God for word. We are waiting to hear further  as to who is in and who is out. We are hoping to hear a little more about this event. Many are hoping that the Messiah will arrive shortly to iron all this out for us. Ladies and Gentlemen, I just hope it isn’t too little, too late. I wonder if folks will actually listen to the Messiah, or will they claim the Messiah for themselves. We will continue this story as it unfolds for the rest of human history. 

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In the midst of preparation for today’s sermon I have been sitting in the middle of many debates. I have been pressed by friends, colleagues, and family to weigh in on debates raging across our nation and across our world. Folks have even asked my opinion on the role of social media and the ice bucket challenge, and while I find the ice bucket challenge is a great way to get involved, I wonder what we do after the ice has melted and dried up? Are we still engaged? Are we still involved? Are we still listening and speaking out in love? My experiences, as well Pastor Lou’s, cause us to land squarely in the middle of many of these debates. I find hope in this, because I am not arrogant enough to believe I know the answers. I do know what I want, however. 

I want God’s reign in the world to come. I want God’s reign to bring justice and peace to God’s world, God’s nation, God’s Church. I want to live in a nation where we can pray for our enemies before we shoot or scream at them. 

In the midst of this week we have an opportunity to read and discuss the story of Ruth on the threshing floor. Truly a scandalous story for its day and age. A foreign woman from quite literally “the other side of the covenant” and an Israelite man from the tribe of Benjamin. The man, Boaz, is not only one of God’s chosen but a wealthy landowner even when compared to his kinsmen. Ruth, is a member of a group not only outside of the covenant, but a nation that has declared war on the Israelites time and again. Israel is a nation that is at war with itself due to tribal alliances and internal conflicts. Yet here, in this story, we find God at work. This story is where we reach the climax. Both Ruth and Boaz take a risk. Perhaps Boaz takes a much more calculated risk, while Ruth risks not only her reputation, but her life for the care of Naomi and her own future. 

You don’t need to study this story tediously to bring it into this age or this week. There is a difference though, Ruth and Boaz are responding to one another. They are responding to one another not in the temple or the synagogue, but on the threshing floor. They are responding to one another in a controversial way and under controversial circumstances. This very text is a very controversial within the Hebrew canon, because it is used to debate the validity of foreign claims to the covenant upon returning from exile. 

I’m not so sure we don’t face these same controversies today. The problem is we are not listening to one another. We cannot listen on the street, in the media, on social media, in our own homes, or even in our places of worship. We yell, we condemn, we accuse, we ignore, we tweet, we post. Yet here we find Boaz and Ruth working towards God’s will working towards God’s plan through them. Boaz and Ruth are allowing God to work through them despite everything they have on the line.

Ruth is risking more than just her reputation, she is risking her very life. If her intentions are discovered, she risks not just isolation and persecution leading to starvation, but victimization and even execution for her actions. Boaz risks everything he has. He risks his livelihood, his reputation, his place in the community.

Despite the risks, they both listen to not only one another, but they listen for God at work in it all. Sisters and Brothers as you will see very soon Ruth and Boaz are called to something greater than they, something greater than any of us. It is in their willing discernment they hear God's work through them to be the future of God's people.They patiently and carefully discern and listen, to God and to one another; a Moabite and an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin. No matter what perceptions they face, feelings they may have, risks they may take, or options they have before them.They take faith in God that through God good will come to them, through them. Maybe we don’t need a government, courts, or places of worship. I sometimes wonder how much good it is doing. 

Perhaps we need a threshing floor. 

Honestly, I don’t think it matters where it is or how we do it. God’s goodness comes through and in all things if we let it. We just need to listen and speak compassionately, lovingly, as the children of God, created in the image of God all of us. 

Can we speak lovingly words that we would also speak in the presence of God so that other’s can truly hear our voice as a voice of compassion? 

Can we be patient enough? Can we be silent enough? Can we be thoughtful, compassionate, and loving enough? Can we refrain from reacting, and instead listen for, and respond to God’s love? 

I believe we can, if we are open to the gift of God’s grace through faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Sisters and Brothers, this is the Word of God. I for one hope that for you this day God’s word was reported here LIVE. 

שלום ,سلام,‎ and Peace

A Response for Justice

           

           In the past few days there has been an outpouring of anger, demands, accusations, and calls to action. The tragic death of Michael Brown has been the catalyst for a neatly drawn line with voices demanding we choose. I am saddened by the divisive politics and social commentary through social media. I also am saddened by the manipulation of people through emotionally baiting one another. Regardless of the facts or lack therof we are collectively and individually quick to anger and judgment, the very issue that brought us here in the first place.  

There are two sides to this issue and what I have found and continue to find is that we most often have two sides that fuel one another. We find ourselves playing chicken with one another for respect. We call for one side to respect the other and only then, once that offering is made, will consideration be made to offer the same to the other. Love your enemies becomes a call to love one’s enemies once reparations and apologies have been delivered or authority and respect have been recognized. A conditional reconciliation would be a generous definition but an emotionally charged accusative blackmail would be more accurate on either account.

            We are quick to react when such events take place as the shooting of Michael Brown. We are quick to react to the death of a young man with his arms raised pleading for his life, shot in cold blood by an angry police officer. We are quick to react to a militant community making excuses for angry and violent behavior. We are quick to react to a bureaucratic system that is stacking the deck against an oppressed community. We are quick to react to a robber intent on violently ending the life of an officer. These are all lines that have been drawn this past week.

            Here is the thing I have not heard as much of; response. You see, a response is a verbal or written answer but reaction is in fact an action. We are quick to react but we accuse response of complacency. In our impatience for justice and truth we will sacrifice those two very principles we claim to be seeking. Justice and truth take time and they demand response. It is in response that we find truth and justice.

            As details emerge perhaps we can seek out ways to diligently respond to what is happening. Instead of reacting to a murdering police officer maybe we can respond to a young officer that is horrified and frightened at what has transpired and has spun out of control. Instead of reacting to a violent criminal who was shot attempting to murder an officer in the line of duty, perhaps we can respond in grief for a young man whose life ended far too young and will never have the opportunity to make an impact on this world. Instead of reacting to an intolerant police department determined to oppress and victimize we can respond to a group of scared police who have no idea how they have gotten into this situation or how to get out. Instead of reacting to a violent and unreasonable community using this as an excuse to lash out uncontrollably, we can respond to a community hurt by a loss of a member and uncertain they can be the recipients of justice.

          We are quick to react but our reactions build walls, they draw lines. Responses give us a chance to empathize, share, engage and wait patiently, anxiously for justice and righteousness. The demand for quick judgment and results does not provide the time needed to fully discern and gather the tools to paint a full picture. A full picture clarifies, it heals, and it provides the opportunity for justice. Clarity is needed when we speak of justice, however. Justice is not always what we want. Maybe that is the biggest problem in all of this though. Maybe we aren’t seeking justice, maybe we are seeking justification, and maybe we are seeking revenge. Justification and revenge are not synonymous with justice but justice is something we are called to seek. Justice isn’t easy and it isn’t always pleasant but it is necessary. Do we have the patience and tolerance to wait alongside fellow members of our collective humanity to seek justice? Do we have the grace to pray with them, for them, regardless of where they stand? We might be surprised at what praying for those whom we do not like or agree does for us. You might find it heals the one in prayer as much as those for whom we pray. 

           I lift up Officer Wilson, his friends, coworkers, and family in prayer. I lift up Michael Brown, his family, friends, and neighborhood in prayer. I do not pray for their community, I pray for our community. If I can pray for our human community, maybe I can start to recognize it as that; one human community in patient response together awaiting justice

שלום ,سلام, and Peace