Freedom
(for Bertice) A close friend of mine, a Sociologist, writer, and clergywoman, shared something recently that I cannot shake. In her search within the Library of Congress for slave narratives, she discovered multiple accounts of slave masters on their deathbeds, begging forgiveness from their slaves. In every account, the slaves granted it. “They are the soul […]
When Action Leads the Way
When I think about following the teachings of Jesus, I think about love, justice, truth, non-violence, hope, generosity. These big ideas are irresistible to me, even on my most cynical days. So it’s weird to me when Jesus makes arguments for living life not based on ideals or morals, but base practicality.* Jesus looks around […]
Standing Tall
It was the Sabbath, and a woman hobbled in—bent over, her eyes fixed on the dust beneath her feet. For eighteen years she had been looking at the ground, never the faces around her. Invisible to nearly everyone, Jesus saw her true identity: daughter of Abraham, part of the covenant. As her back straightened, so […]
Baptism by Fire
“The world is bathed in the goodness of God!” I insist as I read another morning of distressing national news. Wildfires burn fiercely north and west of me, thousands of children, women, and men are starving in Gaza, and a real live snake appears from under a cabinet across the room. In addition, I read […]