Christmas: A Story of Faith and Resistance

Christmas today, it seems to me, is largely characterized by two images:  the lullaby-ified Jesus and the consumer holiday. Even as I write this piece, I hear playing in the background the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s version of the Little Drummer Boy.  The lyrics reference a king, but the resounding sentiment of the  music and words frames a sweet encounter of child and baby.  And the always favorite Silent Night, written in 1818 by an Austrian minister, the story is told, as he gazed down one evening from a hilltop overlooking his peaceful, snow-covered village. The visuals we see at Christmas time – whether on cards, manger scenes, or in store windows further contribute to this lullaby-ified sense:  soft, romantic scenes, connoting that “all is bright, all is white.”  White, as in beautifully, peacfully snow-covered, but also in the strangely white faces of this Palestinian holy family and child.

Sculpture by Peruvian Sculptor Edilberto Mérida Rodríguez.
Photography: Billie Greenwood*

On the other hand, Christmas today is characterized by the commercial holiday. Giving gifts at Christmas time originates in the story of a fourth century Bishop Nicholas, resident of the city of Myra in what is modern-day Turkey, who became known for his anonymous generosity to a very poor family in his town. This story was later developed to create numerous traditions, including that of Santa Clause, of a mystical, secret Christmas gift-giver.

In today’s world though, with essentially every aspect of our day-to-day lives immersed in the raging waters of savage capitalism, market interests have grabbed this tradition of gift-giving and put it on massive doses of steroids. In the bombardment of advertising and store displays – and in the implied guilt if we fail to buy and give -  we are called to make Christmas an orgy of consumption.  Pull out those credit cards.  Wrack up the bills today, and don’t worry about paying them until later.   After all, what make the world go ‘round is money, right?!?

But wait – let’s step back for a moment. The story of Christmas is embedded in something ancient – something even more ancient than the story of the birth of Jesus.  The writer of Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 1, vss 18-24) tells us that the true meaning of Christmas is to be found in the words of the Jewish prophet Isaiah. If we pay attention to what is being said by the prophet, we will realize that our lullaby-ified Jesus and commercialized Christmas have it all wrong. 

Isaiah speaks to the people of Judah at a time when they face the threat of war and defeat, when they fear for their lives and safety.  In this context the prophet brings a promise of hope.  “God will show you a sign: A young woman with child will name her child Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:1-25).  The name, Emmanuel, means “God is with us” or “God is in our midst.”  The message of Isaiah to the people is – “Don’t be afraid, don’t give in or give up. In the face of the challenges before you, have faith and resist.  This is not a time for fear or despair, but a time for defiance and hope!  The child – a simple child – is the sign, the tangible symbol of the fact that you are not alone.  It is the promise that through faith and by standing in resistance, a radically new future is possible.

 

That, my friends, is the true message of the baby in the manger!  Not a sweet lullaby-ified Jesus, and certainly not a call to the material gluttony of the savagely capitalist world of Wall Street or the Trump Enterprises.  Rather the brown-faced baby Jesus, born as an outcast in a danky, smelly, manger surrounded by barn animals and shepherds – the lowest of non-persons in his society;  this Jesus, who would days after his birth become a refugee in Egypt and who would later be falsely accused and murdered by the state;  this Jesus is not the sweet baby lying gently on soft, glistening strands of golden hay, nor the “dreaming of a white Christmas” Jesus beckoning to buy and buy more.  No, this Jesus is one who came as a sign, as a call to faith and resistance - to us today in a world of greed and violence; a world where our taxes pay for endless wars, where our leaders demonize immigrants, ostracize refugees and disregard the killing of black people on our streets, where our governments make our nations poor in order to further enrich the 1%, where there is disregard and a cutting of funds to assist the sick, the poor, the homeless.  In this world, the baby Jesus is our sign, our tangible symbol and promise that we are not alone.  The baby in a manger is an announcement of hope and at the same time a call.  We are called to be a people who believe and who instead of giving into fear and backing down, take a stand.  The baby calls us to be a people who resist evil and injustice, and who engage the struggle for a world of true freedom and justice, a world with the promise of a radically new future!

Merry Christmas!**

_________________________________________________________________________

* To see more of Billie Greenwood's photography go to       

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/borderexplorer/albums/72157628747678581

** Click here to see a short poem of Christmas Resistance that I posted last Christmas.

I MAKE MY STAND ON THE SIDE OF PEACE AND AGAINST VIOLENCE

I MAKE MY STAND: A PERSONAL MANIFESTO AND CALL TO ACTION

Following are links to the earlier posts in this series:

• INTRODUCTION
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH IMMIGRANTS
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH MOTHER EARTH AND ALL HER CREATURES
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH THE MARGINALIZED
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH PEOPLES OF ALL FAITHS AND THOSE WHO CLAIM NO FAITH
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . ON THE SIDE OF PEACE AND AGAINST WAR

I MAKE MY STAND ON THE SIDE OF PEACE

AND AGAINST VIOLENCE

In the light of recent events, when I think of violence here in the U.S., I think of the cowardly white minorities who, in the heritage of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, envision themselves as a master race, and call for violent uprising against government and for the destruction of the Jews and of all people of color.  I would be remiss if, in our current context I did not state clearly that I have nothing but disdain for such small, hate-filled, unfathomably ignorant disregard for the brotherhood/sisterhood of all humankind.

However, a more prominent and constant form of violence here in the U.S. is the violence carried out by the government against its citizens.  (A similar argument could be made concerning governments of other countries, but here I will focus on the country where I live and have my citizenship.) What do I mean when I refer to violence carried out by the U.S. government? I refer to neighborhoods and communities - especially of African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and other so-called “minorities” - that languish year after year, decade after decade in abject poverty.  In terms of the quality of education, access to basic services, availability of healthcare resources and even the availability of grocery stores, these communities are considered “deserts.” They exist in inner cities as well as in rural areas.  Add to this the fact that over the last 30+ years wealth in this country has been concentrated in the hands of a smaller and smaller group, called the “one percent,” and that this transfer of wealth is carried out on the backs of workers, the middle class, and the poor.  The failure to address or, until the last two or three years even acknowledge, the unharnessed reality of police brutality against communities of color, and the explosion in the number of Black and Latino young men, especially, who crowd the privatized prison system.  The failure in this country to own up to the racism at its historical and present core.  The evermore uninhibited and violent expressions of anti-immigrant, anti-Black, anti-LGBT, and anti-women sentiments that are allowed to grow, unchecked. The fact that we allowed water hoses, attack dogs, and rubber bullets to be used against Native Americans peacefully protesting once again an illegal infringement on their lands.  

THIS IS THE REALITY OF VIOLENCE IN THESE UNITED STATES, UN-NAMED

BY THE POWERS-THAT-BE AND AGAINST WHICH I MAKE MY STAND!

In the present moment, I must state clearly that while I stand on the side of peace, I do not consider myself a pacifist.  I am sure I have much to learn in this area from the great ones, like Martin Luther King, Ghandi, and Thomas Merton.  But I also resonate with revolutionary priests, like Fathers Camilo Torres of Colombia, and Rogelio Poncel in El Salvador, who believed that at times our faith calls us to join the people in armed revolt against the systemic violence suffered for too long.[1] They argue that the act of rebellion, of active resistance is, in fact, an act of love, justified as a response of standing with those who have suffered life-times and generations of violence.

Writing about the situation in Latin America – but words that I believe apply equally to the United States today – the Catholic Bishops meeting in Medellin, Colombia in 1968 declared that the lived experience of misery and exploitation of the people[2] is “a situation of injustice that can be called institutionalized violence [that is] responsible for the death of thousands of innocent victims.” “This view,” writes theologian Gustavo Gutierrez, “allows for a study of the complex problems of counterviolence without falling into the pitfalls of a double standard which assumes that violence is acceptable when the oppressor uses it to maintain ‘order’ [but] is bad when the oppressed invoke it to change this ‘order.’ Institutionalized violence violates fundamental rights so patently that the . . . bishops warn that ‘one should not abuse the patience of a people that for years has borne a situation that would not be acceptable to anyone with any degree of awareness of human rights.’”

“Let us by all means,” they continue, “avoid equating the unjust violence of the oppressors (who maintain this despicable system) with the just violence of the oppressed (who feel obliged to use it to achieve their liberation.”[3]

And so, it is in this area of gray – of standing against the unjust violence of the system

and on the side of those (myself included) seeking liberation –

that I make my stand

for peace.

---

[1] I have a great deal of respect for journalist, author and Presbyterian minister, Chris Hedges.  He wrote an article recently entitled “How Antifa Mirrors the Alt-right,” where he argues that armed insurrection on the left actually feeds into supporting the goals of the right.  I’ve read the article and because of my respect for Hedges over-all perspective and approach, I feel I need to ponder it carefully and perhaps look at some other sources that would challenge the stance I am expressing here.

[2] Think of the people of Puerto Rico who our President threatens to desert and forget; or the millions, mostly poor, who may lose their health insurance because of policy decisions being taken in the White House; or the unarmed African American men and women whose images and names we have seen on the news, who have been shot in cold blood by police officers; or the Native people and their supporters who, for engaging their right of protest, were hosed down in below-zero temperatures by private security personnel and officers of the law; or the DACA young people who, after living almost their entire lives in this country, may be deported; or the millions of men, women and children all across the Middle East,  made refugees and killed by bombings and conflict either waged directly by the U.S. or paid for with the tax dollars of U.S. citizens.  The list goes on, and on!!

[3] Gustavo Gutierrez, A Theology of Liberation (15^th Anniversary Edition) (Maryknoll, N.Y., Orbis Books), pp. 63-64.

I MAKE MY STAND ON THE SIDE OF PEACE AND AGAINST WAR

I MAKE MY STAND: A PERSONAL MANIFESTO AND CALL TO ACTION

Following are links to the earlier posts in this series:

• INTRODUCTION
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH IMMIGRANTS
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH MOTHER EARTH AND ALL HER CREATURES
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH THE MARGINALIZED
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH PEOPLES OF ALL FAITHS AND THOSE WHO CLAIM NO FAITH

I MAKE MY STAND ON THE SIDE OF PEACE

AND AGAINST WAR

It seems that our political leaders (both parties in the U.S.) no longer believe in diplomacy and understanding, but only in the power of brute force.  The sale of armaments and the deployments involved in war make billions of dollars for a few, while devastating the lives of thousands, no, millions!  The devastation is not only in the lives lost, bodies maimed, destruction of entire countries, and those forced to flee, but also in the diversion of funds that could otherwise be spent on education, healthcare, general welfare, cultural celebration, protecting our environment, and a multitude of other endeavors aimed at building up the life of all humanity, the common good. I am sickened hearing the stories and seeing the images of what had been modern cities in the Middle East, literally leveled to the ground.  All of the things I take for granted in my life – a home, running water, electricity, a flushing toilet and functioning sewage system, the ability to buy food and the other material items I need, and the infrastructure of roads and services and stores are completely destroyed in modern warfare.  Families huddled in neighborhoods that are being bombed, praying and hoping that they do not become what, reflecting our collective psychosis, we allow to be euphemistically known as “collateral damage.” Or families - the elderly, women, children, men, girls and boys, being forced to flee their homes with only the minimal belongings that they can carry with them.  Those waiting in refugee camps hoping against hope that they may be able to go back home; wondering what will be left, if they ever are able to go back. Images of the young men and women – our nation’s children - those hired and sent out in the so-called interests of the nation, returning in body bags and coffins.  I am sickened to death!

The world I envision, the world I am called to join with others in creating,

is 

a world without war.

SALAM   PAZ   VREDE   PEACE   SHALOM   RO-WEDI   LAPÈ   HÒA BÌNH 

PAU   SÍOCHÁIN   FRIEDEN   KAPAYAPAAN   ALAFIA   PAIX  .  .  .

Taking a Knee: A Reflection on Patriotism

First, a little background.  In the last week or so here in the U.S., the news and social media have been filled with comments on the controversy regarding athletes who are choosing to “take a knee” during the playing of the National Anthem (NA) before games. The conversation heated up when the President, #45, took to twitter to call players who take a knee SOBs, and to instruct coaches and team owners to fire these players. In response, entire teams, including coaches and owners, have taken a knee together, stood with locked arms, or stayed in the locker room during the playing of the NA.  Some of the vocalists who have sung the NA at games have taken a knee either before or after their rendition, and artists and actors have also, in various other settings taken a knee.  Before singing at the Global Citizen Fest in New York, Stevie Wonder took a knee “for America,” but then he knelt on both knees, “in prayer for our planet, our future, our leaders of the world and our globe. Amen," he said.

Those taking a knee have explained that they are doing so to protest against police killings of African American men and women, or in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.  Those opposing claim that this action represents a disrespect for the flag and the country or, put another way, it represents a lack of patriotism.

United States Code, 36 U.S.C. § 301 gives precise instruction as to the proper comportment during a rendition of the NA, including standing at attention, men to remove their hats, everyone with hand over heart, members of the military saluting, etc.  However, the code does not attach any particular meaning to these acts. They are, evidently, simply rote acts to be obeyed.

So, patriotism!  According to the Cambridge Dictionary of the English Language, patriotism is defined as a feeling.  It is “a feeling of loving your country more than any others and being proud of it.”  I find it interesting that it is a feeling about one’s own country over against other countries.  A couple of synonyms are “nationalism” and “nativism.”  In other words, a feeling or belief that my country is better than any others and that if faced with a threat I will defend my own over all others.

A dimension of patriotism often expressed in the United States is the claim that to find fault with the U.S. is to be un-patriotic.  In some cases, even to raise questions or concerns about particular policies is considered being un-patriotic. And so, to voice that perhaps the tragic events of September 11, 2001 were retaliation for U.S. policy in the Middle East, or to suggest in present circumstances that the U.S. may be guilty of war crimes because of the military support provided to the Saudis, knowing that they are bombing hospitals, killing civilians, and creating a humanitarian crisis of major proportions in Yemen – these kinds of comments are seen by some as a failure to be patriotic.  Similarly, to demonstrate against the continued killing of black men and women by police in this country, by taking a knee during the national anthem, is viewed as offensive, a lack of respect for the nation and its flag, a lack of patriotism.

However, my question is: what is true patriotism?  Is it to express loyalty to one’s nation no matter what?  Is any critique of one’s own country a failure in patriotism?  Is it to follow the motto of “love is blind?” If our country’s actions or demands fly in the face of the values we hold, are we to swallow those values, obediently salute the flag, and remain silent?  Is that what patriotism requires?

To be honest, for two different reasons I have never been comfortable with the NA ritual of standing at attention and placing hand over heart and its attachment to patriotism. I find it especially offensive when exptected within religious settings.  I remember once taking a group of youth to a Christian rock concert.  The final song of the night, an upbeat Christian anthem, suddenly segued into the opening measures of the Star Spangled Banner - and everyone stood and took the proper patriotic pose. The implication was that our love and loyalty for Christ, as Christians, was on the same level and comparable to our love and loyalty to country.  In fact, what was being suggested was that being Christian and American were inseparable.  I was outraged by the expectation that I would go along with this premise, an idolatry of nation!  In fact, for me, allegiance to faith and country are completely separate.  And, if my country acts in ways that counter my faith values or demands of me to act in ways that go against my faith, I will stand on the side of faith over against country – and, if necessary, suffer the consequences. I am a person of faith first.

I am also uncomfortable with the NA ritual and its connection to patriotism because I really do not feel or believe that the country of my citizenship is better than other countries.  There are things about this country I am proud of, and there are things about this country that I am ashamed of, and there are things about this country that I am furious about. Similarly, there are things about other countries that I admire, things that I will openly question, and things that I find abhorrent. Sort of a related thing – I am not inclined to think of myself primarily as “American” or as a United States-er (estadunidense – as they say in Latin America). Rather, I identify as a citizen, a patriot if you will, of the world, a member of the human race.  No national boundaries necessary!  Who my sisters and brothers are and who I will stand with and defend has nothing to do with national identity or race.

On the other hand, if patriotism is about love and loyalty to country, I would say that true love and true loyalty is not blind, but holds accountable what it cares about deeply.  And so, if I understand that one of the greatest ideals of the United States is our commitment to democratic principles but I see our government undermining democracy in other places – like our support for the overthrow of the elected governments of Honduras and of Brazil in recent years, or undermining democracy here at home – for example, with the dismantling of voter rights laws, then the most loving, loyal, truly patriotic thing I can do is to critique and seek in every way possible to oppose the actions of my country, demanding of it that it live up to the best of itself, its ideals.  Or similarly, if I see our nation’s commitment to “liberty and justice for all” to be one of its highest principles, but I see our national government denying liberty and justice to Native Americans – as in the Dakota Access Pipeline, or in the indiscriminate rounding up and deportation of immigrants, or in seeking to take away health coverage from millions of citizens, then true love and loyalty for my country will call me to question, and oppose, and if necessary demonstrate against – take a knee, if you will – to do all I can to challenge and gain leverage to require that my country live fully into its ideals.

For this reason, in my view, taking a knee can be a demonstration of deep respect and loyalty to country, a demonstration of true citizenship and patriotism.

I MAKE MY STAND WITH PEOPLES OF ALL FAITHS AND THOSE WHO CLAIM NO FAITH

I MAKE MY STAND: A PERSONAL MANIFESTO AND CALL TO ACTION

Following are links to the earlier posts in this series:

• INTRODUCTION
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH IMMIGRANTS
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH MOTHER EARTH AND ALL HER CREATURES
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH THE MARGINALIZED

I MAKE MY STAND WITH PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS 

AND THOSE WHO CLAIM NO FAITH

I am a Christian.  My religious understanding and my sense of the Sacred are rooted in the Christian scriptures and heritage, and framed by my personal upbringing, experience and choice.  Nevertheless, I do not believe that Christianity holds exclusive claim to the divine and to the right and the good.[1]  In fact, I believe that history makes it clear that many times Christians have gotten it wrong, that the Christian church has actually been on the wrong side of history.  At the same time, I affirm that many times Christians have also gotten it right.  This is especially true, in my view, of the prophets and prophetic movements.  One such movement that has been of particular influence for me has been the Christian liberation movement in Latin America.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Germany, Martin Luther King here in the U.S., Monseigneur Oscar Romero of El Salvador (I recommend the movie "Romero") are just three modern day prophets I would point to, who I believe were on the correct side of history.  

However I do not believe that a positive vision, Truth, and action are exclusive to Christians.  Rather, I believe that the very best of all faith traditions call us as the human community to be sisters and brothers to each other and to lead in building a world in which justice, equality and peace reign.  My own spirituality has been deepened through participation in Native American sweat ceremonies with Sioux and Omaha brothers and sisters, and in Winnebago Native American Church meetings.[2]

In our current context, I want to be explicit:  I make my stand with Muslim sisters and brothers. There have been and still are radical Christian extremists – here in the USA, I might add, as well as elsewhere - just as there are radical Muslim extremists, and extremists within other faith traditions as well. However, I do not consider these to be expressions of true faith.  I also know and consider fellow travelers those who are committed to creating a better world who claim no faith tradition, but live simply the good that I believe is at the core of every human being. And so I make my stand in community with all human beings who live the audacious belief that we can create a better world,  one where all people are truly respected, treated justly, and loved.

---

[1] John Hick and Paul F. Knitter, editors, The Myth of Christian Uniqueness: Toward a Pluralistic Theology of Religions (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1987).

[2] Appreciation to my brother Darren Snake and his father Ruben Snake who invited me and introduced me to the Native American Church way.

I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH THE MARGINALIZED

I MAKE MY STAND: A PERSONAL MANIFESTO AND CALL TO ACTION

Following are links to the earlier posts in this series:

• INTRODUCTION
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH IMMIGRANTS
• I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH MOTHER EARTH AND ALL HER CREATURES

I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH THE MARGINALIZED

By “marginalized,” I mean those who are treated as somehow less within our communities and our societies.  Persons who, because of the color of their skin, their place of origin, their religion, their different-abledness, their gender or their gender identity or choice are discriminated against, given less space, denied place and rights, mistreated, made victims.  In my view people are not marginal because of who they are but are made marginal by the structure and systems and customary behaviors at work within cultures and societies.  

Again, my faith is a source here.  The God in whom I believe expresses a particular and unique care for the poor, the victims, the ones cast aside by society.  Latin American liberation theology speaks of God's “preferential option” for those on the margins.  And so, I make my stand. In particular, at this time in history, I want to state clearly that I stand with my sisters and brothers in the LGBTQ community. I envision and commit my life and energy to joining with others in creating a world where the artificial and superficial barriers that we create between us as human beings no longer exist, a world in which we recognize and invite and accept and treat every person as we would want to be treated ourselves.

There is an ancient Sanskrit word, which expresses this beautifully:  Namaste.  It literally means, "I bow to you" (see http://www.patheos.com/blogs/whitehindu/2015/05/what-does-namaste-really-mean/), a symbol of respect for the other.  In India, where this expression is common practice, it may be spoken or simply expressed by placing the hands together at the heart or at the forehead, and offering a slight bow toward the other person. The deeper sense of this word and gesture reflect a profound valuing and respect for all human persons – ourselves and the other.  Namaste: “The divine or Spirit in me, bows to the divine or Spirit within you” – a recognition that we all share in a single essence.  Or, as another writer has put it: “The place of light, of truth, of love, of peace in me bows to the place of light, of truth, of love, of peace in you” (See ttp://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Namaste).  

And so I MAKE MY STAND to be a part of whatever it takes for our world to one day be a place where all human relationships are guided by this kind of deep respect and honoring of one another, a world in which there will no longer be any persons marginalized. NAMASTE.

So-called Praise Songs

. . . to borrow a phrase from the current U.S. President, #45.

I went to church this morning.  It is not common that so-called Praise Songs (PS) are part of the repertoire in Roman Catholic churches and, to the credit of the musicians this morning, we did not have to hear PS throughout the entire Mass.  However the celebration did not begin well, as we were “welcomed” by the lilting tune and vapid content of a PS introductory song.

I don’t know about you, but in my view, most of what the mainstream news media has to offer is a distraction – that calls us to look elsewhere rather than informing us on the real issues and happenings in our world. I see so-called PS in a similar light – a pious distraction that calls us away from rather than leading us to the rich and challenging message of the Gospel and Christian life.

My first critique of PS is the music.  Often sweet, lilting tunes or, on the other hand, heavy beat-driven rock style.  Irregardless [I know that’s not a word, but it works here 😊] of the lyrics and possible content, it seems that it is primarily the music that matters.  And so words, whose poetry (if there is poetry) obviously does not fit the cadence of the music, are crammed into a musical space that you have to rush through in order to make it fit.  It is also the case that, more often than not, no attention is paid to how the words of the song may, or may not connect with the music.  The final song this morning was one played to a pounding acoustic rock beat.  And to this beat we sang with bravado the words (something like) “In your mercy, lead us to the quiet place beside still waters.”  Really??  It was nicely played rock, but it made me think more about the 10 foot crashing surge stirred up by hurricane Irma, than a quiet place.  No connection! The words and content may be amazing – deeply theological, challenging, or calling us to reflection and mystery.  But if the music makes you rush through or overlook the content, then . . . well, you’ve missed it, haven’t you?  On the other hand, PS love to use sugar-sweet, lilting tunes (the kind of music that I am really not attracted to) attached to whatever the lyric choice might be.  And so images of crucifixion or sacrifice, or calls to justice, or even celebrations of victory and resurrection – all are carried by wispy, often soprano, melodies that leave limp any significance, depth, or spirit in the words. Like eating steak doused with pudding.

My other critique of PS has to do with the lyrics themselves. In the closing song this morning, the refrain – sung multiple times - had repeated phrases instructing God not to forget his promises to us, not to forget his people.  Really?!!? God’s the one who is not to forget? And we are the ones to instruct God??  Isn’t that more our issue – forgetting, failing - rather than God’s? 

Another concern is that a lot of PS lyrics come across more like clichés than serious content.  Christian phrases, or quoted partial biblical texts . . . that tend to lead you nowhere. And the repetition.  The repetition, repetition, repetition - returning to the refrain over and over again, singing all the verses plus the refrain two, three, four times.  BLAH!!  It all adds up to a kind of numbing meaninglessness.  Singing empty phrases repeatedly leaves one with the sense that this really has no purpose or meaning at all.  You’re in church, doing your time, doing your duty.  You can say – “I was in church.” “I even danced and clapped!”  But experience of Mystery, encouragement and instruction for living faithfully? At least in the music - NOT!

Now, to be honest, I have experienced PS that do not fit these critiques.  And the fact that the music creates, perhaps, a more “modern” sense of church and may attract audiences that find more traditional forms out of date and boring – that has value.  In fact, I like modern and more up-beat music.  (And there is some of the traditional and old gospel stuff that make me yawn). And I am one who enjoys joining in, with the clapping and swinging hips.  (There is some amazing music from communities in Latin America that marry beautifully contemporary acoustic music, drums and all, with moving messages of Gospel grace and God’s calling to live and work for justice.)  And so, my purpose here is not simply to criticize.  But my wish and my desire is that the creators of PS  be more theologically attentive and reflective about what they are communicating – musically and verbally; to pay attention to how their music functions and the kind of content and impact it offers the worshiping community.

Selah!

I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH MOTHER EARTH

Waiting for Irma

My original plan was to publish this particular post a little later in the series.  However, given the "weather news" the last two weeks - here in the U.S. and around the globe, I decided that now was the time to post this. Last week - hurricane Harvey.  "Unprecedented destruction."  "A 500-year, maybe 1,000-year storm," they say. And this week hurricane Irma - the largest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic; as I write, making landfall in south Florida, already having left unimaginable devastation in her path! 

[Photograph taken in our yard this morning here in central Florida, even as hurricane Irma bears down on our state.]

I MAKE MY STAND WITH MOTHER EARTH 

AND ALL HER CREATURES, GREAT AND SMALL

The story is told of an occasion, shortly after the Portuguese colonizers first arrived on the shores of South America (now Brazil). They were cutting down the large trees of the Pau Brasil or ibirapitanga - “red wood” in the indigenous Tupi language - to take back to Portugal.  Some of the local indigenous people came to see, curious what these pallid strangers were doing.  One of them asked the Portuguese: “Do you not have trees in your country, that you must take these from our land?”

“No, we have trees,” was the reply.  “But we need these trees for the bright red dye they provide.”

“But why do you need to so many trees?” the Native queried.  “Who requires so much dye?”

“We make dye to sell, for money,” the Portuguese replied.

“But what for?  What do you do with money?” 

“Well, we collect it, so we can live, and we leave it for our children so that they can live and survive comfortably as well.”

The Native looked at the pale, bearded stranger for a long time, with an expression of total puzzlement.  Finally he said: “The Earth, she provides for us today, and if we care for her she will provide for our children as well!”[1]

In a capitalist world, our lives have become focused on accumulation -- accumulation of things and of money, i.e., capital. (This is the foundational driving force and purpose within capitalism.) We have forgotten that the Earth is our Mother.  We have forgotten that She will provide for us, and for our children, and for all future generations – IF WE CARE FOR HER!”

In the Christian Bible, in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus places this confidence in the context of trust in God:   “Notice how the flowers grow,”  he tells his followers. “They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, not even [King] Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of them.  If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you . . . ?” (Luke 12:27 and 28)

Within a system that promotes fear, insecurity, and short-sightedness, our world today is moving full speed ahead toward our own annihilation and the annihilation of most, if not all living things on this planet.  (The movie, “The Hellstrom Chronicle,” suggests that cockroaches will be the only ones to survive!)  Unlike the deniers, I am a person of the 21^st Century and I believe in science. Scientists are telling us today that our use of carbon fuels and the resulting global warming is bringing us to the brink.  Just this past week we witnessed the precursors of worse things to come, with the unprecedented wind and especially rainfall from hurricane Harvey, devastating large swathes of Texas and Louisiana here in the United States.  At the same time, over a third – that’s right, over one third!! – of the land mass of Bangladesh is under flood waters, with flooding in neighboring India and Nepal as well.  During this same week there is also flooding in Beijing, where they are seeing the heaviest rainfall to come to that region in 60 years! Irma, bearing down at this very moment on the state of Florida and having left  behind it a trail of massive destruction, is the largest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic. And, as I make my final edits on this post, the weather map is showing not one, not two, but three hurricanes twisting across the Atlantic, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico!

For the sake of all life on this planet and the life of the planet herself, WE MUST STOP!!  We must make our stand against the monied interests, the oligarchs, the money-serving political class, and the madmen who, in disregard to all the evidence and warnings, and looking out only for their own short-term gain, are taking us over the cliff!!

We must stop polluting our air, our seas, and our fresh water streams, rivers, and aquifers! We must halt the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, known as the “lungs of the world,” and other forested areas around the globe, all sources of the precious oxygen needed for life. We must provide protection for sensitive and unique ecosystems and biomes of our Mother Earth - Pacha Mama. And we must protect our companion travelers in the form of all living beings – plant, animal, and all creatures – on this planet.  It is on this side, of fighting for the very life of our planet and all its living creatures including humankind, that I MAKE MY STAND!

---

[1] This story was shared in a documentary about a project working with refugees from lands flooded as a result of the Belo Monte dam construction on the Xingu river, near the Amazon in Brazil.  The video, titled “Eu+1: Uma jornada de saúde mental na Amazônia,” is available on YouTube.

I MAKE MY STAND . . . WITH IMMIGRANTS

Given the events of the past day, with the administration of #45 announcing that they will rescind the Obama era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals that offers provisional protection for those who came to this country as children and are not documented,  my first in this series is particularly poignant. 

I MAKE MY STAND: A PERSONAL MANIFESTO AND CALL TO ACTION

I BEGIN BY MAKING MY STAND WITH IMMIGRANTS.  I make no distinction between so-called documented and undocumented immigrants. I include refugees here as well, persons under particular distress, fleeing situations of danger and violence.  These words, for me, refer simply to other human beings. They happen to be arrivals from one place on our planet home to another, bringing with them uniquenesses of language, food, culture, and ways of being.  Rather than distancing myself from them in the face of these differences, I seek to welcome, to delight in and learn from them, increasing my own understanding of the breadth and variety and creativity of the human spirit.  In this welcoming I recognize that I too have been an immigrant, having myself lived in various places and moved during my lifetime. My stand with immigrants is rooted in my faith -- in the call in Jewish and Christian scriptures – to welcome, to treat as equal, to treat kindly and with justice, the foreigner and the stranger.  This links to the core teaching of most belief systems – “to love your Maker with your entire being, and love your neighbor as yourself.”  And today, we live in a world in which we are all neighbors to each other. In the current moment I want to be explicit that I stand with DACA young people in this country - #HereToStay -;  and I stand with refugees fleeing the horrors of war, flooding, and famine in the Middle East and in Africa; with those fleeing  economic despair and violence in Central America, Mexico, and other parts of the world.   In the immigrant, I am blessed with a new brother, a new sister, new families and communities.  In the world I envision, the invisible boundaries that separate so-called nation-states no longer exist.  There are no longer situations which create the need for people to be refugees. All people are able to move freely, everyone is welcomed everywhere, and the human community is enriched as we share life on our planet home, our Pacha Mama – Mother Earth.

Click on the image to add your name to United We Dream's action supporting
the rights of DACA recipients and all immigrants
(Note: While I personally support their work, this blog is not affiliated with
United We Dream.  The views expressed here are solely my own, and
should not be construed as representing United We Dream.)

I MAKE MY STAND: A PERSONAL MANIFESTO AND CALL TO ACTION - Introduction

Over the next couple weeks, I will publish a series of blog posts on this theme:  "I Make My Stand."  This first post provides some personal background and explains what I intend to do in this series.  If you are reading this post, I hope that you will feel invited to read the series and that you will find in these reflections inspiration for articulating and acting on your own "stand" in helping create a better world.

Events brought me to a dramatic turn in my life direction in 1980.  For several years prior, my search for an authentic Christian faith had led me to the Reformed Church in America, a conservative but historic and mainline denomination.  The short-sightedness of my fundamentalist upbringing gave way as I discovered and reveled in being part of a faith community that traced its ethnic heritage and theological roots back almost five centuries and connected fearlessly to the rich, 2000-year trajectory of the Christian church. For the first time in my life I was also interacting with a group of folks who were not shackled by a narrow and strict fundamentalist vision.

A “shaking of the foundations” took place in my experience of what it meant to be a Christian as I began to grasp that grace (in contrast to the “cheap grace” I had learned growing up) is all about unconditional love.  I was also coming to understand that the Biblical story points us to a God who is concerned not only with personal salvation, but perhaps more importantly with community, and that God expresses a particular allegiance to those on the margins of society.  This God makes a stand on the side of the Hebrew slaves over against the despotic economy of the Egyptian Pharaohs.  The Jewish prophets give voice to this God's deep commitment to justice for the poor and oppressed (e.g. Amos 5:24).  And in the Christian scriptures, Jesus makes his first appearance on the public stage declaring that his mission is to bring “glad tidings to the poor, liberty to the captives, sight for the blind, and freedom for the oppressed” (Luke 4: 16-21).

It was in this context of personal growth and change that I would hear the words of then candidate for President, Ronald Reagan.  And the more I heard him speak - of cutting programs for the poor, shifting the tax burden from the wealthy and corporations to the backs of the average citizen, rolling back the Voting Rights Act, and on and on – the greater the dissonance that grew between his proposed platform and the new-found values shaping my own sense of life and purpose.  It was during this time that I came to the decision that I could no longer stand by as part of the “silent majority,” but that I had to make a stand and let my voice be heard.

Fast forward to the present moment in time – 2017 and the present administration of #45 here in the United States.  Although the dissonance has sounded and I have responded in varying degrees over the last 30+ years, the dissonance has now reached a pitch of earth-shattering (in some respects, literally) proportions.  In her most recent book, No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump's Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need, activist and author of The Shock Doctrine, Naomi Klein, summarizes well in my view the situation we currently face.  She writes:

           

                        “The main pillars of Trump's political and economic project are: the

                        deconstruction of the regulatory state; a full-bore attack on the welfare

                        state and social services (rationalized in part through bellicose racial

                        fear-mongering and attacks on women for exercising their rights); the

                        unleashing of a domestic fossil fuel frenzy (which requires the sweeping

                        aside of climate science and the gagging of large parts of the government

                        bureaucracy); and a civilizational war against immigrants and radical

                        Islamic terrorism (with ever-expanding domestic and foreign theaters).”

As I listen to the news (and the bizarre tweets emanating almost daily from somewhere in the White House) I am struck by the fact that my values and vision for my country and for our world stand in diametric opposition to every piece of this administration's project.   Even though the U.S. president may be one of the most vulgar, in-your-face and - because of the power he wields -  most dangerous examples of the problem, I do not think that the problem is him.  Rather he is simply one of the most grotesque but one of a growing number of manifestations of a global system that favors corporations and the wealthiest at the expense of the average citizen, other life forms, and the health and very existence of life on our planet Earth.  And so, I am compelled to MAKE MY STAND -  to say that I DISAGREE, that I RESIST this project.  In these next blog posts, I seek to give voice to a radically different vision for my country and our world.  And I commit to put my hand to the plow, my foot to the road, and my shoulder to the wheel, working and fighting to make this vision a reality.

To My Friends and Family who Voted for Trump: An Open Letter

So it has been 100 days now since Donald Trump was inaugurated the 45^th President of the United States, and I am wondering how you are feeling about your new president. Recent polls show that he is enjoying the lowest approval rating of any president, at this stage, since the 1950s.

Given that he promised to represent the interests of the average working person in this country (I assume most of my friend and relatives who voted for Trump are in this category), does it surprise you that he has surrounded himself with former Goldman Sach's executives – millionaires and billionaires? His cabinet and advisers consist of the largest number of the super-super-wealthy of any president ever! I wonder – do you believe that Trump and his team of millionaires and billionaires are really interested and will dedicate themselves to addressing the concerns of the middle class and working poor? If they've spent their lives looking out for the bottom line of their own companies and investors and looking for ways to limit labor costs, do you think they are now going to shift their focus to take the side of the average working person in this country?

I know that many who vote Repbulican are committed to a “law and order” vision for the country. So I wonder how you are feeling about the level of chaos and dis-order that has accompanied Trump's first 100 days in office? Way behind the record of most other administrations, he has hundreds of posts in his administration still unfilled.

Also, are you bothered about the many revelations of the Russia connections by so many in his campaign staff and now of those who he has selected for leadership positions in his administration? FBI and congressional investigations into the possibility of treason by the President himself or by members of his staff? Is that the kind of “law and order” you were expecting? Does that concern you at all? Is it disturbing to you that one of the members of his cabinet – less than 100 days in – has already been dismissed due to an attempt to cover up and his failure to reveal to congress conversations he had with the Russian Ambassador?

Is having right-wing extremist, like Bannon as a key adviser to the President represent the kind of government you were voting for when you voted for Trump? And what about his daughter and son-in-law being on the White House staff and having security clearances, even while they maintain ties to the family mega-business? Does it concern you that White House communications and meetings have already been used to market and promote the product lines of Ivanka's businesses?  Do you see the possibilities of she and her husband advising the President and the President himself – all of them - being swayed by their own financial interests when it comes to making decisions? Do you think it is possible that they may use their roles of political power to their own benefit rather than truly making the concerns of America first? Does that possibility of conflict of interest disturb you at all?

Whether you like the Affordable Care Act, or not – what does it say to you about the President that he advocated for making a change that would mean as many as 24 million citizens would lose their healthcare coverage? That insurance companies could once again decide who gets insured and who deosn't and could decide without regulation how much they would charge each of us for insurance coverage. And what about doing away with coverage possibilities of the disabled, the mentally ill, the unemployed, the under-employed and the poor. Are those the kinds of values that you look for in a President? Does that represent the value you place on perhaps your own family members and your neighbors and fellow citizens? Is that a policy that truly would "make America great again"?  And what about executive actions now that remove protections to ensure that the air we breathe and the water we drink are safe?  What about an open field day for polluters to pollute at will for the sake of profit, regardless of the health and environmental impact on our nation?

Are you as surprised as I am by the lack of knowledge of the laws and our national Constitution reflected in the poorly thought out “travel ban” attempts, or in the demand that local police become defacto federal agents?  Also that he is not only seeking congressional approval to spend our own tax dollars on the "Mexico will pay for it" "great wall," but that the very construction of that wall may be prohibited by international treaty agreements? That's not only on the President but on all the President's men as well!

Once the election took place and Trump won, I haven't really seen any of you posting your support or praise for what your President is doing – so I am wondering? Are you happy with the directions he is taking us? Does he represent you and your interests? Do you see his policies really improving your life and strengthening our nation? Are you still happy and satisfied with your vote? I just find myself wondering! If you are pleased, could you help me understand? Tell me what it is he has accomplished in these first 100 days that you are really thrilled about.  What has he done that you feel will lead to "making America great again”?  I look forward to your comments and responses.

Wishing us all the best!

NÓS SOMOS DAVI

Somos todos Davi! Não. Não estou falando de mim mesmo (nem do meu cunhado Davi Costa). Estou lembrando de um outro Davi, um Davi dos tempos antigos. Provavelmente você lembra da historia de Davi e Golias.

Existia um grande conflito entre Israel e os Filisteus, mas us Filisteus tinham um armamento secreto, um gigante de nome Golias que ameaçava os guerreros de Israel. Ele desafiava os guerreros dizendo: “Quem tem coragem de me enfrentar em batalha?” Mas os soldados de Israel ficaram com medo. Ninguem apareceu para enfrentar o gigante.

Nesta cena aparece o moço Davi. Davi foi mandado pelo pai para levar suprimentos para os irmãos mais velhos, e para trazer noticias de volta para casa. Ouvindo a historia do gigante, o moço Davi foi conversar com o rei, Saulo, dizendo: “Ninguém tem que sentir medo deste Filisteu,”diz ele. “Eu, o seu servo irei lá e enfrenterei ele na batalha.” Mesmo que o Rei tenta desencorajár-lo, Davi não muda de idéia..

O que eu acho impressionante é a fé e a determinação de Davi. Com um estilingue na mão, ele vai para um córrego e com cuidado, escolhe cinco pedras lisas. De lá ele procede calmamente para a linha de batalha, pra enfrentar o gigante. Vendo o garoto, da pra ouvir o desdém na voz do gigante Golias. “O que!” Ele rosna! “Sou um cachorro; você vem me ameaçar com varinhas. Venha aqui logo na minha frente que vou doar sua carne para os pássaros e os animais selvagem!”

Mas Davi responde com fé. Olhando o grande homen armado e blindado ele diz: “O senhor vem contra meu

Esboço do artista  Homero Cruz
de Monterrey México

povo com espada, lança e dardo, mas eu venho com fé e em solidariedade com todos aqueles que o senhor disrepeita e desafia. Hoje mesmo o senhor será entregue nas minhas mãos e eu o matarei e cortarei a sua cabeça.” Com isso, Davi começa a avançar na direção do gigante. E escolhendo uma pedra do seu alforge, ele coloca no estilingue. E com confiança e precisão mortal ele a deixa voar! E momentos depois, o grande Golias cai de cara no chão com uma única pedra encravada mortalmente na sua testa.

Acho que muitos de nós hoje - no Brasil, nos Estados Unidos e em muitos outros lugares no mundo – sentimos que estamos vivendo um tempo de grande conflito e perigo. Parece que por todos os lados estamos vendo o avanço de poderes do mal, nuvems escuras de ameaça e conflito. As pessoas estão sendo incentivadas a ser um contra o outro, desrespeitando por caso da cor da pele, religião, gênero, lugar de origem, preferéncia sexual, e muito mais. Líderes fazendo tweet de idéias e imagens que, para os irrefletivos cria sentimentos de ameaça e medo do Outro. Conversa fácil de guerra. Ataques abertos e diretos contra os valores que levaram anos, decadas, até seculos para serem conquistados, valores como igualdade, diversidade, justiça, paz, qualidade de vida para todos, cuidado com a nossa planeta frágil, e o bem comun.

No momento atual, talvez achamos que a ameaça vem de um único homen. (Aqui nos EUA falo do t-boy; no Brasil talvez um outro t-boy). De um lado, talvez isso seja a verdade, mas um só homen não é o nosso Golias não. O Golias esta nos rodeando faz tempo, as vezes crecendo, as vezes diminuido, mas sempre presente. Nosso Golias não é um presidente e nem todos os políticos corruptos, mas é um sistema que dá mais valor ao lucro do que às pessoas. Hoje é um sistema global, um Golias global. E este Golias é totalmente blindado e armado – com drones, bombas inteligentes, escudos nucleares, exércitos. E este sistema exerce poder tremendo – politicamente e economicamente! Tem o poder para destruir tudo que fica no seu caminho, e vive com a determinação ilimitada de proteger tudo que esta no seu interesse, não importa qual é o custo monetario ou o custo de vida humana.

Então a pergunta é: Onde encontramos o Davi para enfrentar o nosso gigante de hoje. E a resposta é em Nós. NÓS SOMOS DAVI!! Somos nós, o povo que temos que enfrentar este Golias moderno. O poder deste gigante é um miragem, porque NÓS vastamente ultrapassamos em números os que estão no poder. Se eles são o 1%, NÓS somos o 99%. E mesmo se os que beneficiam do poder e o defende são 20%, NÓS somos 80%. Nosso poder fica localizado no número de pessoas que somos. O poder econômico deles depende do suor e sangue do nosso trabalho e do poder de compra que nós temos. O poder politico que eles tem depende da nossa quiescéncia para permitir que eles governem da maneira que querem. Mas se optamos por agir, para desafiarmos e mudarmos este sistema, eles serão superados em números. Pode ser que eles usam os seus poderes para encarcelar e certamente matar. Mas eles não tem prisões suficientes que caberão todos nós. E se nós, o povo, recusarmos sermos guardas da prisão, ter prisioneiros será impossível. E se recusamos a fazer armas, e bombas, seus estoques acabarão.

Como Davi dos tempos antigos, temos que ser calmos e cautelosos. Temos que estar cheios de fé e confiança. Temos que nos sentir corajosos e prontos enfrentar. Preparemo-nos, com sabedouria escolhendo as pedras. Identificando as fendas na armadura de Golias. Onde fica aquele lugar vulnerável que quando alvejado com precisão letal, traz toda a fachada abaixo? Mesmo que a nossa situação seja urgente, não devemos apressar-nos, mas devemos avançar com pensamento sério na solidariedade e na fé. Escolhamos as melhores pedras. Colocamo-as no nosso estilingue. E deixamos-as voar!

NÓS SOMOS DAVI! E com pequenas e grandes vitorias , sim derrubaremos o gigante!

WE ARE DAVID

Sketch by Homero Cruz of Monterrey Mexico

We are David.^* No, I am not referring to myself or even specifically to my own name. Rather I am remembering another David, a David from ancient times. Many of us remember, I am sure, the story of David and Goliath, right?

There is a great conflict taking place between Israel and the Philistines. But the Philistines have a secret weapon, a giant by the name of Goliath who threatens Israel's warriors, challenging them as to who has the courage to come and confront him in battle. But Israel's soldiers tremble in fear, and no one is found who will confront the giant.

On to this stage comes the young boy, David, sent by his father to bring goods and get news from his elder brothers. Upon hearing the challenge of the Giant, David goes to the King, Saul, and says to him: “Let no one lose heart on account of the Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Although Saul tries to dissuade him, David insists.

What is impressive to me is his faith and determination. The story reads that, with sling in hand, he goes to a brook and carefully, thoughtfully, selects five smooth stones. He then proceeds calmly to the battle line to confront the Giant. Seeing the boy, you can hear the disdain in Goliath's voice: “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” he snarls. “Come here, and I will giver your flesh to the birds and wild animals.”

Speaking in faith David looks the fully armored and weaponized Giant in the eye and responds confidently: “You come against me with sword, and spear, and javelin; but I come to you in faith and in solidarity with those who you have disrespected and defied. This day you will be delivered into my hands, and I will strike you down.” With that, David begins running toward the on-coming threat. Reaching into his bag he chooses one of the stones, puts it in his sling and with confidence and deadly accuracy he lets fly. And the next moment the Goliath comes crashing down, struck by a single stone to his unprotected forehead.

I believe that many of us feel today that we are in a time of great conflict and danger. It seems that around the world we are seeing the advance of evil powers. In Europe, in Latin America, and here in the United States gathering clouds of threat and conflict. People incentivized to be over-against one another, disrespecting because of color of skin, religion, gender, place of origin, sexual preference. “Leaders” tweeting images that, for the unreflective, create a sense of threat and fear of the Other. Easy talk of war. Open and direct attacks on the values so many of us have fought to achieve over years, decades, even centuries: equality, diversity, justice, peace; quality of life for all - globally, care for our fragile planet, the common good.

Right now in the United States we may feel that this threat emanates most directly from a man who I refer to simply as the t-boy, because I refuse to give his name any additional attention in cyber-space. And in one sense that is true, but this single man is not our Goliath. No, the Goliath has been around, rising up and growing (and at times shrinking) its stature over many years. In his article, “The Tale of Two Countries,” author Neal Gabler provides a brief tracing of the history in the United States. No, our Goliath is not a single man in the White House, nor even all 535 congress persons and senators in Washington. No, our Goliath is a system that prioritizes profits over people, and today it is a global system, the Global Goliath. And this Goliath is fully armored and weaponized with drones, smart bombs, nuclear shields, and armies. And, it wields tremendous power – politically and economically. The power to destroy anything that stands in its way and an unbounded determination to protect all that is in it's interest, no matter what the monetary cost or the cost in human life - threatening even the demise of all life on this planet.

And so where do we find the David to confront today's Giant? The answer: David is us!! It is “we the people” who must stand up to this modern-day Goliath. Goliath's power is a mirage, because WE vastly outnumber the holders of power. If they are the 1%, WE are the 99%. But even if those who would benefit from and defend this power are 20%, WE are 80%. Our power is in our numbers. Their economic power depends on the sweat a blood of our labor, and on the purchasing power that we hold. Their political power depends on our quiescence to allow them to govern in whatever way they choose. But if we choose to act, to challenge and change this system – they are outnumbered. They may use their power to imprison and surely even kill. But despite the size of the industrial prison complex, they do not have space sufficient to imprison all of us. And if we refuse to guard the prisoners, they cannot imprison. And if we refuse to make the guns and build the bombs, their stock piles will run out.

Like David of old, we must be calm and reflective. We must be full of faith and confident. We must be courageous and willing to confront. Prepare – pick our stones strategically and wisely. Identify the chinks in Goliath's armor. What is that one soft place that when targeted with lethal accuracy brings the entire facade crashing down. And while time and urgency is of the essence, we must not rush but must advance thoughtfully, in solidarity and in faith. Choose the best stones. Place them in our slings. And let fly!

WE ARE DAVID! And with little victories and large, we can and will bring this giant down!

*This reflection was inspired as I listened this morning to Maya Angelou's Tribute Poem to Nelson Mandela.