tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359146404008800742024-02-06T20:22:48.843-08:00just enough for the cityUrban ministry for the global city.robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.comBlogger1943125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-55932683755590810292022-07-17T00:40:00.006-07:002022-07-17T00:40:54.718-07:00PRIDE<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">6/29</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Xg89PXIZgpYlOZjB_cOsooQEuy3hf-8m6Btg2NZDvYSp5LLwnov2E5R_CqZlXt5sBzxWyhBBbIIMvxmE28dmdGEXwLEGtzda-JEXI2UR1d3sAH-PV_6UssOKnhpmtyxmOEudY_ienRiCULNG_jtCWxO3kdYfFfL-_91_fy4VtbfcbkQMajQHIyFVIg/s4032/E6819BE6-0296-48F3-B9F0-B42E03077661.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Xg89PXIZgpYlOZjB_cOsooQEuy3hf-8m6Btg2NZDvYSp5LLwnov2E5R_CqZlXt5sBzxWyhBBbIIMvxmE28dmdGEXwLEGtzda-JEXI2UR1d3sAH-PV_6UssOKnhpmtyxmOEudY_ienRiCULNG_jtCWxO3kdYfFfL-_91_fy4VtbfcbkQMajQHIyFVIg/w300-h400/E6819BE6-0296-48F3-B9F0-B42E03077661.heic" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PRIDE</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6BBDjawLAMwHw2GMAaJuBXZsJLF6FWN2sGed-3GxpFc6wzBmHGd2qDLNqbhDKS6zU471rVVu2s0qxOW4PBCj-GKcNHQiHpCzcufjIo3qgEy7P47Z9IfoNtTHDWzVZuVnew4KZE5uQe4yPsMxY2diU56l59iXxCDqgqWJoSHpaKrhBGMUK3V0PpwiCg/s4032/576319DD-D4E6-4BCC-89C7-D299588DCE2A.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6BBDjawLAMwHw2GMAaJuBXZsJLF6FWN2sGed-3GxpFc6wzBmHGd2qDLNqbhDKS6zU471rVVu2s0qxOW4PBCj-GKcNHQiHpCzcufjIo3qgEy7P47Z9IfoNtTHDWzVZuVnew4KZE5uQe4yPsMxY2diU56l59iXxCDqgqWJoSHpaKrhBGMUK3V0PpwiCg/s320/576319DD-D4E6-4BCC-89C7-D299588DCE2A.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PRIDE hat</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBuoLWZ_pyXSD5CVG1mLDya8YBvTXWR7qyRAEaUP6i-Ohtri-B9-VQe2dafJ8AUQhYzx1TjwIKGWbNEaD6saDTqNZvBpyAlT2YSKC39tJgGHxTm0B32yBvmyg-Yvz_k9CVwkxxHY0ukS_80zPIHPzarFDkZ_KKWV7lTEIWObH6NuznjPUfrb7H2eDtA/s4032/D21A167A-9929-40E0-B87F-7662F630242E.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBuoLWZ_pyXSD5CVG1mLDya8YBvTXWR7qyRAEaUP6i-Ohtri-B9-VQe2dafJ8AUQhYzx1TjwIKGWbNEaD6saDTqNZvBpyAlT2YSKC39tJgGHxTm0B32yBvmyg-Yvz_k9CVwkxxHY0ukS_80zPIHPzarFDkZ_KKWV7lTEIWObH6NuznjPUfrb7H2eDtA/s320/D21A167A-9929-40E0-B87F-7662F630242E.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">new flag</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">On the last Wednesday of June, one last chance to share something of PRIDE with our Wednesday morning<i> Underground</i> group. Earlier in the month, I had gone to the Brooklyn Cyclones <i>Pride</i> event. They had produced a fine jersey using the latest <i>Pride</i> colors in what’s become<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>known as the <i>tequila sunrise template</i> originally designed by the Houston Astros. The accompanying hat</span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> has the almost newest versions of the Pride flag, lacking only the intersex circle. The newest flag for LGBTQIA+ (my friend Luciano says,<i> Look, I just say queer.</i>.). has added baby blue and pink for trans people and black and brown for queer people of color. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We live in strange times. On the one hand, what was remarkable about the Cyclones<i> Pride Night</i> was its very <i>unremarkableness</i>, it’s <i>normalness</i>. Gay community leaders involved in ceremonial first pitches and the between<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>innings promotions and games, No different than Italian night or Irish night or Jewish Heritage night. Parents and kids happy to get the <i>Pride</i> jersey and hat. Corporate sponsors. Just another part of the community. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">On the other hand, the Supreme Court and its <i>originalists</i> have cancelled out a half century of women’s rights over their own bodies and access to abortion. And formerly silent Clarence Thomas seems ready to challenge marriage equality, contraception and sodomy laws along with his wife and partner "Ginny" who promotes conspiracy theories and promotes coups. So strange to have come so far and be so vulnerable at the same time. Perilous times indeed.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So hats off to the queer community, hats on for PRIDE. Stand strong,</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-84765248973609783242022-07-15T01:17:00.003-07:002022-07-17T00:31:00.431-07:00Arriba los Maracielagos<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> 6/ 22</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VF9ucjvCSe2JUsOsRgL5XtVMLS7YfDwa04FJlQeyqzRKxC93na7JPNCCLhtB8JTICj54j7RaG--hpwzAtVy0pdIHYTC8eFrDnsGX3faoS1zfOOy98eRJpfDcDc3HsAVfLdNnWIN1HKJuJdTRGkQQBu9PHhPpE_IMG42WTSX2kH0ofB3-YE2WeNWUPg/s3088/IMG_7039.HEIC" style="font-family: times; font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VF9ucjvCSe2JUsOsRgL5XtVMLS7YfDwa04FJlQeyqzRKxC93na7JPNCCLhtB8JTICj54j7RaG--hpwzAtVy0pdIHYTC8eFrDnsGX3faoS1zfOOy98eRJpfDcDc3HsAVfLdNnWIN1HKJuJdTRGkQQBu9PHhPpE_IMG42WTSX2kH0ofB3-YE2WeNWUPg/w400-h300/IMG_7039.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's go Bats!</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEMQGVtvm5r5pMaOflfKPEwuuWSG-78K8axIKKkBNQyPrvVQsQba_oNPYVpsOfycDCk-iPJNNGIEKaDS6l03LCQunPPpq4GcwqD1_e_29_pHKP9x3fFRyMB9olC9uDEDW1ULYbLxbbVXXrYNxbMW2kr-LJwjJm-jti8KpZbgHUJLTN63HI7YvY2YLdw/s3024/IMG_7033.HEIC" style="clear: right; font-family: times; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2374" data-original-width="3024" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEMQGVtvm5r5pMaOflfKPEwuuWSG-78K8axIKKkBNQyPrvVQsQba_oNPYVpsOfycDCk-iPJNNGIEKaDS6l03LCQunPPpq4GcwqD1_e_29_pHKP9x3fFRyMB9olC9uDEDW1ULYbLxbbVXXrYNxbMW2kr-LJwjJm-jti8KpZbgHUJLTN63HI7YvY2YLdw/s320/IMG_7033.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pee Wee</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9EfMB6Y-67Ci-jQ5SoyRUzj_-JgjCBFlI1FbxNI9QbVbXmlJNSmL93gdzOiXvaiYvWSzW84i-b_h4509n1486F9I-WY8YcG9v1SYm8aLjmEAs6lWIrITO3H-DkYAbaaIVoMV2oduZmnP1ZV6vbkZYO4itptPhKXEIB-fT7oIegviS1_DSZTOJV21BQ/s4032/IMG_7035.HEIC" style="clear: right; font-family: times; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="4032" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9EfMB6Y-67Ci-jQ5SoyRUzj_-JgjCBFlI1FbxNI9QbVbXmlJNSmL93gdzOiXvaiYvWSzW84i-b_h4509n1486F9I-WY8YcG9v1SYm8aLjmEAs6lWIrITO3H-DkYAbaaIVoMV2oduZmnP1ZV6vbkZYO4itptPhKXEIB-fT7oIegviS1_DSZTOJV21BQ/s320/IMG_7035.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Birds' hats</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7aRJm9jzGVacCYtIufjV3cUJ0Zf7MEw1ggHNiR75cJWrvyMuGPnD5kd6_PWuUPGPEeJZ2S1bQydznv5uG4CvkzwjMxf3dVVecRhYYcbWlNCkkQIGhBQLMvCTNNRDFEQN1gtAwSQM9uu_q7-1Zq1ryhhd2S4rGVb2XgTzsmMQqOvdw02W1z0TCVXHvw/s4032/IMG_7036.HEIC" style="clear: left; font-family: times; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7aRJm9jzGVacCYtIufjV3cUJ0Zf7MEw1ggHNiR75cJWrvyMuGPnD5kd6_PWuUPGPEeJZ2S1bQydznv5uG4CvkzwjMxf3dVVecRhYYcbWlNCkkQIGhBQLMvCTNNRDFEQN1gtAwSQM9uu_q7-1Zq1ryhhd2S4rGVb2XgTzsmMQqOvdw02W1z0TCVXHvw/s320/IMG_7036.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Birds jersey</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">When in Louisville, it’s always fun to take in a <i>Bats </i>game. Slugger Field is<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>one<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of the best6 of minor league baseball with its entry though an old warehouse ala Baltimore’s Camden.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The Pee Wee Reese statue </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">is a good companion to the Pee Wee -Jackie statue in Brooklyn,</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBl7CPM66xyDXCkHmFYLxu4XqqKiXxZYJOyVfSCYyk4SaZbYu4BXfeOszao17a4Fyc27kDTuuDN1G-66vTfGyLukVNvsU8AGUheRBYRsz8ScI6Dtb_eaBPHh1hE5a3zMl0Zk5lJGKOvc-x2eX3w6VIye91RNYyXgdMINTExh2rzg4I9Io03doaGzXw1Q/s4032/IMG_4149.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBl7CPM66xyDXCkHmFYLxu4XqqKiXxZYJOyVfSCYyk4SaZbYu4BXfeOszao17a4Fyc27kDTuuDN1G-66vTfGyLukVNvsU8AGUheRBYRsz8ScI6Dtb_eaBPHh1hE5a3zMl0Zk5lJGKOvc-x2eX3w6VIye91RNYyXgdMINTExh2rzg4I9Io03doaGzXw1Q/s320/IMG_4149.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pee Wee and Jackie</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /> commemorating Pee Wee’s embrace of Jackie in Cincinnatti with his family</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">and friends</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">in the hostile crowd.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">The entryway currently</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">makes much of Louisville’s history as the</span><i style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> Red Birds</i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">, AAA franchise of the St.Louis Cardinals with uniforms, hats and all. </span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This latest Internatjonal<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>League incarnation would have liked to have been known as <i>Sluggers </i>but that was too corporate to be allowed so the next best was<i> Bats </i>which led to a pun as in flying bats (originally<i> River Bats</i>). Starting with purple, black<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>snd green, </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NKnszroVPt1_2ABdyul_x3Ip4D9z62MJe_Biif1GRYUl1Bq_CiQ3MyAKo9jFF0Yklcu8lUD5e93FcBy7po2wD2haRzTMYWNeJubwIrLPfoOlOhCDubQjuGVfGIqWi4QROW4M4jE1YZnI8-AFaU2zSBsgKZtLnO4Wzn5aMZ_h-pNbtoqV6WStzX5ZtA/s640/IMG_1840.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NKnszroVPt1_2ABdyul_x3Ip4D9z62MJe_Biif1GRYUl1Bq_CiQ3MyAKo9jFF0Yklcu8lUD5e93FcBy7po2wD2haRzTMYWNeJubwIrLPfoOlOhCDubQjuGVfGIqWi4QROW4M4jE1YZnI8-AFaU2zSBsgKZtLnO4Wzn5aMZ_h-pNbtoqV6WStzX5ZtA/s320/IMG_1840.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go River Bats</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br />the bats have now adopted their parent Reds black and red colors. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzzn7zVKeWSd008-Zm1vIP9WH--G1AWcIIU0aHS5K1Mm948S-DtJ0pbSOloKrahpYeKOTHTvRj6VptbTSLcQdcy9CIWXeIKLLWjDePw1Chu2DySfi0QxHlRsatdMPIgUZMlcHZ7Y8gtpzzXNw_Hve1NEZzBmexij0nqay96JONoAw7G2DJ-zVVgn5nA/s593/8916425146398_front_590x.webp" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzzn7zVKeWSd008-Zm1vIP9WH--G1AWcIIU0aHS5K1Mm948S-DtJ0pbSOloKrahpYeKOTHTvRj6VptbTSLcQdcy9CIWXeIKLLWjDePw1Chu2DySfi0QxHlRsatdMPIgUZMlcHZ7Y8gtpzzXNw_Hve1NEZzBmexij0nqay96JONoAw7G2DJ-zVVgn5nA/s320/8916425146398_front_590x.webp" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bats</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6ughobsQGK_UP4BnSz66tMN_00H6na4-INaZaNaQw9h3mp8gNKZ-vT5wAxHgpCMX8NR-HxF5bFzGUas88QsmN5LsGGLePZDnaaXlvof9pwPHgmzUFE4-bAc23axlxM0sUbSx_NGfg2mUWtB2vx4Q4hJ9bKYTKVY7ctylQvoNlox5V2DWJApLxj7sHA/s500/Redbirds_LR_Hat_500_500x.webp" style="clear: left; font-family: times; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6ughobsQGK_UP4BnSz66tMN_00H6na4-INaZaNaQw9h3mp8gNKZ-vT5wAxHgpCMX8NR-HxF5bFzGUas88QsmN5LsGGLePZDnaaXlvof9pwPHgmzUFE4-bAc23axlxM0sUbSx_NGfg2mUWtB2vx4Q4hJ9bKYTKVY7ctylQvoNlox5V2DWJApLxj7sHA/s320/Redbirds_LR_Hat_500_500x.webp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Birds</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">They may have more alternative identities than any other minor league team.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>With a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>hat for each. They throw back a<i>s Red Birds. </i></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Play Derby time as the <i>Mint Juleps </i>and on regular rotation as the (sour)<i> Mashers</i>. And as part of Minor Leagues outreach to the Hispanic community...through the annual<i> Copa de Divertido</i> program, <i>los Cielagos de Louisville, or Louisville Bats </i>in Spanish. So on this Wednesdsay I wear my new<i> Maracielagos</i> hat. </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_x9p0w5r1BuYTsOF0rK7E3p_gAhBCp66BFXVCjKmdQDItxLxdKhTbbrRGs5f1CdvzjRg3Ih5OCJSMdIGL79bd3zl0GwRTQu_OI_26BOIflSMmc44x-Ho0tIU1SCPYMy9sk5AFpWwUvzOgSzu377ggB36gXO8hcGuCQPbeWAFp4c68rHjyahVtR8vTEw/s4032/IMG_7041.HEIC" style="clear: right; font-family: times; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_x9p0w5r1BuYTsOF0rK7E3p_gAhBCp66BFXVCjKmdQDItxLxdKhTbbrRGs5f1CdvzjRg3Ih5OCJSMdIGL79bd3zl0GwRTQu_OI_26BOIflSMmc44x-Ho0tIU1SCPYMy9sk5AFpWwUvzOgSzu377ggB36gXO8hcGuCQPbeWAFp4c68rHjyahVtR8vTEw/s320/IMG_7041.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MInt Juleps</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDC2YoTPOwOrvS5LWSwNErfsoTr7_0VB1KnVzc-ZFOH8QlAW_I5dQzbovrvHDczEGIQv7B7_3MGz_-hbi3yFcRYtDZ8_KvBYact3bXsu84J70hQXWs_R1MjHYXiBg3fQdEdV3W2_nOqHhuKe7XrheygqvossgN6HLvAFTUqzPhlRHo9olf-GfKKxAE8g/s4032/IMG_7040.HEIC" style="clear: left; font-family: times; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDC2YoTPOwOrvS5LWSwNErfsoTr7_0VB1KnVzc-ZFOH8QlAW_I5dQzbovrvHDczEGIQv7B7_3MGz_-hbi3yFcRYtDZ8_KvBYact3bXsu84J70hQXWs_R1MjHYXiBg3fQdEdV3W2_nOqHhuKe7XrheygqvossgN6HLvAFTUqzPhlRHo9olf-GfKKxAE8g/s320/IMG_7040.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mashers</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsj2tSGDm0VCgCL48Y2R5ODVRV8iIJX1FfqZgibfkwyM9ETiybI15toFjptF3_KGsicHaeVkBXIIfwahCne6EADQ8UNbMwADECzJ2dQywVLT9zrwnr7h9Ly5hBUjbsLxdVZkZzyGTtk-kaqsytJdsBgiygEzri1losHDarg0Zt4XT0y9tekQtEd8D0zQ/s4032/IMG_7042.HEIC" style="clear: right; font-family: times; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsj2tSGDm0VCgCL48Y2R5ODVRV8iIJX1FfqZgibfkwyM9ETiybI15toFjptF3_KGsicHaeVkBXIIfwahCne6EADQ8UNbMwADECzJ2dQywVLT9zrwnr7h9Ly5hBUjbsLxdVZkZzyGTtk-kaqsytJdsBgiygEzri1losHDarg0Zt4XT0y9tekQtEd8D0zQ/s320/IMG_7042.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marcielagos</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Hats off to the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Bats</i>, hat on for<i> los Maracielagos<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-59201694087788309762022-07-14T01:12:00.000-07:002022-07-14T01:12:03.323-07:00Fathers Day Special<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> 6/15</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4sG_13AzJKRypZTJdTZbgOSsP1nAc2D2U0QzfIjKFybrvzF0r-pAT1mMis8NqD_XCH_nbThBMBuh5oK80iW4tt5ecfw4m_hGCQ1BejkhzlkZcVMPUBIsKiiJGSk5i4XdZ3Z-adrnuicub2ji-lfVXkhmVnCp_3uzwr0-wLrVklBvmOMOKTDzftq3NA/s3146/FB95F1B8-EC41-4C88-8895-5CD82D45C3F6_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3146" data-original-width="2253" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4sG_13AzJKRypZTJdTZbgOSsP1nAc2D2U0QzfIjKFybrvzF0r-pAT1mMis8NqD_XCH_nbThBMBuh5oK80iW4tt5ecfw4m_hGCQ1BejkhzlkZcVMPUBIsKiiJGSk5i4XdZ3Z-adrnuicub2ji-lfVXkhmVnCp_3uzwr0-wLrVklBvmOMOKTDzftq3NA/w286-h400/FB95F1B8-EC41-4C88-8895-5CD82D45C3F6_1_201_a.heic" width="286" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fathers Day...and the Dead</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">June 15 found me getting ready to head to Louisville for my denomination’s General Assembly. Which means yet once again the church would be taking me away from my family for an important event…something my boys would<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>find a way to make up for on my return.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I’ promised not to do that again, but an assignment to moderate a General Assembly committee for the first time after all these years made for an exception.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So for this week, I chose to go with my Pirates’ Fathers Day hat.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A few years ago, Major League Baseball, in what us primarily a marketing scheme, began creating different designs for different holidays, eg, pink for Mother’s Day, Stars and Stripes for the 4th of July and blue for Fathers’ Day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>One year they even made special uniforms but now its just a hat which can look kind of strange if your uniform is say, green and gold like the Oakland A’s or black and orange like the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Orioles and you're just sticking a blue hat on top. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I actually own two Fathers Day cap, one gray with a blue letter <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGdnF6erIeDg-Rs81CTrX7kOLT3OQcVL7UE99E75cRZBzeazhDL8NzzMA6cxXFWuhWyOHGek-LY1HpK3XrDqCNgabC_ezlBuKO8gr-8nhloV--EWsgk9Ta2Agtx17mj6zFDmIUS9qrrhDXU4zg8Uyx0GF_0CjUfTRblQueBB6mLj1QGOLnrbSOQX3qA/s2460/IMG_7032.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="2460" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGdnF6erIeDg-Rs81CTrX7kOLT3OQcVL7UE99E75cRZBzeazhDL8NzzMA6cxXFWuhWyOHGek-LY1HpK3XrDqCNgabC_ezlBuKO8gr-8nhloV--EWsgk9Ta2Agtx17mj6zFDmIUS9qrrhDXU4zg8Uyx0GF_0CjUfTRblQueBB6mLj1QGOLnrbSOQX3qA/s320/IMG_7032.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fathers day cap...and troll</td></tr></tbody></table><br />and the one I have on today with its tie dye look. And obviously to go with tie dye, what better than a Grateful Dead tribute shirt, ironically featuring the Pirates’ ’70’s era logo. Traditionally long haired and bearded, the Pirates’ logo figure got cleaned up in response to the rise of “hippie” long hair, beards, etc. But with his neatly sculpted hair, bandana and ear ring, this one became derisively known as the<i> Bucco Gay Blade,</i> no help in a culture warm and so fun for a Bucco Dead T.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It was this trend by MLB that finally defeated me. I had up to a point been a completist, ie, I owned one of every hat the Pirates had ever worn in an official game. But it's gotten to be too much, now in addition to the spring training hat, game hat and two alternates, there are at least 4 other special occasion hats a year. I can’t keep up. I give.Two Fathers Day hats are enough.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Hats off to fathers. Boys, I’ll see you soon.</span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-39258767357153989342022-07-13T03:10:00.002-07:002022-07-13T03:10:35.798-07:00Fourth of July Weekend...reflecting on the nation....<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> Sermon 7/2/22</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTe6X9-lXT6f2t_wO8D6v2vZzGad3pslnv8bzxBOncge50UeIQ6Aqk3asgNJppGXFc8sdv0QIl8ppxoNA3hbxoiDQoxOdpvM9S563KsBITKjRAYQqtY0i6ORyq7CIhSkIS6cuNj7s5G_9FeixCjHSH2yprR8OBcLjYt5Mc4jupULuoOM0VH5U6jKOVg/s2846/IMG_7188.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1833" data-original-width="2846" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTe6X9-lXT6f2t_wO8D6v2vZzGad3pslnv8bzxBOncge50UeIQ6Aqk3asgNJppGXFc8sdv0QIl8ppxoNA3hbxoiDQoxOdpvM9S563KsBITKjRAYQqtY0i6ORyq7CIhSkIS6cuNj7s5G_9FeixCjHSH2yprR8OBcLjYt5Mc4jupULuoOM0VH5U6jKOVg/w400-h258/IMG_7188.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Racing hotdogs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 18px;"><i>The 4th of July weekend found me once again back in Oakdale, Pennsylvania....here's my reflection for the day...</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Here we are on the edge of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>4th of July.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In my aunt’s neighborhood last night<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>night there were periodic “unofficial” fireworks at different times throughout the night just as I'm sure back in my New York City<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>neighborhood there’s been fireworks all weekend.. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It’s an interesting time to celebrate our independence.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Russia is still waging war against Ukraine, who are teaching us all something about the meaning of freedom.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Here in Pittsburgh, Russian and Ukrainian churches are neighbors, families intermarried.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">When I get home, I’ll be going to a ball game with my boys..and fireworks too.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKq2qL8mJyQCgXm2XZdZZvOfrlrs7AdGAhpVAuMq1dIUDUxaUjvYZ7cw1H0XQgo_0Z790cIVz-q58BqwQVOhAPnyjY8iFExSlrY3nQF4VJBDJbH3jwmBEWvH_65wktbCXpnezFr8WeTT4XPboWJar3sIKg-GvacVtg_sWgOA-iTJ8Pk0RkfJMVmXcaDw/s3088/4B5B2BE8-95F1-493D-AED3-71C5DDEE1D37.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKq2qL8mJyQCgXm2XZdZZvOfrlrs7AdGAhpVAuMq1dIUDUxaUjvYZ7cw1H0XQgo_0Z790cIVz-q58BqwQVOhAPnyjY8iFExSlrY3nQF4VJBDJbH3jwmBEWvH_65wktbCXpnezFr8WeTT4XPboWJar3sIKg-GvacVtg_sWgOA-iTJ8Pk0RkfJMVmXcaDw/s320/4B5B2BE8-95F1-493D-AED3-71C5DDEE1D37.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ballgame with the boys...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span>And here in Pittsburgh, well, the Pirates are……well…<i>.interesting. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IvCJ9LGv82pL_jpVYbcIECOY4KzA-fK7YqkgVcQazG2m8C1Be0SvtipdCmZWToqbjiQWtuG1zhiJ4XzBLIU-mLEqKwyUeyCVnucMnPhud6-PV1PhLJYo2gTfqZ7yRnTVAD5s1wrVYAyV_IScTf2gtQ11i1YRS50pRs09JwxAV2yeebUDBmj8olt04A/s4032/IMG_7184.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IvCJ9LGv82pL_jpVYbcIECOY4KzA-fK7YqkgVcQazG2m8C1Be0SvtipdCmZWToqbjiQWtuG1zhiJ4XzBLIU-mLEqKwyUeyCVnucMnPhud6-PV1PhLJYo2gTfqZ7yRnTVAD5s1wrVYAyV_IScTf2gtQ11i1YRS50pRs09JwxAV2yeebUDBmj8olt04A/s320/IMG_7184.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Buccos...<i>raise the jolly roger..</i>.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Covid hasn’t gone away.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Some of us have gone<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>back to 2019. Some of us have never left peak 2020. And the rest of us are just trying to figure out what makes sense in 2022. At the PCUSA “hybrid’ General<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Assembly, the newly elected co-moderator and my resource person came down with covid. <i>We’re just<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>not sure…</i>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We are ready to celebrate our independence at a time when our nation has never felt more divided since the Civil War.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The Supreme Court is radically redefining our understanding of freedom and rights and some of us are celebrating and others are grieving and people on both sides struggling to understand what democracy is.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">School shootings continue on a regular basis and in my city it’s now okay to openly<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>carry. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We are struggling this 4th of July.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Meanwhile, back in the Bible land, Jesus is getting ready to send 72…why 72? We don’t really know…out on a mission.. What's clear is that he wants to get the word out.<i> Everywhere.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Salvation is for everyone….</i>And his instructions are worth taking a look at.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"<i>The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. </i><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><i>3</i></span><i>Go on your way.</i><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-style: italic;"> </span>So it says…<i>.</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I kind of think of this as a song for a place where laborers are few.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And don’t we know what <i>that’s</i> like?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And believe me you are not alone. In New York City there are about 12000 presbyterians in 88 churches. Over half of them belong to 5 churches, the rest to 83 and over 40 of those have no pastor nor no near time possibility of getting one. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ….</span></i></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">He is sending them out two by two…kind of makes me think of the ark, you know? Seems like<i> two </i>is the lowest acceptable unit.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <i> </i></span><i>No lone rangers. </i>You can’t do this alone. Makes me think of the Mormon mission volunteers...theology aside, I have to say I admire them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">He tells us <i>not to greet anyone,</i>…must be a sense of urgency…<i>don’t dawdle, don’t get stuck along the way</i>. I’m guessing there’s an exception made for any down on their luck Samaritans who might pass this this way?</span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And he tells us that if we go out and are not welcomed, <i>shake the dust off of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>your feet and keep moving<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>on. </i>I’ll say that again…in a passage left out of the lectionary he says..<span class="s2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><b> </b></span>‘<i>Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’</i><span class="s3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><i>[</i><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010%3A1-20&version=NRSVUE#fen-NRSVUE-25367c"><span class="s4" style="color: #393939;"><i>c</i></span></a><i>]</i></span><i> </i><span class="s2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i>12 </i></b></span><i>I tell you, on that day it will be </i><b><i>more tolerable for Sodom</i></b><i> than for that town. </i>The sin of Sodom friends, was<i> not </i>homosexuality, but<i> a radical denial of hospitality. </i>Remember Hebrews 13:2 : <i>Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.</i></span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Here’s the bottom line…Jesus doesn’t want us to keep beating our head against the wall….<i>know when to shake the dust off and move on…a</i>nd remember <i>it’s not on us to call down judgment…just move on…judgment is God’s…</i></span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We are dependent on those we are sent to. That’s about meeting them where they are. Respecting them…it’s about <i>relationships…</i>Eat what’s set before you…don’t worry about the cleanliness and purity laws…(in Jesus’ day, that was seriously radical…)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I had become a vegetarian when I went to Oklahoma,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Until my black pastor friend invited me to a barbecue…that was it..</span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">When Jesus hears what they have been able to do, he tells them he saw <i>Satan fall from heaven..</i>I love that…but he tells them don’t be getting all excited about all the cool things you can do…be happy that you are allies with God….</span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The joy that Jesus feels is being able to sense, to <i>see </i>the dawning of a new kingdom., a new <i>kindom…</i>.</span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And here’s one thing I want you to see…this fall of Satan is not an historic event or a future prediction…<i>it is a reality every time we venture out</i>…regardless of results, just going out itself is defeating Satan..and when you do succeed, rejoice only in the kingdom, <i>never triumphalism…</i></span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Okay…so what am I saying here?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>These are difficult times, Critical times. Times that demand a witness. We come here to be with each other, to be renewed, refreshed, restored after whatever we’ve been doing all week long…BUT we can’t stay here…we’ve got to take it out there..</span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This passage raises serious questions for us…like what us evangelism for us in this day and time, in this place? What is exactly <i>is </i>the harvest? Look around….the harvest is plentiful…the laborers few…</span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">…and that’s okay…no matter how small in number we may be, Jesus is calling us out there…it’s not about numbers, it’s about faithfulness…we have a word that needs to be heard…</span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In Jesus first sermon, (Luke 4: 18-20)Jesus announced his own job description was this:</span></p><p class="p7" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,</i></span></p><p class="p7" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span class="s5" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>because he has anointed me</i></span></p><p class="p7" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i> to bring good news to the poor.</i></span></p><p class="p7" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives</i></span></p><p class="p7" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span class="s5" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>and recovery of sight to the blind,</i></span></p><p class="p7" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i> to set free those who are oppressed,</i></span></p><p class="p8" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>19 </i></span></b></p><p class="p7" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”</i></span></p><p class="p9" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p7" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">…and so it is with us…it is enough for us to be like pebbles tossed into a pond where then ripples go out and out beyond what we might might even imagine..</span></p><p class="p9" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p7" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Let those with ears to hear, hear….<br /></span></p><p class="p7" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Amen…..</span></p><p class="p10" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p10" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>And we ended by celebrating the Lord's Supper for the first time since I was there last August..</i>.</span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 18px;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Gospel Luke 10:1-11, 16-20</i></span></b></p><p class="p4" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">1</span>After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">2</span>He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">3</span>Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">4</span>Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">5</span>Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house!' <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">6</span>And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">7</span>Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">8</span>Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">9</span>cure the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">10</span>But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">11</span>'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.'</i></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">16</span>"Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."</i></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">17</span>The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">18</span>He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">19</span>See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">20</span>Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."</i></span></p><p class="p5" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px; min-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-27790625727389263192022-07-12T08:42:00.004-07:002022-07-12T08:42:31.123-07:00Won't you be my neighbor?<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> 7/10</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkE24r1wT_4lIH_g5QaCKDqOmNFB8HxdIvvsv_1HcIYKhjdDBd6IHQ2EYnZ6pPbymlwiH5FgrqxVSRnUz3ebMa-2n4NdH-UazCJB8kQfrq3CSea_8DrFz_X6F3MPwwPh2EK8VkoCMmoUUqNginJWUn9dB_7R6yFB8meGk72Th8M0wwUo1Ac066G_0vg/s4032/10B6F043-410F-4B91-AA0A-7524FA0966E2.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkE24r1wT_4lIH_g5QaCKDqOmNFB8HxdIvvsv_1HcIYKhjdDBd6IHQ2EYnZ6pPbymlwiH5FgrqxVSRnUz3ebMa-2n4NdH-UazCJB8kQfrq3CSea_8DrFz_X6F3MPwwPh2EK8VkoCMmoUUqNginJWUn9dB_7R6yFB8meGk72Th8M0wwUo1Ac066G_0vg/w300-h400/10B6F043-410F-4B91-AA0A-7524FA0966E2.heic" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fred Rogers<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i>With General Assembly, in ZOOMland, finally done, I went to Good Shepherd Faith Church</i></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKldOs8u9Vup4gtLL9_VA3T7pNreMCiyi424xSVZG9ss3wzHsZKRuDxmdVFXKxs03C3pSS2uzPIb7eMladvX3VRvMIa942X0qmtykqjLZGnu8hXbV-v5to4ZCbYCnU5ckj4URsXeVc2L_KBfwdJUpx5fuBXy-vL087Zh_XYJt3JmtT_Qg6jvKpEhRtw/s4032/7CC87AD9-12AE-4962-AAE2-DE727D297093.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKldOs8u9Vup4gtLL9_VA3T7pNreMCiyi424xSVZG9ss3wzHsZKRuDxmdVFXKxs03C3pSS2uzPIb7eMladvX3VRvMIa942X0qmtykqjLZGnu8hXbV-v5to4ZCbYCnU5ckj4URsXeVc2L_KBfwdJUpx5fuBXy-vL087Zh_XYJt3JmtT_Qg6jvKpEhRtw/w400-h300/7CC87AD9-12AE-4962-AAE2-DE727D297093.heic" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good Shepherd Faith </td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i> live and in person to be met by my friend Elder Michael </i></span><i style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">and lead worship and administer communion..</i></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3pLDXd7FUqd1_7AgcttsyhQ1CLeAkAa4vcBjQ8fe3Rledgy4dTkuag1VUoqfQTWrcVXYSImlCRBWlIEUZtd9Zi6NJpSIGlZCDDt-PCL1SmErlBwh8YQB0b3BdCraqsUdfYdotpZCdIbRQdKpdofFy7z3_DNqAycsfr6jOJrl9ZnEREPpqrwQdX4N7SA/s3088/567A4884-7DF1-4571-A3BF-82C58B2A8818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3pLDXd7FUqd1_7AgcttsyhQ1CLeAkAa4vcBjQ8fe3Rledgy4dTkuag1VUoqfQTWrcVXYSImlCRBWlIEUZtd9Zi6NJpSIGlZCDDt-PCL1SmErlBwh8YQB0b3BdCraqsUdfYdotpZCdIbRQdKpdofFy7z3_DNqAycsfr6jOJrl9ZnEREPpqrwQdX4N7SA/s320/567A4884-7DF1-4571-A3BF-82C58B2A8818.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elder Michael</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><i style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">.this was my reflection, with Korean translation added by Chris Kim.... </i></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR60EDS4JqTQwVEq5KJlETaPdxxd1xIsSjQtIGU2k7JQnGmpGWtsr6CVC1Pm-ERsz6qz9p9RG4uEnzZI-E4LBbwVZujai3IJCaBeYPJJ-TEt6n8xoDcBsfBTf0pf8RyFG9jjlFlXpU1CBwYt3CP6WbkbZEdIL4KwvR-Nzu2HxepVOT0ml7vD35rbwtwA/s4032/E9B8956E-D2A8-4DBE-BDDA-D7DC5AF6C73A.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: times; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR60EDS4JqTQwVEq5KJlETaPdxxd1xIsSjQtIGU2k7JQnGmpGWtsr6CVC1Pm-ERsz6qz9p9RG4uEnzZI-E4LBbwVZujai3IJCaBeYPJJ-TEt6n8xoDcBsfBTf0pf8RyFG9jjlFlXpU1CBwYt3CP6WbkbZEdIL4KwvR-Nzu2HxepVOT0ml7vD35rbwtwA/s320/E9B8956E-D2A8-4DBE-BDDA-D7DC5AF6C73A.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mister Rogers cardigan</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">So last week I went back to my hometown, Pittsburgh. And for the first time after many years I went to visit the Heinz History Center.</span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">There are many special exhibits there like the Heinz “57 varieties” itself and the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum but this time I spent some time in the <i>Mister Rogers</i> exhibit.<br /><br /><br /> Fred Rogers is one of the very special people to come from Pittsburgh and even more important for us, Fred Rogers was a Presbyterian minister. Pittsburgh Presbytery endorsed his television show, <i>Mister Rogers Neighborhood</i>, as his ministry.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">I like the fact that Fred Rogers gave us a different model of what it means to be a man. And a faithful daily Christian witness without ever using explicit Christian language. His show had a very clear theology….the theology of <i>neighbor</i>….and that’s what we’re talking about today.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Our text is the old familiar parable of Jesus we call the<i> Good Samaritan. </i>About an unfortunate person set upon by thieves and left “half dead” along the road and the various people who pass by including two significant religious leaders, perhaps a tall steeple preacher or Presbytery exec or one of the Trustees, passers by, who do exactly that, <i>pass by.</i> On the other side. Maybe they even cross the street when then see him.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">In the end it’s the unexpected one, there's one who’s not like us, the one who’s one of them, one of those people, maybe an undocumented immigrant, maybe a Muslim, maybe…that’s the one who responds who takes care of the person in need. (Maybe precisely because they know what it’s like to be excluded ,unseen or mistreated…) That’s who, in Jesus terms, proves<i> neighbor. </i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Remember, the context for this conversation began when a lawyer asked Jesus about inheriting eternal life and when they’ve agreed on the most important commandment, to <i>love God with all your soul and strength and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself,</i> which is to say it’s inseparable, you can’t love God with all your soul snd strength and mind unless you love your neighbor as yourself, the lawyer, as they will do, decides to quibble with Jesus around, <i>well who is my neighbor?</i> And what does Jesus do? Like always, he flips the question. It’s not who is my neighbor? <i>The question is who proves oneself to be a neighbor? </i>That is the question. <i>Go and do likewise,</i> Jesus says.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">We can see this neighbor issue in both the macro and micro perspective. In the global scene, Ukraine has clearly been set upon by robbers and thieves. Looking for a neighbor. And we struggle with how to respond. And along that same road we find Yemenites, and Sudanese and Syrians and people from Western Sahara…that road to Jericho is crowded with victims of robbery and oppression. And who is proving neighbor? </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Our neighbors have literally picked themselves up and walked their way to our doorstep. How do we respond?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">(I can tell you that starting next week, I’ll be traveling to Spain and Italy to help our Presbyterian Church figure out how to be in partnership with our sibling Christians from the Spanish Evangelical and Italian Waldensian Churches in their work of being neighbors with <i>people on the move</i> in Southern Europe).</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">But there’s the micro, the close at home. I face the Jericho Road every time I go to Penn Station, all the people sleeping there. It’s not uncommon for me to find someone on the street right outside my door. How do we respond? What do we do? </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">When I lived in Tulsa, a Catholic priest friend I knew had started a project he called “<i>Neighbor for Neighbor</i>.” He insisted that it was not a charity but an adult education center. After starting with fixing broken dow cars so people could have transportation for jobs, they developed a food cooperative. Later medical and dental clinics were added. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">It was completely open as to clientele. The ethic was unconditional love, and my friend Dan, the founder meant exactly <i>unconditional love. </i> What was not completely open or accepting was who could volunteer. Only those who understood that this was not charity, but <i>only what neighbors do for one another because they are neighbors</i> were welcome. The result was it became considered a badge of honor to be accepted as a volunteer at <i>Neighbor for Neighbor. </i> The very best doctors and dentists in the city vied to share their skills at the Neighbor for Neighbor clinics. Dan believed that the poor deserved only the very best. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">The program became the model for others and Neighbor programs spruced in various places around Tulsa. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">That’s the theology that Fred Rogers exemplified through his TV show. The word is a neighborhood. We are neighbors and belong to one another. One night locking myself out of my apartment led to several unexpected hours of enjoying hospitality of Yemenis from the deli next door, in their home. As I thanked them, they said, <i>No this is our culture, We are there for you, you wink be there for us. We are neighbors.</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">We are living in challenging times. Times that can lead to lead to despair. Issues about which we seem powerless...But what gets us through are our neighborhoods...communities of care, concern and acceptance. We have the capacity to create and sustain them, ikf we choose,with Jesus' help.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Friends, Jesus is clear …we live in a neighborhood and are called to be neighbors.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Fred Rogers put it like this…</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i>It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood,<br />A beautiful day for a neighbor.<br />Would you be mine?<br />Could you be mine?</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i> </i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i>It’s a neighborly day in this beauty wood,<br />A neighborly day for a beauty,<br />Would you be mine?<br />Could you be mine?</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i> </i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i>I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you,<br />I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.<br />So let’s make the most of this beautiful day,<br />Since we’re together we might as well say,<br />Would you be mine?<br />Could you be mine?<br />Won’t you be my neighbor?<br />Won’t you please,<br />Won’t you please?<br />Please won’t you be my neighbor?</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Let those with ears to hear, hear….</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i>Luke 10: 25-37</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">25</span>Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">26</span>He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">27</span>He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">28</span>And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">29</span>But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">30</span>Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">31</span>Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">32</span>So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">33</span>But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">34</span>He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">35</span>The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">36</span>Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">37</span>He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."</i></span></p><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-3915810359326482642022-06-16T08:56:00.001-07:002022-06-16T08:56:03.900-07:00Here's to the Sea Lions and....<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> 6/8</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbKSSe-OvMylmAvHVLoxSJk4xXJeVOmO-w4R1_W2LyXOXywuaz4C_4HtaYW5CzSSfP8GsLS1mhBOQT1ajiWpcYAzpZ44NvMHXViAp1rppNihPBXG2hKPly9xrgW58n3gwqI3v0l48ymRWyWg140wA6E_ZM49x2LlofCjE7nOvbnNAhrvHXzcpYPMq5Q/s2940/C83BE105-AA0F-4BC1-8549-E7BA4E1BFD9D_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2370" data-original-width="2940" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbKSSe-OvMylmAvHVLoxSJk4xXJeVOmO-w4R1_W2LyXOXywuaz4C_4HtaYW5CzSSfP8GsLS1mhBOQT1ajiWpcYAzpZ44NvMHXViAp1rppNihPBXG2hKPly9xrgW58n3gwqI3v0l48ymRWyWg140wA6E_ZM49x2LlofCjE7nOvbnNAhrvHXzcpYPMq5Q/w400-h323/C83BE105-AA0F-4BC1-8549-E7BA4E1BFD9D_1_201_a.heic" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San Francisco Sea Lions</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">With the Warriors still in the NBA Finals, I decided to stick with the Bay Area for my weekly hats off/hats on…</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We’ve previously explored Negro League baseball team like the great Homestead Grays, Pittsburgh Crawfords, Kansas City Monarchs and New York Cubans. Today we head to the west coast and the little known San Francisco Sea Lions. They had one year, 1946.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And like many Negro League teams, had a name reminiscent of their white counterparts the</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Pacific League San Francisco Seals.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">But here’s the back story. In 2007, our family took a west coast college trip to look for a Schoo for our middle son. We flew to Seattle, made a stop in Portland and drove to San Francisco.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>On August 16th, we went to the second most beautiful ballpark in the country, then known as Pac Bell, to see my hometown favorite Pittsburgh Pirates play the Giants. The shirt was a giveaway for African American Heritage night. The hat I had to track down later.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This was also the summer of Barry Bonds pursuit of Hank Aaron’s home run record. This night, Bonds would hit a homer and the Pirates come back for 6 down in the 8th to win. Perfect in every way. Villainainized almost everywhere else because of his purported steroid use, Bonds was much loved in San Francisco. (“No surprise there” says Clyde.) With for memories of Bonds as a rising young star in Pittsburgh and the team that came within one out of the World Series, I still was a Bonds fan.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Some<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>local company<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>distributed cards for to be redeemed for a pin bearing a number when Bonds homered. So before heading to the airport we stoped to collect our “Bonds 758”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>pins. One may still be in a box somewhere. He would end with 762. And I would love to see him in the Hall of Fame.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So hats on for the San Francisco Sea Lions and hats off for Barry Bonds. And go Warriors….</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-38267125054439383972022-06-16T08:06:00.000-07:002022-06-16T08:06:00.568-07:00West Park and Landmarking: My testimony<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> 6/16</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtcevGC2w6eE2PsDGDbuQEiEaAmU5qwiHsn4EI4_-IkLZ2JWNl4JZexa4RVEPTxbsZpx2gh3e_S_vF4jLmbf-1nGa5s2w1-0K63n2HoqMNFW_ijSKj_2s3NUWFSVxsVZt4yv-4dSOYbvli66dyu7DlEktMRmvRWhbBleWJkroQkzeA54SR08Smfp2Gg/s252/7D3BE2CB-6EFC-46BA-B185-9469F0D3E736_4_5005_c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtcevGC2w6eE2PsDGDbuQEiEaAmU5qwiHsn4EI4_-IkLZ2JWNl4JZexa4RVEPTxbsZpx2gh3e_S_vF4jLmbf-1nGa5s2w1-0K63n2HoqMNFW_ijSKj_2s3NUWFSVxsVZt4yv-4dSOYbvli66dyu7DlEktMRmvRWhbBleWJkroQkzeA54SR08Smfp2Gg/w317-h400/7D3BE2CB-6EFC-46BA-B185-9469F0D3E736_4_5005_c.jpeg" width="317" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">West Park Church</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>The issue of West Park Presbyterian Church, a church I led for 22 years.. and landmarking is once again before the city. It's been an ongoing twisting, turning struggle. And this time, like Yogi said, deja vu all over again. I find the acrimony and accusations pointless and unhelpful. Sooner or later we've got to find a way to work together. After holding back from public comment, I finally submitted a statement to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Here is that statement...</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">To the Landmarks Commission</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I am writing to you as the former Pastor of West Park Presbyterian Church and the current Moderator of New York City Presbytery. I have not until this point spoken publicly about the hardship petition of West Park to remove the landmarks designation of its building because I have relationships with and profound respect for persons on both sides of this issue. This issue is not new. It has been going on for over 30 years. However, through the public hearings and other presentations over the last several weeks the amount of misinformation has grown to the point where I must respond. The Commission needs to make its decision based on accurate information.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In our faith tradition, <i>erecting a building is never an end to itself but a means to living out its mission.</i> Throughout the life of a congregation, that must always be its purpose. <b>When a government imposes a landmarks status on a building without also providing means of funding the maintenance of that building,</b> <b>it forces a congregation to devote its resources to the preservation of a building not its primary mission. </b>This in essence violates<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the First Amendment<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>allowing the government to, in effect,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>determine the mission of a church.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>To state it most graphically, <i>government does not have the right to require a church to give up its life to preserve a building. </i>If a community has determined that a building is an essential part of its cultural heritage, that community has an ethical obligation to support that preservation.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">These are the most egregious misunderstandings:</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><ol class="ol1"><li class="li3" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">That West Park has done nothing to preserve the building.</span></span></li></ol><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> West Park returned to a badly damaged building due to a broken pipe water flow that had gone on for 8 days from the top floor down to the bottom. The congregation bravely worshipped in a building with no heat and no restrooms. <i>West Park has spent over a half million dollars to maintain and restore the building.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This required selling of the Pastor’s home and ultimately, necessitating the retirement of the Pastor. </i>The church has spent down to its last penny to preserve this building. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">2. Following landmarking and the promise of financial help from local politician and knowing that government could not fund churches, the church, with interested community members founded the Center as its own 501c3. It was to be not just an <span class="s2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">“</span>arts center” but a community center dedicated to the transformation of the individual and society through arts and culture, intergenerational education, social action and spiritual exploration, in collaborative partnership with the church. The Center was an outreach creation of the Church.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">3. The most well noted productions at West Park were <i>church</i> productions, not Center productions.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">4. Over the last ten years, the church has repeatedly sought to find a significant partner for the building. The church secured a real estate person expressly for that purpose. There were several potential partnerships reaching serious levels of negotiation and development. These included a synagogue, a significant Muslim civic association, two major dance companies and a theater company. All backed out over the costs of renovation that would have been required. West Park never stopped seeking a partner. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">5. Our time at St. Paul and St.Andrews was <i>not </i>because the building was no longer safe. We left on a Friday in May 2008 because a redevelopment project was set to begin the following Friday. Late in the day, a council member put in a stop work order. Even though we had the necessary paper work done in 48 hours, it took 18 months to clear DOB. At that point, the landmarking process had begun and the development partner abandoned the project.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">6. As to the diminuation of the congregation, on the one hand, it<span class="s2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">’</span>s certainly part of national trends. On the other hand, this building issue has undeniably had a great impact. As it began, we were actually growing dramatically in membership. Seeking solutions led to internal struggles and over the years, the never ending dominance of building issues over everything else had a very negative effect on members. The struggle to keep the building going exhausted many people emotionally and spiritually.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>People left.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Nevertheless, a determined dozen or so has continued in weekly worship, Bible Study and hosting a most popular weekly open mic at the Church.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">7. New York City Presbytery is not wealthy. It has had to drastically reduce its staff and office space. Its 88 churches have 12000 members in 88 churches, over half of whom belong to only 5 churches. Over 40, especially in black and brown neighborhoods, cannot afford a pastor. The pandemic years have eliminated rental and offering income pushing many churches to the brink of extinction. The vision is to give West Park an opportunity to be reborn and further to seed selfdevelpment projects throughout the 5 boroughs as a true extension of the legacy of this congregation over the years.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In conclusion, it is your duty to determine if West Park has met the legal requirements for hardship relief. If you determine that it has, so be it. Then rule as such). But if not, you have the moral and ethical responsibility to do everything in your power to encourage and facilitate the necessary collaboration for a realistic and sustainable solution.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The you for your consideration </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Sincerely</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Rev. Dr. Robert Brashear</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Moderator, New York City Presbytery</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Pastor Emeritus West Park Presbyterian Church</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Reply Reply All Forward</span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-42263956614215539382022-06-08T03:15:00.004-07:002022-06-08T03:16:31.982-07:00The Finals Begin<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> 6/1</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3n8y-EWKy4csijfg3CVHRq7byGlhrsYncxEfe2xvHZ2jCrUMD-yhb7kqlLUAKK24a5f7CgOg7vJxs5-qDoiL-l6fn59V4xi3RCqahAEFFCCTxGL8Lr1RE2HpK3J0A7IxZV-QZyWtdGYa1xAQ_dejgnuwaNctacddPJF2CudgM2JL-0hsk4rXLw52Jg/s3677/IMG_6921.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3677" data-original-width="2676" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3n8y-EWKy4csijfg3CVHRq7byGlhrsYncxEfe2xvHZ2jCrUMD-yhb7kqlLUAKK24a5f7CgOg7vJxs5-qDoiL-l6fn59V4xi3RCqahAEFFCCTxGL8Lr1RE2HpK3J0A7IxZV-QZyWtdGYa1xAQ_dejgnuwaNctacddPJF2CudgM2JL-0hsk4rXLw52Jg/w291-h400/IMG_6921.HEIC" width="291" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Warriors...and Jerry </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So. The NBA Finals begin tomorrow night.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The Boston Celtics versus the Golden State Warriors. That’s a tough one for me. When I was growing up, my favorite basketball team was the Boston Celtics. Part of that was their classiness, the sense that<i> excellence</i> and<i> teamwork</i> mattered to them. There was their iconic coach Red Auerbach, famous for his victory cigar. When he felt the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>game was in hand, he would light up a celebratory cigar, right there on the bench. (Back in those<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>days, a cloud of smoke would always ring an arena.)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Even more important, I had a very close friend. A tall gangly basketball player with red hair . When he was a high school freshman, the older players called him <i>Bambi.</i> Hs favorite player was Bill Russell, the stoic center and captain of the Celtics known for his epic battles with Wilt<span class="Apple-converted-space"> ("the Stilt" </span>Chamberlain. Almost<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>always the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Celtics and Russell would win the title. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>At one point, winning eight NBA championships in a row. And Russell would be named to succeed Auerbach as coach.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Personal pride and dignity were uppermost for Russell who regularly spoke out against racism.So yeah, Boston.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">But….then there’s Golden State’s coach Steve Kerr. Son of the assassinated President of American University<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in Beirut, Malcolm Kerr, Steve Kerr has been an outspoken advocate for social justice, including his long standing support for Palestinians. (His father and American University were part of the Presbyterian church’s historic commitment to health and education<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>around the world, in this case educating<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>a generation of Middle Eastern Arab leaders.) Most recently, Steve devoted his pre-finals press conference<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to denouncing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the failure<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of US congress to deal with gun violence.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">His Warrior teams have featured player like the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>amazing Steph Curry and play a solid team game. Fun to watch. But mainly because of Steve Kerr, for me it’s the Warriors.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The Warriors began in Philadelphia, Wilt Chamberlain’s first team challenging the Celtics. They then moved to San Francisco playing in the Cow Palace in Daly City and then for many years in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Oakland where they were renamed the <i>Golden State<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Warriors.</i> Finally, last year they moved back across the Bay to San Francisco and a new arena.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEomNGmrrPBFV-VJpM1qTPJBrmC8vSA9T2mhWQb6kFMg3LGBHiRO_jxIEwKnz1RNkN8MLyN6SiKpuo14gvbX6WwrV2bw4sEEdz5hf8fufdDfkMuf5qukHRCVbeDkq4SvrZNLXtUZCuoTEocStUa1lmlcldZR5asNQjbKnZPzcJxQwen6k1GvbBWoG_A/s2686/IMG_6922.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2686" data-original-width="2260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEomNGmrrPBFV-VJpM1qTPJBrmC8vSA9T2mhWQb6kFMg3LGBHiRO_jxIEwKnz1RNkN8MLyN6SiKpuo14gvbX6WwrV2bw4sEEdz5hf8fufdDfkMuf5qukHRCVbeDkq4SvrZNLXtUZCuoTEocStUa1lmlcldZR5asNQjbKnZPzcJxQwen6k1GvbBWoG_A/s320/IMG_6922.HEIC" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">back view...the Bridge<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">My hat is in Warriors blue and yellow and has the San Francisco Giants interlocking <i>SF.</i> The back has a Warriors<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Bay Bridge logo and an NBA patch on the side. </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">The original version is a much sought after Giants give away. The shirt of course connects Jerry Garcia of the <i>Grateful</i></span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><i>Dead</i> and the Warriors featuring</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">his iconic hand print with a mission finger digit.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So today it’s hats off <i>to </i>and hats on <i>for </i>the Golden State Warriors.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-8455108416213112132022-05-31T03:13:00.002-07:002022-05-31T03:13:28.923-07:00Seventh Sunday in Easter: ...that they may be one...<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> <span style="background-color: white;">5/29</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKYxF3sznI15kPqD3oAt7mkKacOr_b8OoH-pSB3Idpco0x01bPmcTKM8JgmkGKbANWMIK1VvYK7oZKiWwej_OFHn7afge-WvaoXiuFMX_IS7lpyVBHG7aIIPat2lj8TznhdXmn3Mq57jsVnY56XJba8bFWKbik4544O-XN7jS0nXXlLPCa1m9XA3t1w/s4032/IMG_6906.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKYxF3sznI15kPqD3oAt7mkKacOr_b8OoH-pSB3Idpco0x01bPmcTKM8JgmkGKbANWMIK1VvYK7oZKiWwej_OFHn7afge-WvaoXiuFMX_IS7lpyVBHG7aIIPat2lj8TznhdXmn3Mq57jsVnY56XJba8bFWKbik4544O-XN7jS0nXXlLPCa1m9XA3t1w/w400-h300/IMG_6906.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memorial Day Weekend at Good Shepherd-Faith</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 25.5px;"><i>On this holiday weekend, I am live and in person at Good Shepherd Faith Church near Lincoln Center, At GSF, covid is still an issue . People are masked and sitting socially distant. My friend Chris who was going to translate my sermon into Korean for me has now been hit by Covid and will not be with me. In fact, the congregation is nearly all Korean today. I will depend on the Spirit for getting us through...here's what I had to say.....</i></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It’s good to be with you on this Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to summer. And this seventh Sunday in Easter, our seven week journey through Eastertide almost complete and Pentecost Sunday, just over the horizon next Sunday. It’s good to be here.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It’s been a hard week. Not sure why it hit me so hard <i>this</i> time. I mean, according to the Washington Post there’s been 229 school shootings since Colombine. 185 people killed, 369 injured. Over 311,000 children have experienced mass shootings at their schools. But still….something about Uvalde really got to me. 19 elementary school students. <i>19 elementary school students.</i> Two young teachers. One’s husband dies of a heart attack when he heard the news. The New York Times printed all their pictures. And their stories. To remind us of the uniqueness of each, that each was a person with a present and a future, a future taken away, not to be lived. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And despite our outcries, our thoughts and prayers, these shootings have become an accepted, almost expected part of our life. Guns are now the largest cause of death for children according to the CDC. In 2020, over 4500 alone.. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Just a week to so ago I was angry over another domestic terrorist shooting in Buffalo. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Through all of this, our politicians seem powerless to do anything to stop the madness. The particularly American form of madness that almost declares occasional massacres of children is an acceptable price to pay for our freedom to carry automatic weapons around.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">As George Carlin once said, as long as you’re in the womb, we’ll keep you safe, but once you’re out, you’re by God on your own. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So here we are. We’ve had these last seven weeks to reflect on the life of the risen Jesus with us. And now a few weeks getting prepared for his physical absence. Already, Thursday was Ascension Day, what we used to, remembering the Girls Scouts, jokingly refer to as <i>Fly Up Day. </i>And might I add parenthetically that I found it interesting that in modern secular European societies like Denmark and Germany, <i>Ascension Day,</i> or in German, <i>Himmelfahrt, heaven journey…</i>.is still a national holiday.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">But our lesson today, from. John 20: 17-26, actually comes from Jesus’ farewell discourse at the last supper. He has just predicted his betrayal. And now, in language that is almost hard to follow, that sounds strangely like </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I<i> am he as you are he as you are me</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And we are all together</span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I am the egg man</span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">They are the egg men</span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I am the walrus</span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">(Goo goo g’joob)</span></i></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Jesus prepares us for his leaving. It’s part of his prayer for his disciples. At the very center is the desire <i>that we all may be one. Glory </i>comes back again. And although he has previously said,<i> Where I am going, you cannot go, t</i>his time<i> he prays that </i>the disciples may be with him <i>where he is…</i>.where the love of God flows through Jesus to the disciples and through them to the world….</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">As we look at this, here on the cusp of Pentecost, Jesus takes us into three time zones at the same time: </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">*the<i> past,</i> where he is the preexistent “Word” of John 1</span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><li style="color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">the <i>present,</i> where the historical Jesus is breaking bread with his closest friends, the disciples</span></li><li style="color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And the<i> future, </i>where he will abide with the community that seeks to follow him, namely <i>US</i></span></li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">His deepest and most passionate desire for us is UNITY. So strange and ironic when nothing can be further from the world we live in now. Since the Civil War, this country has never been more painfully divided. Our world is once again broken into camps. We had been living in one world, but not now.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Jesus is calling us into the deepest experience of unity, dwelling in the very heart of God. It is something mysterious…and powerful…</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">That’s what he wants from his followers…like Paul and Silas in prison, remember? Like the motto of the United Church of Christ, <i>that all may be one…</i>.But yet, is it even possible? How can we Christians preach reconciliation when even the church itself has no unity? Even those who have the name Presbyterian are broken into different fragments. And oh how I yearned over orthodox Easter that Orthodox Russians and Ukrainians would stop killing one another…</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">For years the PCUSA tried to be a “big tent” but ultimately, the center would not hold. LGBTQ inclusion was too much for some. The tension between ecclesiastical unity and prophetic witness was too much.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">But Jesus’ demand remains. To be part of Christ is to be ONE. In agreement or not. And in that there is <i>Glory.</i> In Hebrew the word is<i> k’vod, </i>or<i> heavy</i>…<i>glory</i> is as we used to say, <i>heavy</i>…and in Greek it’s<i> doxa, openness, judgment, honor in reputation….</i>there is <i>glory in oneness…</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">A note…in this passage, Jesus uses the word Father six times..this is about <i>intimacy, relationship, not gender…</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">But still….<i>oneness</i>? My senior year s Yale, I was part of an urban core program. 12 of us had inner city church jobs. We would meet for 4 hours every Monday. One hour of a “case study” form our work. One hour of a reflection paper on a reading. One hour of group process. And one hour of worship. At the beginning of the year, there were several in the group I just didn’t like. Found them annoying. At best. But every week I had to pray for them. Yes, specifically. And by the end of the year, you know what, well, I still didn’t like them…but I had come to <i>love</i> them…</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So …who can you not be one with? Can you imagine praying for them?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Jesus wants us to be with him where he is. Getting there may take you places you don’t want to go. Places of anger, torture, even death…but that’s where we get to the glory..</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Look….Jesus has a bottom line here. In Christianity, there are no lone rangers. We can only do this with each other. It is a basic understanding…we are in this together..</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And it works like this…we see God through Christ and the world sees Jesus through his followers…we reveal Christ and through him, God, to the world. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I sometimes fall into wandering down the <i>quora</i> rabbit hole..,not even sure where that comes from…but often my feed deals with arguments between Christian believers and atheists. Invariably, atheists have come to that perspective through their experiences with believers…</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It’s pretty simple…like the song says,<i> they’ll know we are Christians by our love</i>…or not…<i>I came that they might be one …let those with ears to hear, hear…</i>.Amen</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 25.5px;"><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Gospel John 17:20-26</i></span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">20</span>"I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">21</span>that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">22</span>The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">23</span>I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">24</span>Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">25</span>"Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. <span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">26</span>I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-76097727043776713162022-05-29T14:38:00.001-07:002022-05-29T14:38:13.392-07:00...And now to honor those men and women who are serving...<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> 5/25</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gWBMGDyYoLH6vZxPZ264ZcxPIFkBXbGKMhlI3dpNoRdFdzxb6SKiVyYV5JBg3Bwg654yhpqxBRLC0_O6kOoZ7DeGOFbX-GiaGMOVrFdNONLb8UfN_7BGLdtPc8az2m0rdc0lRVCsd9-0vRDrOBhvfaY6RK6nabKAFk-MzNxYJQAyFyZafY7RocjU3w/s4032/244C378C-27B3-45FD-A3E1-4C50E05C5855.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gWBMGDyYoLH6vZxPZ264ZcxPIFkBXbGKMhlI3dpNoRdFdzxb6SKiVyYV5JBg3Bwg654yhpqxBRLC0_O6kOoZ7DeGOFbX-GiaGMOVrFdNONLb8UfN_7BGLdtPc8az2m0rdc0lRVCsd9-0vRDrOBhvfaY6RK6nabKAFk-MzNxYJQAyFyZafY7RocjU3w/w300-h400/244C378C-27B3-45FD-A3E1-4C50E05C5855.heic" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camo </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Today as we meet we are midway between “</span><i style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Armed Forces Day</i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">” and Memorial Day.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">To be honest, I can’t remember </span><i style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Armed Forces Da</i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">y growing up. It only seems to have come to my attention in</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">a really backwards kind of way.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">From 2008 tp 2019, Major League Baseball would “<i>honor the men and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>women serving our country”</i> on Memorial Day Weekend by wearing camouflage hats and some years even uniforms with proceeds of sales going to veterans.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Finally someone pointed out that <i>Memorial Day </i>was to remember those who had died<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>military service and had nothing to do with currently<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>serving<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>troops. Its origins go back to 1868 and a proclamation by John A. Logan, Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic to “decorate” the graves of those who had fallen in the Civil War and the sho it was first known as <i>Decoration Day.</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(Southerners argue that the idea was stolen from <i>Confederate Memorial<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Day</i>.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>At any rate, that was the beginning. In 1970 it was<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>established<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>as a Monday holiday as another of our 3 day weekend specials.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Armed<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Forces Day,</i> on the other<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>hand, goes back to President Harry S. Truman combining the days of all five services<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>into one day of commemoration in 1950 on<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the third Saturday<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of May. It has remained relatively unnoticed until MLB decided to no longer wear came on Memorial<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Day and shifted to the lesser known<i> Armed Forces<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Weekend </i>instead.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So now for the third weekend of May , come<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Camo hats on top of all teams.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8103LyZHTnFfvUH8sKuLT3-C_NCupqVTAjrOsAEapkFs0rtJRVAbpBEVvvw4_XEyXSkwB9imHlGFgTYpuBbBPYMtxM4iMHvMUFlr5-GMSFXWfjcOVDyXmU5EAwpsuYx2aaw_wMimQ5MaZ3GnWy2Yw0ObsTxSSHhXmtmnCfl6rqVwk8glDuu8M8TI3A/s2949/1815E062-2674-44EF-A064-B7246BA9E5D3_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-family: times; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2740" data-original-width="2949" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8103LyZHTnFfvUH8sKuLT3-C_NCupqVTAjrOsAEapkFs0rtJRVAbpBEVvvw4_XEyXSkwB9imHlGFgTYpuBbBPYMtxM4iMHvMUFlr5-GMSFXWfjcOVDyXmU5EAwpsuYx2aaw_wMimQ5MaZ3GnWy2Yw0ObsTxSSHhXmtmnCfl6rqVwk8glDuu8M8TI3A/s320/1815E062-2674-44EF-A064-B7246BA9E5D3_1_201_a.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Dress Up Soldier"</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">My hat is the 2021 Pittsburgh Pirates<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>official<i> Armed Forces Weekend</i> Hat.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Every team wears the same hat<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>with their regular uniforms which leads to some very jarring aesthetic<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>combinations. Its was actually better the years they went to camo uniforms as well. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>My shirt is from the <i>Uni Watch</i> blog, dedicated to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the careful study of <i>athletic aesthetics</i>, especially uniforms. On the back name plate, are<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the words <i>Dress Up Soldier</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">to critique the appropriation of came by non-military people as if that actually honors those on active duty.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">My Quaker cousin objects to my use of camo and I generally agree.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Though coming from Pittsburgh, camo has more various uses including deer<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>hunting and the colors worn by the <i>United Mine Workers Union</i> in protests, My oldest son grew up. identifying camo with minrs. So I’m okay with a a few days of camo wear each year.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">As for Memorial Day, it was for my family a day of remembrance. My dad would ‘decorate’ the grave of<i> his </i>father. No one does that anymore. But my sister made a trip to our old hometown to decorate my father’s grave. It wa a great weekend fo 4th reopening of our swimming pool and barbecue go the back yard.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Though the New York City beaches are opening this weekend, I really miss the cookout and the burgers and dogs and beans. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">As for honoring<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>those serving in the military, first we should have some kind<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of mandatory national service so that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>everyone of us shares<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in the responsibility. And second, we should never<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>send them to pointless wars of empire protection. <i>Bring them home,</i> that’s the way to honor them.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I do have nothing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>but the most profound respect for those veterans who<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>are honored I the ballparks for what they have given.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So today, hats <i>off </i>to veterans and hats <i>on</i> for<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>those who serve….</span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-2550333070590424752022-05-23T14:21:00.002-07:002022-05-23T14:21:13.849-07:00Buffalo. And again.<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> 5/18</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg190fXMS0Jj5ZjCLt-fKQAPb5wHHql7C8dD8bZmZKGcndDKvyi1GiwJhBbfchKeOnfex53qAWiTpqqlWDS2bEQCtuQ_xU8DU9hj0W8rX7e-BOkiW1ZqMfxg8pQFU2KWvOlt0WzpQnNagr4NsWXwCX999jWa7e2w5v8vz0mXa0W3HehxCxZvtwxohXoA/s3013/IMG_6880.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3013" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg190fXMS0Jj5ZjCLt-fKQAPb5wHHql7C8dD8bZmZKGcndDKvyi1GiwJhBbfchKeOnfex53qAWiTpqqlWDS2bEQCtuQ_xU8DU9hj0W8rX7e-BOkiW1ZqMfxg8pQFU2KWvOlt0WzpQnNagr4NsWXwCX999jWa7e2w5v8vz0mXa0W3HehxCxZvtwxohXoA/w325-h400/IMG_6880.HEIC" width="325" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After the Tree of Life shooting</div><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Today I feel like not wearing a hat at all, I don’t want to take a hat off to anyone because I am angry.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Angry because yet one again a hate filled white supremacist has opened fire and deliberately murdered people in the name of defending against the “great replacement.” In Buffalo, New York, that same sick confluence has come together again. The sickness of white anxiety fueled by Tucker Carlson’s preppy no longer even thinly<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>veiled racist fear mongering, Republicans both true believers and those who are are afraid to confront them allowing the crazy theories to become accepted mainstream opinion and our total inability to deal rationally with guns has now led to 10 dead human beings at the <i>Topps Friendly Market</i> in a Black neighborhood in Buffalo.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">And Congress refuses to accept the reality that the vast majority of domestic terrorist acts (<i>67% last year, over 80% this</i>…)are committed by right wing <i>white</i> people of various sorts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>There is simply no equivalence.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bCCCVq22Vd5mSYwjXScl7JiamYOUnB-VQmWbnG_30pptEcseKu3_d3RJstTtyOBYZLamwA3sX0yU-MZx54NAlPiP33uTQpRkUgJ0fvwIUQRUtY-HLSi_YGYgUVjKbE_0a-VYByhQJuGxya1DZQECNa99yQxn02FzWHghqiUcbeETmjChIrmuU7_u-w/s4032/IMG_6881.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bCCCVq22Vd5mSYwjXScl7JiamYOUnB-VQmWbnG_30pptEcseKu3_d3RJstTtyOBYZLamwA3sX0yU-MZx54NAlPiP33uTQpRkUgJ0fvwIUQRUtY-HLSi_YGYgUVjKbE_0a-VYByhQJuGxya1DZQECNa99yQxn02FzWHghqiUcbeETmjChIrmuU7_u-w/s320/IMG_6881.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stronger than hate</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">So today I am wearing the shirt from my hometown of Pittsburgh, from the <i>Tree of Life Synagogue </i>shooting 4 years ago when 11 worshippers were murdered.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“…Stronger than hate…” it reads.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It’s a touchingly typical Pittsburgh graphic. Starting with what was the US Steel logo that has become the beloved Steelers symbol and changing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>one of the arched<i> hypocycloids </i>(crescent diamond shape) into a <i>Mogan David,</i> Jewish star. On my mug, <i>all</i> the hypocycloids have become Jewish stars. </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">How many communities must stand in solidarity with one another? Do I really believe the implied love is stronger than hate?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">I finally selected my <i>Fellowship of Reconciliation</i> from the <i>International Peace Bureau World Peace Congress </i>in Barcelona last October, an amazing gathering of people from around the world, former heads of state, scholars, and just plain folks, gathering to explore roads to peace that take into account the intersectionality of economy, militarism, environmental justice, and resulting world refugee crisis.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">In 1915, AJ Muste, Jane Addams and 66 pacifists gathered to declare an international movement against violence. Socialist Norman Thomas became the first director, once convinced they were serious.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Over the years they have protested war, organized freedom rides to the American south and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>organized to stop gun violence and even risking the disapprobation that comes with supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement to bring justice for Palestine.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">In a world where the murderous violence and hatred continues unchecked, the faithful witness of groups like FOR are one of the few glimmers of hope.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">And today I am angry.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-88731409011982742632022-05-14T08:45:00.001-07:002022-05-14T08:45:38.791-07:00Stanley Cup reflections one and two....<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> 5/4</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKA7LtYQ-tAoxYT-Vaf86E8BiKzIE8Ik5HlstwjEESU2kbAuJ66WQKfNXvafIdDdyLVBal1fdPIQlk5uGdFqIbkgUWyCQRmnbdru7qCzWQtbmtC0NwstXIrYHWVpGD37gUPhlkmCm0wq8E8j38bBjxCjSKB33lGuR9aQQhV-lGnOItmsZP9THzDFekBg/s4032/IMG_6819.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKA7LtYQ-tAoxYT-Vaf86E8BiKzIE8Ik5HlstwjEESU2kbAuJ66WQKfNXvafIdDdyLVBal1fdPIQlk5uGdFqIbkgUWyCQRmnbdru7qCzWQtbmtC0NwstXIrYHWVpGD37gUPhlkmCm0wq8E8j38bBjxCjSKB33lGuR9aQQhV-lGnOItmsZP9THzDFekBg/w300-h400/IMG_6819.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original Penguin</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Today I am wearing the original “ice blue” of the Pittsburgh Penguins in honor of their opening round win in the Stanley Cup playoffs……a triple overtime victory over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden in one of the all time epic games.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcyrnaw261lQ0CmcUKZZxaTjcDjQC5t4T5Q4dlzy4qUIPjCrtq-Z4UhixtbC34SkyuS6tK1XhWP2t7tqOKiXywJy-ajuwRAIaHUMMPAvcDTrV_VHcgK34aSMzq6EfZAe3k5dL18bdMdc72r9bei8czkz3NblkKAJJPMCHxOx3M0pJfeG3syI3c2NlnQ/s4032/IMG_6820.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcyrnaw261lQ0CmcUKZZxaTjcDjQC5t4T5Q4dlzy4qUIPjCrtq-Z4UhixtbC34SkyuS6tK1XhWP2t7tqOKiXywJy-ajuwRAIaHUMMPAvcDTrV_VHcgK34aSMzq6EfZAe3k5dL18bdMdc72r9bei8czkz3NblkKAJJPMCHxOx3M0pJfeG3syI3c2NlnQ/s320/IMG_6820.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a fiercer Penguin</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Take a look at that vintage t-shirt.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>That original penguin was very cute with his smile, rounded belly and trailing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>scarf. Just one year later, the scarf is gone, the belly raised to broad shoulders and a raided eyebrow shoes intensity and he’s no longer smiling.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This marks the Penguins 16th straight trip to the playoffs…unprecedented. In the city, they’re second only to the Steelers.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Their five Stanley Cup titles are the most of any US based team since the era of the “Original Six” (decades long original NHL.)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">IN 1979, after the Steelers won the Super Bowl and the Pirates the World Series, the Pens changed their colors to black and gold, in a show of city solidarity. The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> "</span>ice blue" has reappeared now and then as a throwback.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Even though the NHL is the “whitest” of our big four sports, it is also the most accessible. Players lived in our neighborhood and the Pens practiced at our local rink. Every kid had to learn to skate. By Stanley Cup tradition, every player on the winning tram gets to take the Cup home for one day. So before making its way to Canada, Russia or the Czech Republic, it shows up in local kindergartens and Eat’n’ Park diners.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So today’s hats off …and on…to the Pittsburgh Penguins.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">5/11</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS4vVm2ETPMguDmzmoBRl9t2eCT_XVg6MNxtFsWF2JGnCH75AsU4TK_kMr_PzCEkyA3bS7ELaIGpl6UFj-bbZDECs9eUEhyL0UayfPTCgBo9OYpsGHdPZwKj_yE-i7lcSCz3YJL5Y5LTg_tfFDG9JPj3XrT-H3PQNOm5cI3iEk9G99Lwrt7vMcs-FXw/s4032/IMG_6878.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS4vVm2ETPMguDmzmoBRl9t2eCT_XVg6MNxtFsWF2JGnCH75AsU4TK_kMr_PzCEkyA3bS7ELaIGpl6UFj-bbZDECs9eUEhyL0UayfPTCgBo9OYpsGHdPZwKj_yE-i7lcSCz3YJL5Y5LTg_tfFDG9JPj3XrT-H3PQNOm5cI3iEk9G99Lwrt7vMcs-FXw/w300-h400/IMG_6878.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoping for Cup winning mojo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><br /><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Today we are staying on the Penguins theme.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As we meet, the Penguins are ups 3 to 1 in the best of seven series with a chance to close tonight in game five. I’m wearing a black hat and a t-shirt celebrating the 2017 cup victory hoping to bring extra mojo.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">When the Pens went to black and gold, the Boston Bruins, an <i>original six </i>team, protested. But since an earlier version of the NHL included a team called the <i>Pirates </i>wearing black and gold, the colors were grandfathered in.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I’ve got a virtual background of a jersey celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the NHL and 25th season for the Pens. Which means I’ve had this jersey lying around for 29 (or 30?) years.</span></p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkWRtGWFwFKHwqdarwZqsfZxeocEwwzdYhoo0FWR1vGakoQLR1bahjk7vjUcjzmXcL7foEpru0U6Vm2_bXMcxAURNWRaNgRrGbF4feEEA6IvRYBamEXWd7SIzTHR6KyRPBDqucPf6bkVJzP5PZ7Z7eih62t8MhjPpKW0L4Go1GILMFCwcRJLH8XNXbA/s4032/67376161962__BCA24C32-E7CF-4FBE-8834-400374E967A3.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkWRtGWFwFKHwqdarwZqsfZxeocEwwzdYhoo0FWR1vGakoQLR1bahjk7vjUcjzmXcL7foEpru0U6Vm2_bXMcxAURNWRaNgRrGbF4feEEA6IvRYBamEXWd7SIzTHR6KyRPBDqucPf6bkVJzP5PZ7Z7eih62t8MhjPpKW0L4Go1GILMFCwcRJLH8XNXbA/s320/67376161962__BCA24C32-E7CF-4FBE-8834-400374E967A3.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">But here’s the real story. Saturday was my youngest son’s birthday. In our family’s Pittsburgh years, the Penguins of Mario Lemieux had an amazing run. Two straight Stanley Cups heading for a third. Which is when our son was born. We waited until the Penguins had defeated the New York Islanders 3-2 before heading to the hospital.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> S</span>o to honor his birthday, I give him the jersey and an original <i>ice blue</i> hat. Sadly, the Isles would win the series and there would be no <i>Threepeat.</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So remembering the night my son was born, hat’s off …and on…to the Penguins …and Happy Birthday Dan, now let's finish it!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;">birthday jersey</p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-7414125966657741012022-05-06T10:33:00.003-07:002022-05-06T11:02:48.848-07:00Third Sunday in Easter: Breakfast on the Beach<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> 5/1</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyjNTbCqugHJajDA6XK15paP9noqHzr4wpxE5esH2oIUz9aFlNPyHBPCRerCyBYq8wzNOPz6Q2si8dGYU_dw67nNcYtjLgZPPIDD-vlrZVfY3sP-3rEDX91i0GPgdkL_3lAlu17lar8DH2KkvZbkBfum9XPpf0rZ-qrx1yPjWtniNOQ32TqWp7oTMbA/s4032/IMG_6792.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyjNTbCqugHJajDA6XK15paP9noqHzr4wpxE5esH2oIUz9aFlNPyHBPCRerCyBYq8wzNOPz6Q2si8dGYU_dw67nNcYtjLgZPPIDD-vlrZVfY3sP-3rEDX91i0GPgdkL_3lAlu17lar8DH2KkvZbkBfum9XPpf0rZ-qrx1yPjWtniNOQ32TqWp7oTMbA/w300-h400/IMG_6792.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Community Garden tulips<br /><br /><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>On the first of May, the Third Sunday in Easter, I preached for my friends at Beverley Church of Brooklyn. Here's what I had to say:</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;">So here we are. It’s the 3rd Sunday in Easter,</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;">We’re officially six weeks into spring now.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;">The sun is out, but it’s still cool. But we’ve been through the cherry blossom season and</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;">now the</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;">tulips are out in full force brightening our day with their cheerful array of color. </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_q2pGcyXgQMzju-HFbErE19O5WLbp2Ws1I7dxlJeDgMZvX_-Iy_6fH5fbmUsOcZtUJYTFc2itVrtPeNHcPboKaUbyTZ5eT-NFwVxvUWq0r_8le9dAVzkB_4uqMkoq1oKcMeHZ2o8Q-chnnx1hf49eQ4gkAG7q9kAJOYxVEkFo1qenrHokVqjy3G1Wgg/s4032/IMG_6786.HEIC" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_q2pGcyXgQMzju-HFbErE19O5WLbp2Ws1I7dxlJeDgMZvX_-Iy_6fH5fbmUsOcZtUJYTFc2itVrtPeNHcPboKaUbyTZ5eT-NFwVxvUWq0r_8le9dAVzkB_4uqMkoq1oKcMeHZ2o8Q-chnnx1hf49eQ4gkAG7q9kAJOYxVEkFo1qenrHokVqjy3G1Wgg/s320/IMG_6786.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">89th Street Community Garden</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br />The <i>Five Boro Bike Tour </i>is streaming up Adam Clayton Powell, Jr Boulevard about 6.5 miles in.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;">And workers all over the world are celebrating May Day, which actually ironically commemorates the Haymarket uprising in Chicago in a country that shifted Labor Day to September out of fear of communism.</span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Dr. Fauci has announced that we are no longer in</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><i style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">pandemic</i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> mode and have now entered intro the </span><i style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">endemic</i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> stage but people we know are still getting covid. Masks are no longer “required” but well, you know? Looks like we’ll have to figure out how to live with covid. And the Ukrainian people are still under siege but are holding on with courage and determination.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It’s the third Sunday in Easter.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And today we’ve got another of my favorite resurrection<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>stories…the one I call<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>breakfast on the beach</i>, Now remember…Jesus has already appeared twice to these guys appearing out of nowhere through locked doors, showing the marks of his resurrection still visible on his resurrected body, And still, <i>still,</i> they are not yet ready to believe.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">They are so not ready that six of them, half of the original disciples, have decided to go back to their old line of work, go back to fishing. As if to say <i>well, that certainly<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>didn’t work out, let’s<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>just<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>act like it never happened.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">They’ve been out all night with no luck. Jesus is there on the beach. He calls out to them to put the nets out<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>on the <i>other</i> side and what do you know, the nets are bursting. <i>The one that Jesus loved</i>, (still not sure about<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>that) says <i>it’s the Lord</i>…and Peter, the one with no impulse control, puts his clothes back on and jumps in to the water to swim to shore.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Now stop right there. This has never made sense to me.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If you’re going to swim, I’d think you’d want to be naked. Take your clothes <i>off. </i>And Peter puts his <i>on.</i> But then someone suggested this to me. Peter was always the one to make big bold<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>promises, like <i>I will never leave you,</i> <i>I’ll be with you to the end</i>, only to deny Jesus three times in the end. This is important.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Think how he must have felt. How ashamed he must<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>have felt.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>How resistant to believing the resurrection he is that he’s gone back to his old work. Fishing. And then he sees Jesus on the beach.. He feels the shame. He’s like Adam in the garden when he realizes he is naked. So he puts his clothes in before jumping in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The one who once couldn’t handle walking on water doesn’t want to have Jesus see him naked.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But even though he is ashamed, <i>he still goes….</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And now back to Jesus.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And I love this part. He’s on the beach.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He’s got a charcoal grill fired up.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And there’s fish on the grill. Stop there.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Close your eyes…see that. But feel it and smell it too, Feel the morning sea breeze on your face. Feel the breeze coming off the water to you. (Well, actually it’s lake water…)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Smell the charcoal. And the smell of fish on the grill.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Take that in. Let that surround you.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Okay.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>When they get to shore with their<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>amazing catch, (<i>and don’t even ask ..no one’s sure about what the number 153 is all about.</i>) And Jesus says, “<i>Come, have breakfast</i>…” and they <i>knew </i>it was him.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">John Shelby Spong, former Episcopal<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Bishop of Newark, believed that this<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>was the first resurrection experience. That the disciples had gone back to their old work and as they sat on the beach, breaking bread, sharing food, like they had done with him,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>so many times, (remember the bread and fishes story, feeding 5000 and more?) They looked at each other and knew, just <i>knew,</i> that he was with them, not dead, alive in them and would always be there. And so they share their breakfast of fish and bread.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Then there’s this mazing exchange with Peter.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And three times Peter says <i>of course I love you.</i> With each response Jesus says, <i>feed my sheep </i>and then <i>tend my lambs </i>and then f<i>eed my sheep.</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Three questions…three affirmations to follow three denials.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">But did you know that in Biblical Greek, the conversation comes off a bit differently?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The first time Jesus uses the word<i> agape</i>, <i>do you love me with self-sacrificing full out love</i>? And Peter responds, with<i> filios, </i>which is to say, <i>I am your friend.</i> Second time, Jesus uses <i>agape </i>again.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And Peter uses<i> filios</i> again.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <i> </i></span><i>I love you as a friend.</i> Finally, the third time, Jesus uses <i>filios </i>as well, and Peter says <i>You know I am your friend</i>. And when Jesus says <i>feed my sheep,</i> he is saying <i>that’s love enough.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Traditionally, scholars have used this as a way to oh, make Peter not look so good. Jesus is asking for self-sacrificing love and all Peter can offer is friendship, as if<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>this is a fault. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I’ve known this story and preached<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>on this story for over 45 years. And this time I saw something I never saw before. Like I said, Peter was the guy with no impulse control. The one who will alway make the big bold statement, the grand sweeping promises.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But not this time. This time, for the first time in all his exchanges with Jesus, Peter does not over promise. He is honest and clear about what he can do. And can’t do. He has come to understand his own limits.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And I am convinced that it is because of that, the he has finally come to understand what he<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>can and can’t do that Jesus makes him the rock on which the church will stand. He can finally be trusted. Then Jesus more or less tells him how his days will end.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Okay, so what’s in this for us? I think the bottom line is something like this. That like Peter, we become most helpful when we can finally accept ourselves as we are. Know our limits. Understand what we can and can’t do That<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>we won’t promise to do what we won’t do. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And once we have done that , we are finally prepared and ready to <i>feed his sheep, tend his lambs, feed his sheep. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Jesus’ last words to Peter are <i>Follow me</i>. Not <i>believe in me,</i> <i>follow</i> me. Any of you out there who have trouble with believing, don’t worry about that. Just put your feet on the path and follow.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The rest will follow. And for those out there who say you love Jesus, that in itself is as empty as an immature Peter promise. If you love Jesus, know what the content of your love is.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Know what the capacity of your love is. Know what you are capable of. Know what you can and can’t do and then by God <i>do it.</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Feed the sheep. Tend the lambs. Feed the sheep</i>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Let those with ears to hear, hear.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Amen</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">After I preach, I sing my version of '<i>O Good Shepherd, feed my sheep..</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lOWX2-l788A" width="320" youtube-src-id="lOWX2-l788A"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">John 21: 1-19</span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><i>1</i></span><i>After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">2</span>Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">3</span>Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.</i></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">4</span>Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">5</span>Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No." <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">6</span>He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">7</span>That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">8</span>But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.</i></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">9</span>When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">10</span>Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">11</span>So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">12</span>Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">13</span>Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">14</span>This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.</i></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">15</span>When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">16</span>A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">17</span>He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">18</span>Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">19</span>(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow me."</i></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-88684692547779144892022-05-02T09:42:00.004-07:002022-05-02T09:42:44.372-07:00The Nets went out in four....<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">4/27</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptgOR8NlqjNCxMPqbe3vFf6NJlCrDoVeiT_PaXVY918DgpcbC-usLf-9EPf0WD9-sJVjEbjEUsHnw5GjGpLYMtNBgXmkaHpW0GHcW0liTpq-Sygd4OOaXrpCwGszDNItrW20dYqJJbs5QPDjJKNOYK-6gM82ktI7s9BlZJIDKcl9OEwB282_CPgbrTQ/s4032/IMG_6804.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptgOR8NlqjNCxMPqbe3vFf6NJlCrDoVeiT_PaXVY918DgpcbC-usLf-9EPf0WD9-sJVjEbjEUsHnw5GjGpLYMtNBgXmkaHpW0GHcW0liTpq-Sygd4OOaXrpCwGszDNItrW20dYqJJbs5QPDjJKNOYK-6gM82ktI7s9BlZJIDKcl9OEwB282_CPgbrTQ/w300-h400/IMG_6804.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brooklyn Nets (Basquiat version)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> I had hoped the Nets run would last longer but they lost last night and went out in four to the Celtics. I’d wanted to rep the Nets mid-playoff but the predicted preseason favorite juggernaut evaporated along the way. COVID, injuries, Kyrie Irving’s no-vax exile and my favorite James Harden jumping ship all played a role.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I shared with my friends the intriguing Nets history, itself a sort of socio-cultural parable.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They started as an original American Basketball Association start-up playing as the<i> New Jersey Americans</i> in the Teaneck Armory which would later become a Mecca for indoor soccer and many nights with my boys’ travel team.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">From there they travelled to Uniondale, Long Island for the brief honeymoon of Nassau County for sports with the expansion New York Islanders, indoor soccer New York Arrows and newly renamed New York Nets on the scene. Named to go along with the <i>Mets </i>who played at Shea, the She and Hempstead based football <i>Jets</i>, World Team Tennis in Queens<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Sets</i> and the whimsical appropriation Off Track Betting New York <i>Bets</i>. Only the Islanders, recently returned from Brooklyn, remain an Island team.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In Uniondale, the Nets would reach the pinnacle with the one and only Julius Irving, <i>Dr.J.</i> More than anyone, Dr.J made the ABA with red, white and blue ball, soul swagger and three point baskets a threat to the NBA forcing a merger.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The NBA would get the Nets, Dr.J and the 3 pointer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But the Knicks demanded compensation for the Nets invasion of their territory and the Nets had to part with the Dr. to pay their way in. The Knicks, in a classic dumb move, turned down the offer of the Dr. who ultimately would wind up in Philadelphia. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAurA5CgNH0fJUSQsBZL7aQP4-kheMcCD09mMAhe6pv1KV4Vu_71mlEFix6-LqaFnLvdMj5L6PTrbWfluEAWlkhXm2t8Yqz5_zmeHOgNPQrlphUNAuh0yXNqBZ1XGY4HxJVYIZd38YBA_HkkVaoPloYglbaO3CuxL7eKzsII8mlMUdyoRM3jpagin6w/s4032/IMG_6805.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAurA5CgNH0fJUSQsBZL7aQP4-kheMcCD09mMAhe6pv1KV4Vu_71mlEFix6-LqaFnLvdMj5L6PTrbWfluEAWlkhXm2t8Yqz5_zmeHOgNPQrlphUNAuh0yXNqBZ1XGY4HxJVYIZd38YBA_HkkVaoPloYglbaO3CuxL7eKzsII8mlMUdyoRM3jpagin6w/s320/IMG_6805.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr.J era Nets hat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The Nets would wind up back inNew Jersey at the next envisioned suburban sports Mecca, a reclaimed Jersey swampland called the <i>Meadow Lands.</i> The Brendan Byrne Arena would draw the expansion NHL hockey Devils and NBA Nets.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A newly built<i> Giants Stadium</i> would draw the NFL New York Football Giants and eventually the Jets as well. A harness race track completed the scene along with a never realized <i>Xanadu</i> entertainment complex.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The Nets drew NBA fans from the city who couldn’t afford the scarce Knicks tickets. The team rose to its peak with two consecutive NBA finals runs with<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jason Kidd led teams but no title. The Byrne Arena would lose its appeal and the Devils decamped for the new Prudential Center in downtown Newark where the Nets visited for one year on the way to Brooklyn.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Newark could have been a fine urban<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>place for the Nets. But despite Mayor Cory Booker;s efforts, there was no tuning back.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So the Nets came to the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Traded in their red, white and blue (originally the <i>Americans,</i> right?) for Brooklyn hipster<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>black and white. Russian oligarch money tried the “super team” approach, but it hasn’t worked yet. Maybe next year the stalwart<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Kevin Durant and quicksilver Kyrie Irving can finally work the magic.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Ironically, the Nets now play precisely where Walter O’Malley wanted the Dodgers to play before Robert Moses drove him all the way to LA. The old Ebbetts Field flag pole now graces the plaza in front of the Barclays. And who but the Nets could have Basquiat inspired uniforms?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So hats off …and on…for the Brooklyn Nets.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-39069502212620792642022-04-28T06:12:00.000-07:002022-04-28T06:12:04.308-07:00West Park and landmarking...<p> NPR covers West Park....</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.wnyc.org/story/historic-upper-west-side-church-faces-demolition/">https://www.wnyc.org/story/historic-upper-west-side-church-faces-demolition/</a><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="ember-view" id="ember1006" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><section class="text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.875rem; margin: 0px auto 1.5rem; max-width: 630px;"><div class="ember-view" id="ember1025" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="django-content" style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 100;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Ever since it was built in the late 19th century, West Park Presbyterian Church has been at the center of progressive and radical politics, including the civil rights movement, the antiwar movement and nuclear disarmament. It was here in the 1980s, at the height of the AIDS crisis, that God's Love We Deliver was born.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Upper West Side building was landmarked in 2010, but the red sandstone structure -- “one of the best examples of a Romanesque Revival style religious structure in New York City," according to preservationists -- is crumbling. Church officials say repairs would cost $50 million, which means it could be torn down to make way for a high-rise.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">“Essentially what's happened is that the congregation of the West Park Presbyterian Church has in fact run out of money by attempting to keep up this landmark building,” said Roger Leaf, a trustee of the Presbytery of New York City, who serves as chair of the West Park Administrative Commission, the governing body of the church.</span></p><p data-gtm-vis-first-on-screen-2802105_128="310890" data-gtm-vis-has-fired-2802105_128="1" data-gtm-vis-recent-on-screen-2802105_128="310890" data-gtm-vis-total-visible-time-2802105_128="100" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">But elected officials, community residents and artists are vigorously pushing back, saying the church is too important to be demolished.</span><button class="story-comments__reveal-button gtm__click-tracking" data-action="Displayed Comments" data-ember-action-1034="1034" data-ember-action="" data-label="A Historic Upper West Side Church Faces Demolition | WNYC News" data-test-selector="story-comments" style="appearance: none; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-color: initial; border-radius: 25px; border-style: none; border-width: initial; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; transition: opacity 250ms ease 0s, background-color 250ms ease 0s, border-color 250ms ease 0s, color 250ms ease 0s;"> <span class="story-comments__button-text" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(204, 204, 204, 0.8); box-sizing: border-box; pointer-events: none;">Post a Comment</span></button><span style="font-size: 1rem;"> </span></p></div></div></div></section></div>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-45441070077844642222022-04-20T00:20:00.001-07:002022-04-20T00:20:15.260-07:00Jackie Robinson Day<p> <span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">4/13</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiohGykBZ3BCZF0bCDN0Hz7VQdZ_klH2RfpNvG8mVWuiruhxDwcEyrUWXDjOSJkfJG-vUZAsDEMODTJG5sJKKY02UN260y2DapDvysh3wqL79QD8yvSwY-FZxp_eaT6e7wmzMttITTq5zuVvVwl6imJqdE3YAKJ6MULoLbZuD4c7oJUkPrD2xw4EqqxA/s4032/IMG_6687.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiohGykBZ3BCZF0bCDN0Hz7VQdZ_klH2RfpNvG8mVWuiruhxDwcEyrUWXDjOSJkfJG-vUZAsDEMODTJG5sJKKY02UN260y2DapDvysh3wqL79QD8yvSwY-FZxp_eaT6e7wmzMttITTq5zuVvVwl6imJqdE3YAKJ6MULoLbZuD4c7oJUkPrD2xw4EqqxA/w300-h400/IMG_6687.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honoring Jackie</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Today as we meet I am wearing a jersey in honor of the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in major league baseball. Since 2004, April 15th has not only been “tax day” but Jackie Robinson day as well.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In 2004, Jackie’s number was retired throughout baseball with only players like the Red Sox Mo Vaughn and the Yankees Mariano Rivera “grandfathered” permission to continue wearing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>it until retirement.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In 2009, for the first time every player in the Major Leagues for number 42 in the games of that day, a practice now institutionalized.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This year to mark the 75th anniversary, the number 42 on the back of all jerseys will be in Dodger blue.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Today’s hat is the 1947 Dodger style. The shirt, UniWatch blog’d tribute with Dodger style script and number.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So hats off to Jackie Robinson and on for the 1947 Dodgers who he played for.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-2848192193466066362022-04-19T02:05:00.004-07:002022-04-19T02:07:49.161-07:00Easter 2022<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> 4/17</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSdtE8qP8hbqmMR5-AJLpYxt2Wz3kIy_hbsV8Tnyi8388HoIWnEDwPBAO1XXfQT2_uHQZv8AjyHNJqmmMHAyuaZ1y2RwId9rgfPgEWNOv5Si2u0CnWTTGpBoqJOA-nVUhwVRJrwVW9GFVTHGPtA5yT19sRPq7J1QSeGQuHkipRO-9z3AN8odwlNBu0g/s4032/IMG_6692.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSdtE8qP8hbqmMR5-AJLpYxt2Wz3kIy_hbsV8Tnyi8388HoIWnEDwPBAO1XXfQT2_uHQZv8AjyHNJqmmMHAyuaZ1y2RwId9rgfPgEWNOv5Si2u0CnWTTGpBoqJOA-nVUhwVRJrwVW9GFVTHGPtA5yT19sRPq7J1QSeGQuHkipRO-9z3AN8odwlNBu0g/w300-h400/IMG_6692.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Croatian Easter Eggs...all natural dyes</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>It's a sunny cool late afternoon when I preach an Easter sermon to my friends at Beverley Church, Brooklyn back in the US. Here's what I had to say:</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Greetings<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to you from Berlin where I finally arrived after a long and arduous journey made all the more difficult by continuing Covid protocols. A Holy Saturday spent in Madrid along the way. And waking up this morning to find my grandchildren excitedly opening gifts left for them by the Easter Bunny.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Following my daughter-in-law’s Croatian tradition, they make a nest for the Bunny filed with flowers and eggs that have been colored with onion skins and beets and leaves and turmeric..reds, blues, purple, yellow. Deep down, it’s all about new life, how spring rolls round again…despite all, even in the darkest time. It comes again. While we celebrate new life, our brothers and sisters in Ukraine are doing their best to resist the power of death and hold on to the life they have.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And so we turn again, as we do every year to the story of Easter, our Christian “origin” story if you like. Easter is what makes Jesus Jesus.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As Marcus Borg said, <i>Without Easter there would be no Jesus.</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"><i> </i> </span>He’d just be another one of the many first century Jews who<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>lost their<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>life resisting<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the empire.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We usually read the story from the Gospel of John. So this year I thought it would be fun to look at in Luke.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>What do we find there ?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The women come to take care of Jesus. Note ..all the men, <i>all</i> the men, took off at the crucifixion. Only the women stayed to the end.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The men out of some<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>combination of disappointment and fear were gone. They’re like <i>well, that certainly didn’t work out.. </i>According to John they even went back to their old work of fishing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But not the women.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">These women, like so many before and after, don’t worry about those things, they put their heads down and take care of business.And the business to take care of is taking care of the body of someone they had<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>loved, someone who was a friend.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And so they go.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Imagine how they feel to find the stone rolled away, the body gone! While they are trying to figure this out, two must be, angels, appear. And they are<i> terrified!. </i>Mark actually ends his gospel<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>there…they, the women, were<i> afraid.</i>.and the two angels? They say the most important words, <i>do not look for the living among the dead….</i>and then the women remember everything he had told them. And they go to tell the disciples, the eleven (no more Judas) and the rest.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And what do our courageous men do? They<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>refuse to believe the women.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Say it’s just an <i>idle tale. ( The Biblical Greek is actually more colorful…) </i>Remember, in those days, women were not even allowed to be witnesses in court cases, because, you know, <i>women….</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The last scene of course, involves Peter. I love Peter, the guy with no impulse control, the guy with the big words, big statements, <i>we’ll always follow you, all the way to the end…</i>who winds up denying three times, scared to death, <i>who me? Never knew the guy…</i>But on the other hand, not worried about guilt, not worried about shame, he goes to see, he <i>runs </i>to go see…and comes away<i> amazed…</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So much more to come…but what to do with what we’ve got?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Don’t look for the living among the dead…</i>Easter means<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>they came to believe Jesus was alive.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Get this….there’s no external way to prove it, right? No cell phone cameras on him as he gets up and walks away or whatever it as that happened. No instagram posts .<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>No <i>tik tok</i> posts by the women. No articles in the local press about empty tombs and the disappearance of the body of an executed rabble rouser. The external world did not know and did not care.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I am going to go further and say that we <i>know</i>, not <i>believe</i>, we <i>know </i>this is <i>true</i> and<i> truth </i>is not bound by and is always so much more than <i>facts. </i>So how do we know this is true?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>At the simplest level, we know this is true because we are here and we too are witnesses.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Do not look for the living smog the dead.</span></i></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Many cultures have their own way of measuring time…like for our Jewish friends celebrating Passover it’s 5782.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>For our Muslim friends celebrating Ramadan it is year 1443 AG, <i>Anno Hegirae. </i>And back in February the Asian year 4719 began.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And yet the whole world measures time by this man. It’s what we used to call Anno Domini.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Remember BC and AD? Well now it’s CE, the Common Era.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> So</span> time itself testifies that Jesus is not to be found among the dead.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So what does that mean for us?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We know the power of death is strong. We have lived through two years of the pandemic now. Almost a million deaths in the US and almost 6 million world wide and it is still not over.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>My trip to Germany to visit my grandchildren was bounded and defined by shifting covid rules that almost kept from getting there. Nearly all of us have loved ones who have died during this pandemic. It may have permanently changed the way we live.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And if that were not enough, we have our awareness of the senseless war going on in Ukraine.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I get evert angry with people trying to explain how we git here, trying to figure out whose fault this war is. It’s like I told my boys…history is always more complex than we think it is. There are no clean hands here. Especially ours.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But wrong is still wrong.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Invading another country is wrong. Bombing theatre, schools, and even maternity wards is WRONG. But how to stop it? That’s another issue.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The point is …we know too much of death.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It is always around us.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The death of loved ones.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The end of relationships. A job. A home. And the worst of all…spiritual death …when we have lost the passion, the desire, even the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>will to live.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And it is all too easy to give in to , to hold on to death. Resurrection takes courage. Stepping into, accepting, embracing resurrection, not after you die, but now…that takes courage.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">One of my favorite folksingers is the late Canadian Stan Rogers. He wrote<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>a song about a sunken ship and the efforts of the sailors who love her to bring it back. Listen to the words of its final verse…</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Rise again, rise again; though your heart it be broken</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And life about to end</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Rise again, rise again; though your heart it be broken</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And life about to end</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fhop5VuLDIQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="Fhop5VuLDIQ"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><i> Mary Ellen Carter<br /><br /></i><p></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Don’t look for the living among the dead. Because Easter. Jesus lives and because he still lives he calls us to risk resurrection. To risk living. Holding on to death is easy.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Be brave enough to risk your resurrection.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Alleluia. Christ is risen, Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>Luke 24: 1-12</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p5" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">1</span>But on he first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">2</span>They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">3</span>but when they went in, they did not find the body. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">4</span>While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">5</span>The women were <b>terrified </b>and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, <b>“Why do you look for the living among the dead? </b>He is not here, but has risen. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">6</span>Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">7</span>that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">8</span>Then they remembered his words, <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">9</span>and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">10</span>Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">11</span>But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">12</span>But Peter got up and<b> ran </b>to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.</i></span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-2427702964492431542022-04-16T05:43:00.004-07:002022-04-19T01:18:16.264-07:00Opening Day 2022<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">4/6</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0UlsIhNX_7O9DVCj1KdcJFwUkp_lr_BJbovcwIL1fYp2wiTaqfNZ2EvI9G5eTeJAXQWmyte9mYNlJW_F70A_FTnCFauOWg0zzJLXU5cI5ZfhVLGYkbp4z173xS0wnTXkG6tFG2BFssZOFQV8Xx2PSosNP_YoG76R_oJ71aC1QtfzD4LsPbE3XIwGag/s4032/IMG_6614.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0UlsIhNX_7O9DVCj1KdcJFwUkp_lr_BJbovcwIL1fYp2wiTaqfNZ2EvI9G5eTeJAXQWmyte9mYNlJW_F70A_FTnCFauOWg0zzJLXU5cI5ZfhVLGYkbp4z173xS0wnTXkG6tFG2BFssZOFQV8Xx2PSosNP_YoG76R_oJ71aC1QtfzD4LsPbE3XIwGag/w300-h400/IMG_6614.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Opening Day</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_fR9KsRqKSYcdDPEGi8rLU2TNiZoqeqdZ4SPiDTxI2c8W8eqi7EXF3thzaYrc8LumrKcmK2hvRrE5-bBNQvvHMMv95qGhDWzwh_XaxDkrQUwlPsISnkgrsCASUyvfan27oNjvU2Ndc4hAzRMlAEWFbuoBkrzacRYWca1cVXpSySzog8BG1UVrvJY9A/s4032/IMG_6620.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2530" data-original-width="4032" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_fR9KsRqKSYcdDPEGi8rLU2TNiZoqeqdZ4SPiDTxI2c8W8eqi7EXF3thzaYrc8LumrKcmK2hvRrE5-bBNQvvHMMv95qGhDWzwh_XaxDkrQUwlPsISnkgrsCASUyvfan27oNjvU2Ndc4hAzRMlAEWFbuoBkrzacRYWca1cVXpSySzog8BG1UVrvJY9A/s320/IMG_6620.HEIC" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">THE AMERICAN FLAG</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In today’s meeting,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> I </span>wear my Yankees hat and logo t-shirt to honor opening day coming up tomorrow.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This hat is my current favorite because it has the flag of Nicaragua on the side. And I struggle with that country's ongoing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>suffering…..following are my reflections on this opening day…</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Opening Day</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRdsl3AtTKXLurL5cQnJKvjvajoQJ-biLsa2-ZyPpcxqvZlTm4lFScBvaZ6ghYRmz8zT5Hmoo206i-TCYmSEP0aojTBRaLJ5efkm4TxJRCB8GkGi6J_CrU_HU6f61s1F6xls0cR2UNDpRFgutK1Ov7ln2nTzLtIH2voIdmo-zJvcEGoKGt7PxftVRuA/s4032/IMG_6619.HEIC" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRdsl3AtTKXLurL5cQnJKvjvajoQJ-biLsa2-ZyPpcxqvZlTm4lFScBvaZ6ghYRmz8zT5Hmoo206i-TCYmSEP0aojTBRaLJ5efkm4TxJRCB8GkGi6J_CrU_HU6f61s1F6xls0cR2UNDpRFgutK1Ov7ln2nTzLtIH2voIdmo-zJvcEGoKGt7PxftVRuA/s320/IMG_6619.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">with my Bosox fan John</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">After a day of rain, the sun is out, shining and warm for opening day in the Bronx. Yankees and Red Sox.</span><span style="font-family: times;"> What could be better.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIos1ke_mwdD7-WQ4waaVXR2mSTDPLB6i2sOcPF28Dr53j79dhxLm7dTvn1HXzcHtO1HyTUbhDu5t6dieow7VZeTcHDUGeZ4m-yWL1ilXkzC7lVUmWH2ygy6TqpoZnJCYRV8p2AeeJXujrtcnxIBLpeT9nY-JXt6G7pNOxJpgXAbCoOIdxA4qT8HEnA/s1555/IMG_6621.HEIC" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1244" data-original-width="1555" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIos1ke_mwdD7-WQ4waaVXR2mSTDPLB6i2sOcPF28Dr53j79dhxLm7dTvn1HXzcHtO1HyTUbhDu5t6dieow7VZeTcHDUGeZ4m-yWL1ilXkzC7lVUmWH2ygy6TqpoZnJCYRV8p2AeeJXujrtcnxIBLpeT9nY-JXt6G7pNOxJpgXAbCoOIdxA4qT8HEnA/w400-h320/IMG_6621.HEIC" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">the Ukraianian flag waves...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">Right there, right beside the American flag, just a little lower, the now familiar blue and yellow flag of Ukraine. </span><span style="font-family: times;">A ten year old girl in folkloric dress stands at home plate and sings the Ukrainian national anthem, with minor keys of yearning, so much more poignant now. Because. It is moving.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;">And we all feel for a moment as if we were actually involved somehow. Actually doing something instead of the helpless feeling of knowing that daily innocent people are dying in theatres, schools and even hospitals. Maternity wards. And we live with this </span><span style="font-family: times;">knowledge as it goes on.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I love the blue and yellow flag, waving above us.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Ringing the roof of Yankee stadium are the pennants of all Major League teams, arranged by league and division and their current standings.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I often ponder how these flags are rearranged and who does it. As right as flying the Ukrainian flag is, I want more.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Fill the flag poles.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I want to see the red and gold flag of Tigray province undergoing genocide by Eritrea. I want to see the Arab Liberation flag of Yemen being daily assaulted and relentlessly bombed by US supplied Saudi Arabia. The liberation flag of Palestine, still occupied after 74 years of unending <i>naqba, catastrophe.</i> The flag of Western Sahara, occupied<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>by Morocco. The blue and white stars and stripes of Ambazonia under the heel of the francophone Cameroonians.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">How about the flags of democratically elected governments overthrown with American arms and support? The flags of Gautemala, of Iran, of Chile. Of countries invaded for no good reason? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Raise the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>flag of Iraq.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Raise them all , Fill the sky…<i>ladies and gentlemen, please rise and take off your hats…..</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Opening day....</span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-45091590313388733532022-04-16T03:29:00.002-07:002022-04-16T03:29:47.666-07:00Palm Sunday 2022<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>4/10</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IQz9ObXOubLC2pgz3zpxyjjSxzyEMr0X3wcPlBIdHnJrEU9WcBU8ln6wxf_XMnZE1tiOAhnZi4U-fzn8zc3sGL4cyfibFJXIEvIWfD0b66JJsR9zDZXAufHgYL_45yqBKHOJB-hZLr6ZWNTgR1YfWZK6hkYEFSOdwC_lHGrzEOnmcd23wspKY1xCEg/s4032/IMG_6634.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IQz9ObXOubLC2pgz3zpxyjjSxzyEMr0X3wcPlBIdHnJrEU9WcBU8ln6wxf_XMnZE1tiOAhnZi4U-fzn8zc3sGL4cyfibFJXIEvIWfD0b66JJsR9zDZXAufHgYL_45yqBKHOJB-hZLr6ZWNTgR1YfWZK6hkYEFSOdwC_lHGrzEOnmcd23wspKY1xCEg/w300-h400/IMG_6634.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palms on the street</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7AXxPtoHeh2LkoDt9ZmS0T-6S8PEpH13NR0GX_VyEdTFQWS8aYLc0IxPCMEXq1xMU4RdDtoJN-u4ukQFMMvp8j6oQAcbJCJD_j223bqd1aOciW5rU0mDhbXOHvnwoEHMr1vlLMhd0D1kuYlHeUaBqI77yKUwx83FIfxDBuG0cIYeFnMmF2w9wsBP7w/s4032/IMG_6633.HEIC" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7AXxPtoHeh2LkoDt9ZmS0T-6S8PEpH13NR0GX_VyEdTFQWS8aYLc0IxPCMEXq1xMU4RdDtoJN-u4ukQFMMvp8j6oQAcbJCJD_j223bqd1aOciW5rU0mDhbXOHvnwoEHMr1vlLMhd0D1kuYlHeUaBqI77yKUwx83FIfxDBuG0cIYeFnMmF2w9wsBP7w/s320/IMG_6633.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">palms for all</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><i>On a beautiful Sunday morning, I go to my favorite Venezuelan cafe to start my day with coffee and the Times. The owner/artist has added one of his wood portraits of Frida Kahlo. The I make my way to Lincoln Center to lead Palm Sunday services for the Good Shepherd Faith congregation. There's more of a mix of Korean and English speaking members this time around and I've given my friend Chris enough time to translate my sermon into Korean. The ushers have cut the palms and there are plenty for everyone. Here's what I had to say...... </i></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRCB0Kj--OsTQ0xn9fCAV2GuutTTHCfBRPyx1TXPdaX77bsine9T1xBmDLxi0r3NJcih-iB7HDNNew4Fvp19i3EA1u1-AmnC-3eq12f3DAGLKVQERdr4nJngbtVd4bCfXllYtggmgQ09JuDiQpkUgJt6EE15r8zrVOGkStqXoVi5jxqxv0D_GvGaatg/s4032/IMG_6628.HEIC" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRCB0Kj--OsTQ0xn9fCAV2GuutTTHCfBRPyx1TXPdaX77bsine9T1xBmDLxi0r3NJcih-iB7HDNNew4Fvp19i3EA1u1-AmnC-3eq12f3DAGLKVQERdr4nJngbtVd4bCfXllYtggmgQ09JuDiQpkUgJt6EE15r8zrVOGkStqXoVi5jxqxv0D_GvGaatg/s320/IMG_6628.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frida</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>P</i></span><i style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">alm Sunday. </i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> Childhood memories. Full church.Waving palms. Not sure I knew what jt meant, but it felt good. Opening</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">the door to what felt like a long week of church going. The </span><i style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Maundy Thursday</i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> communion service.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">That three hour long Good Friday </span><i style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Seven Last Words</i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> service.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">And finally two services on Sunday. By the time I got to Easter, I always felt</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">like I’d had so much church, it was hard to feel the joy except that it was over.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Which is good background to look at church history a little. For centuries, that was the pattern, I would add that in my church, Maundy Thursday was when the Communicants Class would officially join the church and take communion for the first time after a year’s preparation. For our Catholic neighbors, there would be the Saturday Easter Vigil with baptisms. That was the pattern.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Then sometime in the 1970’s, the folks who made up the <i>Common Lectionary</i> began to become concerned that far too many people were going straight from the triumphant entry of Palm Sunday to the victorious joy of Easter Sunday without experiencing the Holy Week journey. And so this Sunday became designated <i>Palm/Passion Sunday </i>with the reading of both the Palm Sunday passage and the entire Passion story. Now that’s a tall order for any Sunday.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I must say that I arrived in my<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>ministry here in time to catch the tail<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>end of the Upper West Side Presbyterian joint practice<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of a Lenten School at West Park, the beautiful Maundy Thursday simple candle lit<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>meal and communion here at Good Shepherd faith with its quiet and warmth, and the three hour <i>Seven Last Words</i> Good Friday service at Rutgers. I can say that I actually got to preach each of those seven words twice. Sadly, one by one, these all came to an end.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">SO here we are on this Sunday and this year. So relax…we are only going to do Palm Sunday, not the whole Passion. You are responsible for your own Holy Week.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And we begin with a procession.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I learned something this year that I never knew before.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Reading the book, <i>the Last Week</i>, by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, which systematically looks at each successive day of the last week of Jesus’s life in Jerusalem, I learned that there was<i> another</i> procession that day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It seems that the season of the Passover week, with so many pilgrims coming to Jerusalem and celebrating a festival of liberation, was seen as a potentially dangerous time by the occupying Roman Empire. So every year, the Roman governor, would enter Jerusalem to be the presence of the Empire in the city for that week. A reminder of who was in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>charge.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So on this day, as Jesus is entering the city through one gate, Pilate is entering through another.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It is very possible that Jesus chose this day deliberately as a <i>counter procession</i>, a demonstration,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to challenge the authority of the Empire. It’s interesting that since the time<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperors were called <i>“son of God,” “savior”</i> and “<i>bringer of peace on earth.</i>” Augustus even claimed that Apollo was his father, his mother simply the vessel for bearing the <i>child of God.</i> So…Pilate’s entry was not only about political oppression but a theological affront to the Jewish people as well. Jesus’ entry was ultimately a proclamation that <i>there is no God but God.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The Jerusalem of Jesus day was under what we call a <i>domination system.</i> The three parts of which are <i>political oppression, economic exploitation </i>and <i>religious legitimation.</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Thus the Romans installed Herod as an<i> ethnarc,</i> one of the subject Jewish people to rule on their behalf.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And it was the job of the Temple to collaborate with the empire in areas like<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>taxes and a kind of money laundering and a bit of religious cover. And so it always is in occupations from 1940’s occupied France to 1950’s Iran to 1970’s Vietnam to …well it goes on. And I can actually understand how the temple authorities might actually have thought they were helping to protect their people, even as they personally benefited from their collaboration..</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It’s interesting that in the Luke version of Palm Sunday, there are actually no palms, and no <i>Hosannas</i>. Luke wants to make very clear that we’ve got a very different kind of king here and a very different<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>kind of kingdom being celebrated here. So he leaves out the signs and language of empire.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Two very different processions. Two very different kingdoms.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Jesus’ message is always not about him, but about the kingdom, the <i>reign of God</i> he represents. We are always to look beyond Jesus to God.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Every sermon needs<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to <i>teach</i> and to<i> reach</i>. That was pretty much the <i>teach</i> part.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And now to<i> reach</i>. In the language of Jesus’ time, the word <i>believe</i> was not so much about giving assent to some ideas.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It was more about <i>trust</i> and <i>commitment.</i> <i>Whose word do you trust? What is the authority in your life?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>What are you willing to commit yourself to?</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And that question is a very serious question. For Jesus, his procession was a symbolic denial of the power of the Empire and that would lead to his arrest and execution. For the only crime for which Rome would use the cross was denial of the authority of imperial Rome.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So here’s the point…if we want to call ourselves Christians, then we are called to be disciples.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>To be a disciple.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Go with me here. Genuine discipleship means<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to follow Jesus.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>All the way. We must follow him on <i>his</i> way.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And that way leads to Jerusalem and that leads to confrontation. And ultimately death. AND resurrection.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">That is the theme of Lent.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And Holy Week.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And all of Christian life. To be wiling<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to follow Jesus all the way.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So the question is …<i>which procession are you in?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i> The procession of Pilate …of the power, glory and violence of the empire? Or the procession of Jesus, of the proclamation of the kingdom, the <i>kindom</i> of God?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Let those with ears to hear, hear…</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HQkkHuZWw2_BQqNHMdJF_BF_llBdfYIK4IcJUF_Ok1MAqs5rc1pH1guCyUaQm7eRGjv2pS-M4wbD_g_wXYuyxKWxSKqoC9HYxG_R0dSVqJY-2RiSyVrWKlo_FEMuX65ytJ4r-RIpih0vGvRKPNQVzjxqXXB4klmcKSLKDvWzHqQymd3m2hogJjUVTg/s4032/IMG_6631.HEIC" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HQkkHuZWw2_BQqNHMdJF_BF_llBdfYIK4IcJUF_Ok1MAqs5rc1pH1guCyUaQm7eRGjv2pS-M4wbD_g_wXYuyxKWxSKqoC9HYxG_R0dSVqJY-2RiSyVrWKlo_FEMuX65ytJ4r-RIpih0vGvRKPNQVzjxqXXB4klmcKSLKDvWzHqQymd3m2hogJjUVTg/s320/IMG_6631.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta'u sings...and waves....</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>One of my favorite singers here is the former NFL football player now opera singer with a burgeoning career, Ta'u Pap'ua. He sings </i>the Battle Hymn of the Republic <i>bringing new meaning to the words as related to Palm Sunday, waving his palm as he sings, his truth is marching on....</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx69XVxL7YdrXoybZclKnIhf5dmuOviOC65Q5_qbC4y06_jRcfI5PhndCmAep5SsBvuFp9SazkTqFQMqUYLgtb8Y0V6hfycr9HSN1XJr1yAqQ-hwZcYOfJgwOZIkgGgSeswqEgSeWElqHiJ9fjA6xiW_bPW-Zu25cGKBCf_AGgbyJezJ15D3nc4AdyKQ/s2283/DA9F0B5A-9089-431B-8457-F241B86E6972_1_201_a.heic" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="2275" data-original-width="2283" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx69XVxL7YdrXoybZclKnIhf5dmuOviOC65Q5_qbC4y06_jRcfI5PhndCmAep5SsBvuFp9SazkTqFQMqUYLgtb8Y0V6hfycr9HSN1XJr1yAqQ-hwZcYOfJgwOZIkgGgSeswqEgSeWElqHiJ9fjA6xiW_bPW-Zu25cGKBCf_AGgbyJezJ15D3nc4AdyKQ/s320/DA9F0B5A-9089-431B-8457-F241B86E6972_1_201_a.heic" width="320" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hot cross buns</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>On my way home, I stop at the Silver Moon bakery for the their traditional hot cross buns. </i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>And as I walk home down Adam Clayton Powell, the good people of First Corinthian Baptist are passing out palms on the street. The line stretched down the street. It's Palm Sunday.....</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Luke 19: 28-40</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">28</span>After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">29</span>When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">30</span>saying, "Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">31</span>If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it'" <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">32</span>So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">33</span>As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">34</span>They said, "The Lord needs it." <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">35</span>Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">36</span>As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">37</span>As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">38</span>saying,</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"Blessed is the king</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">who comes in the name of the Lord!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(Ps. 118:26)</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Peace in heaven,</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">and glory in the highest heaven!"</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">39</span>Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop." <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">40</span>He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-45643760982193500742022-04-05T13:50:00.002-07:002022-04-05T13:50:18.363-07:00For Holy Week Reflection 2: The Last Week by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> For Holy Week Reflections 2: The Last Week by Marcus J.Borg and John Dominic Crossan</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ05MsvgFI1hGMJNThD5W-pnF2SfkVpYfJORn1IWR4llwZy3LyBHtQyrd7NplUVblZKaeNp7yg4_HeZB-KG2WfrVTNH8cOlQi8OP41kj_PQmrdsVg5KWJ-NcZySFXlFOa6H_E90ZZofm7w4wdl45plCYwDZaAtzW0wKBBd0pd0C2ZMiX36q8EZDvaPzw/s277/download.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="182" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ05MsvgFI1hGMJNThD5W-pnF2SfkVpYfJORn1IWR4llwZy3LyBHtQyrd7NplUVblZKaeNp7yg4_HeZB-KG2WfrVTNH8cOlQi8OP41kj_PQmrdsVg5KWJ-NcZySFXlFOa6H_E90ZZofm7w4wdl45plCYwDZaAtzW0wKBBd0pd0C2ZMiX36q8EZDvaPzw/w263-h400/download.jpeg" width="263" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">My second recommendation for Holy Week is <i>The Last Week: The Day by Day Account of Jesus’ Final Week in Jerusalem</i> by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan which is exactly what it says it is. In this book from 2007, the authors of<i> The Heart of Christianity </i>and <i>The Historical Jesus,</i> and Jesus Seminar members bring their systematic critical Biblical analysis to Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Beginning with the "triumphant entry" known as <i>Palm Sunday</i> and ending with <i>Easter,</i> each day is explored for its theological meaning.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>For them, “<i>Palm Sunday</i>” itself opens the door to Holy Week and contains with it the essential content of Jesus’ mission.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It was startling to read of another triumphant entry into Jerusalem that day, through another gate, of course. The authors posit<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>that it was the Roman Governor Pilate’s custom to be present in Jerusalem during the pilgrim festival of <i>Passover</i>, a season with great potential for civil disruption by an occupied people. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And that his entrance would<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>have been one week before.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">From this perspective, Jesus’ entry was a carefully staged and planned <i>counter procession</i> with enough street theater to criticize the empire. Interestingly, the record shows that beginning with Augustus, the emperor was known also as <i>son of God, savior, bringer of peace on earth, </i>titles we have come to associate with Jesus<i>.</i> The occupying empire was thus not only a political affront but a <i>theological</i> one as well to the Jewish people and their religion.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The authors describe the the <i>domination system </i>that was the context of Jesus’ witness. A system that used <i>political power, economic exploitation</i> and, especially significant for Jesus, <i>religious legitimation</i> to maintain dominance over an occupied people.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Such a system required collaborators on the Jewish side to make it work. Thus Herod serves as <i>“ethnarc</i>,” or ethnic ruler serving in thrall to the Roman Empire and the Temple authorities help to enforce the system and provide religious cover for their own people's oppression. One can always find contemporary examples of this system.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In all fairness, some collaborators can be perceived as actually seeking to mediate between their people and the empire, keeping them safe. But it becomes clear why for Jesus, the Temple establishment becomes the focus of his witness,</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The authors argue that in those days in the religion of the Jewish people, <i>belief</i> was not about giving assent to theological propositions but about <i>trust </i>and <i>commitment.</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>That Jesus never wanted the focus to be on him as an individual but on the countercultural alternative <i>kingdom of God</i> over against the <i>kingdom of the empire. </i>Thus he would be executed for the capital crime of encouraging <i>refusal to accept the authority of the empire. </i> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">With this understanding it becomes clear that for Borg and Crossan to claim the name Christian is to commit to following Jesus which leads to Jerusalem which leads to confrontation with the powers which leads to death and ultimately resurrection.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>To follow him is to commit to the whole journey.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So for our Holy Week we can contemplate these two processions and their implications for us. And ultimately ask ourselves, <i>which procession are we in</i>?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Well worth it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-70314536791482735172022-04-05T09:48:00.002-07:002022-04-05T09:48:39.217-07:00<p><span style="font-family: times;"> For Holy Week Reflection: 1. Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhpzkL6cr2crNhqV5PaW9ubrZd0BjzaG1Sy3uiZo51p1xUyAfOxT_iPf2J5Wi5NnABw_8pnXdcydE3P3hqxoMEMCeGH2qzMy3iLSqeX4tZzbym2vB6rhTfBx3VooQYEmtFg0b-HMZiipQLLCUDTky3XDEz-MBEsytcYlloiky8QLOh1tyXx2kaq4u6A/s388/A5CD6423-231B-46AE-982B-A521BB63979A_4_5005_c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="258" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhpzkL6cr2crNhqV5PaW9ubrZd0BjzaG1Sy3uiZo51p1xUyAfOxT_iPf2J5Wi5NnABw_8pnXdcydE3P3hqxoMEMCeGH2qzMy3iLSqeX4tZzbym2vB6rhTfBx3VooQYEmtFg0b-HMZiipQLLCUDTky3XDEz-MBEsytcYlloiky8QLOh1tyXx2kaq4u6A/w266-h400/A5CD6423-231B-46AE-982B-A521BB63979A_4_5005_c.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;">As we prepare to enter Holy Week, I wanted to share two books that I have found helpful as resources for Holy Week reflection from two very different directions.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;">The first is last year’s novel, <i>Crossroads,</i> by Jonathan Franzen. Set in late 1971 and into 1972, it is the story of the Hillebrand family.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Russ, the father, is a disaffected<span class="Apple-converted-space"> a</span>ssociate pastor at a liberal suburban Reformed church. We will get to know all five members of the family as they struggle with issues of faith, failure, forgiveness and redemption.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;">While I am generally not wanting to get into books some 600 pages long, it is a tribute to Franzen’s writing style and plotting of his narrative that I would finish one section and want to dive right into the next.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This is in part because he introduces us to each character one long chapter at a time looking at the events of the same days of the week before Christmas from five different perspectives. Your attitude<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>towards the characters shifts and changes as you enter into each character and you realize soon enough that you’ve got a lot of pages to turn to see what happens next.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;">The book’s title, <i>Crossroads</i>, has several meanings. At the base, it is the name of the church’s youth group led by a charismatic young seminary intern. Anyone who lived through those 1970’s youth groups will immediately feel at home and perhaps even painfully so, in this one.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Events in and around the youth group provide the substance o 4th novels narrative.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Crossroads </i>also refers to the traditional Delta<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>blues song by Robert Johnson and the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>legend of how Johnson meets the devil at the <i>crossroads</i> and sells his soul to the devil in exchange for the power to sing the blues. Pastor Hillebrand is a blues aficionado and resents the Cream’s appropriation of the song.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Finally, each of the characters<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is at one level or another at a <i>crossroads </i>moment of their life with critical decisions to make. And at this crossroads, they, each in their way, have to deal with the cross and its implications for their lives.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Franzen structures his book liturgically. The beginning, the set up of the book is called <i>Christmas</i>. The critical dramatic moments and resolution, even redemption, such as it is, occur in the second section entitled <i>Easter.</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;">By locating his story in a church in the <i>Reformed</i> tradition, Johnson can explore the theological concept, frequently misunderstood, of<i> total depravity.</i> Best understood as we are all imperfect. All come up short. Sinners all. (Truth be told, in the world of fiction, nobody does the better than Marilynne Robinson,) All in need of moving past guilt to forgiveness, to redemption.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;">While I didn’t necessarily love all the characters, their struggles are familiar. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The social and cultural Vietnam era milieu in which the book is set was my <i>coming of age</i> time, and one might argue, an American<i> coming of age</i> time, and so especially resonant for me.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;">For a fiction based Lenten reflection, <i>Crossroads</i> works well.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A good read.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-56697804184709127682022-04-04T12:43:00.004-07:002022-04-04T12:43:27.883-07:00Purple is for Lent<p> <span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">3/30</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsAaD6tY3iV3XeiI0oPFv0b0CgMahrblwVWOlB1a0QCCFmlZ_Al4D3DUcozO3d5tE1SAiEAjxQPGm96vEDY_r2PEoOvXw8cNsFzpik4ua4ibbRAhAyXmd9YH0jFEBOIkbEJrMm86Gg6SduhGJ9OVKhxX6ZORicm_un_EcnfjWyAGV5QYOMr3U-JXoDg/s2989/F509035A-F21F-452E-B0F7-F35421F26BB2_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2546" data-original-width="2989" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsAaD6tY3iV3XeiI0oPFv0b0CgMahrblwVWOlB1a0QCCFmlZ_Al4D3DUcozO3d5tE1SAiEAjxQPGm96vEDY_r2PEoOvXw8cNsFzpik4ua4ibbRAhAyXmd9YH0jFEBOIkbEJrMm86Gg6SduhGJ9OVKhxX6ZORicm_un_EcnfjWyAGV5QYOMr3U-JXoDg/w400-h341/F509035A-F21F-452E-B0F7-F35421F26BB2_1_201_a.heic" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">for Lent....</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Today it’s just purple for Lent. Purple a color of reflection, of repentance. Also of royalty.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> The color of the robe put on Jesus by the soldiers to mock him. </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">The t-shirt is from the 2020 Presbyterian Church USA General Assembly.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">It was supposed to have been in Baltimore but the COVID pandemic forced the denomination to hold its first “virtual” GA. Its theme was <i>“From Lament to Hope.</i>” Why purple? If you’re looking for Baltimore colors, you’ve got the Orioles black and orange and the Maryland flag with black and gold and red and white and then you’re left with the NFL Baltimore Ravens purple and black. So the purple is clearly from the Ravens. Beyond their traditional toughness and the fact that they are rivals of my hometown Steelers, you’ve got to love a team named for an Edgar Allen Poe poem. (He once lived in my neighborhood, across the street from one of my church's predecessor congregations.) Intriguingly, the PCUSA is keeping the same theme for the year’s hybrid Assembly, with committees meeting</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">in the Louisville, Kentucky national office and plenaries on ZOOM. Perhaps keeping the same theme reflects the fact that we’re still struggling with the pandemic. The time between assemblies feel like a blur. Much business just postponed to this Assembly.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">And now on top of that, there’s a war to worry about. Our lament continues.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Hope ahead.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-20876737717996756652022-04-02T10:25:00.004-07:002022-04-02T10:27:31.039-07:00Spring Training: baseball as it should be<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> 3/23</span></div></div></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5lJV7U3Mx3b07zC6sUD-JSmmVoNkZEP5RLgonw8efAjCp2iu8hyB3KHzXb6WA-TB0pRKIhye2IcEEES8CQSpwsdmajXCn_3IwivhqmMKR5FPwyvdTQO5RhoB7rUeuJ0AkTp506xA1nAGS0nEcgihQBDRgbXBqKgciQnU-07r0Fs-m9QRMp2rP6N9GQ/s3088/E1D90B7B-130F-4914-8699-4084DE26991C.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5lJV7U3Mx3b07zC6sUD-JSmmVoNkZEP5RLgonw8efAjCp2iu8hyB3KHzXb6WA-TB0pRKIhye2IcEEES8CQSpwsdmajXCn_3IwivhqmMKR5FPwyvdTQO5RhoB7rUeuJ0AkTp506xA1nAGS0nEcgihQBDRgbXBqKgciQnU-07r0Fs-m9QRMp2rP6N9GQ/w400-h300/E1D90B7B-130F-4914-8699-4084DE26991C.heic" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Spring training</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRPHy9J_UVBCb1FJwfwKVQUeWjT7Mvi1_jL8YjB0wKVCZjQTxPe_V_Fld7kCsVwW29ugmp5maghRfBFz-qTtRJa8WwI_btDoCody3TragPoLqyXvZmmezNO_UPsvaChael5RIkjgPUNyMXw2NHp2604UNSb7OZLS239uzunfWQ4AKbL1yozURXWq87Jw/s4032/7D4EFC85-46FA-4B61-B13A-75E9B990FA53.heic" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRPHy9J_UVBCb1FJwfwKVQUeWjT7Mvi1_jL8YjB0wKVCZjQTxPe_V_Fld7kCsVwW29ugmp5maghRfBFz-qTtRJa8WwI_btDoCody3TragPoLqyXvZmmezNO_UPsvaChael5RIkjgPUNyMXw2NHp2604UNSb7OZLS239uzunfWQ4AKbL1yozURXWq87Jw/s320/7D4EFC85-46FA-4B61-B13A-75E9B990FA53.heic" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">Fresh from Florida, I wear this year’s Pirates Spring Training hat and my favorite Pirates Hawaiian shirt.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: times;">For aesthetic notes, the hats become <i>batting practice hats </i>in the regular season. This year’s edition is a version of the old school mesh “truckers hat” only fitted, not snap back. One ironic result is that the mesh lets in enough sun to create distinctive head tan patterns for shaved head players.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The jerseys worn in spring training used to be called batting practice jerseys but really aren’t. No one wears them in batting practice anymore. Players prefer pull overs and hoodies and are a pretty motley crew for the most part. The only sad part is that without numbers, one has to have a very well trained …and informed eye…to know who’s batting. As a kid, I used to love go early with my dad to see our favorites batting, easily identified. No more.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">As I reflect on it, spring training is for me, baseball as it should be.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>While playoff and World Series baseball is an exhibit of athleticism, skills and strategy at the most dramatic and artistic level, spring training is the expression of the game and its essential ethos in American culture.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The cozy ball parks hold only a small portion of what the big city stadia do. Many have berms where fans spread out on blankets or lounge on chaise lounges or Adirondack chairs. Many are nestled within middle class neighborhoods. There are exceptions...Tampa’s Steinbrenner stadium, just across the street from the NFL Buccaneers stadium has a classic stadium swagger as does the massive Astros/Nationals complex in West Palm. My favorites live as neighbors, part of the fabric of their community.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In Dunedin, people offer their driveways and yards for parking. In Lakeland you can park at the local Lutheran church whose congregants are grilling hot dogs and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>have tables with old memorabilia.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In Bradenton, you can park at the <i>Daily Bread </i>soup kitchen and pay $5 to support them and buy a taco for the Korean guy who sets up his barbecue grill near the craft brewery.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguLnZstQ6l6Ee8D62Ye_-_0KXSLhELJG01euFl_NDo716sztIrvxYNTwWt9wGBmV1cutnKAAIkRJLUbaN8kh8q-EXnPOeD6byArBkiXPmjvl1IdVrVwPdRzy8UtQ8bhYSlRh0NET2z14ytUSwjIWTFsf2ui7wPLf26mrORVj_PnciqveIvaq9m1BRug/s4032/CC849264-DB8B-4466-A7C4-A5286B04B058.heic" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguLnZstQ6l6Ee8D62Ye_-_0KXSLhELJG01euFl_NDo716sztIrvxYNTwWt9wGBmV1cutnKAAIkRJLUbaN8kh8q-EXnPOeD6byArBkiXPmjvl1IdVrVwPdRzy8UtQ8bhYSlRh0NET2z14ytUSwjIWTFsf2ui7wPLf26mrORVj_PnciqveIvaq9m1BRug/s320/CC849264-DB8B-4466-A7C4-A5286B04B058.heic" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Joker Marchant Field</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkzFtjpKojZz1DF4Wc_DYqp8Obpq9Rv8_WTcR8FrN7bXQnlSTgc1EXMULowZnnigpG1OW7efBgq7F7AurNls5vmbrIK21dGPa7Sgua2JX1AoUKKuInT9zYSsiFdi7s9KtMcgb295jRqd7pWChO7sLmq-2MM0E_KQhgDw3ze7gzfQxzhjr7BCEN8dRLg/s4032/F29CBF10-CE62-4899-AD69-C74C56993C2E.heic" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkzFtjpKojZz1DF4Wc_DYqp8Obpq9Rv8_WTcR8FrN7bXQnlSTgc1EXMULowZnnigpG1OW7efBgq7F7AurNls5vmbrIK21dGPa7Sgua2JX1AoUKKuInT9zYSsiFdi7s9KtMcgb295jRqd7pWChO7sLmq-2MM0E_KQhgDw3ze7gzfQxzhjr7BCEN8dRLg/s320/F29CBF10-CE62-4899-AD69-C74C56993C2E.heic" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Ty Cobb</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_AwKhfwDboBsiGoPg-Ac8PoZRxC1W5g3hHMr5_cRKhgQcJuE7y8CjBs-0bt7IO0lRbq2JXoHkuIGpgP5zDIPK8_3UxHzNZEhJeL_Kg3eWlTNfcgxxLbdOOJRLEwhBbemJ8oNgMMneu14n5C5FfXuVRlW2o1EPHCmt98ODv4qa2LUmaMnpOdN64k8Aw/s4032/IMG_6581.HEIC" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_AwKhfwDboBsiGoPg-Ac8PoZRxC1W5g3hHMr5_cRKhgQcJuE7y8CjBs-0bt7IO0lRbq2JXoHkuIGpgP5zDIPK8_3UxHzNZEhJeL_Kg3eWlTNfcgxxLbdOOJRLEwhBbemJ8oNgMMneu14n5C5FfXuVRlW2o1EPHCmt98ODv4qa2LUmaMnpOdN64k8Aw/s320/IMG_6581.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">the Parrot made it</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">Sitting in the stands you hear conversations about “back home.” What part of Pittsburgh are you from? Remember the old Mud Hens park in Toledo? Dunedin is like an extension of Ontario. The ballparks have tastes of home like Detroit "coney dogs" in Lakeland, </span><span style="font-family: times;">Iron City beers in Bradenton, crab cakes in Sarasota and "half smokes" in West Palm. The Pirate Parrot appears at Lecom </span><span style="font-family: times;">and the racing Presidents are wearing <i>aloha shirts</i> in the Ballpark of the Palm beaches.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;">And the local</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times;"> "</span><span style="font-family: times;">booster club" of retirees staffs the stands in Bradenton.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">But best of all is the game, up close and almost touchable. Day games in the sun. Players actually stopping to sign autographs. (Many only for kids.) When a player's day is done, they’ll walk off the field to the clubhouse.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It’s the time of year when everything still seems possible, even for a much abused Pirates fan. You get to see a different team every day. You do get to see some of your favorites for at least five innings. But also a lot of guys who are not yet in the economic stratosphere of the stars and even journeymen. Young. Eager. <i>Hungry,</i> as they say. Still close to<i> normal.</i> For many, this may be a close as they ever get to the show.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A year before his major league debut, I saw Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a <i>walk off </i>grand slam against the RedSox. Like that.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So <i>…hats off</i> to baseball, <i>hats on</i> for spring training.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-24626068829689974322022-03-28T08:39:00.000-07:002022-03-28T08:39:03.284-07:00Fourth Sunday Lent : Refections on the Prodigal Son<p><span style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;"> 3/27</span></p><p><span style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_l4TY8w-lGqIwzXIHO9BHd2YUIYaupHrKhORDxN4U578NLOxIxuBhOzWIqDjDDKdzB5q6CpoF8MFoDO-S5HWBVOKlJPAXJrucyfstg_d4kIAYQLpngv1KHjIzPABKsR39qUUVnf4mPfh8ju4kE3SYr2InIAPAfgUUw-M13oS-fM02FOzX9PJI86RxkQ/s4032/IMG_6586.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_l4TY8w-lGqIwzXIHO9BHd2YUIYaupHrKhORDxN4U578NLOxIxuBhOzWIqDjDDKdzB5q6CpoF8MFoDO-S5HWBVOKlJPAXJrucyfstg_d4kIAYQLpngv1KHjIzPABKsR39qUUVnf4mPfh8ju4kE3SYr2InIAPAfgUUw-M13oS-fM02FOzX9PJI86RxkQ/w300-h400/IMG_6586.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good Shepherd Faith</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #262626; font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px; min-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>It's a cold March morning, Adjusting to the temperature after a few days in Florida. Preaching live and in person at Good Shepherd Faith. Today a mainly Korean congregation. Here's what I had to say:</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Okay.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The equinox is past and we are officially into spring. The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer. And baseball is back and my much delayed annual trip to Florida happened. It’s that season when anything seems possible, even for Pirate fans. The city has ended the vaccination mandate. And tonight is the Academy Awards.</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">But underneath it all, there is that nagging awareness that won’t go away that across the world, a war is going on. A<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>nation that was not threatening any other country has been invaded and bombs are falling on houses, schools, theaters and even maternity wards and innocent people are dying daily and we know this. Even as we are inspired by courageous resistance, there is an almost helpless feeling as we watch the daily reports and feel like there’s nothing you and I can do except maybe support humanitarian relief efforts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And dare I say it, for the first time decades, we worry again about the possibility of nuclear war. Those are the worst kind of worries…ones where you have no agency in the outcome.</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And this is the context, this 4th Sunday in Lent, when my job s to try and find a new angle on a very familiar story …Jesus’ parable of <i>the prodigal son.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Told in response to the scribes and Pharisees grumbling about the kind of people Jesus hung out with, its contours are all familiar to us. A headstrong young man demands his inheritance, goes far away, squanders all his money in dissolute living, winds up feeding hogs, those despised unclean animals, decides to go home and finds his father waiting with open arms, ready to celebrate.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And a grumbling older brother.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We all know the standard interpretation…we need to “come to ourselves,”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>get real about our shortcomings, ask God for forgiveness. <i>Repent </i>and <i>be forgiven. </i>Turn around and be ready to live in a new way. And God is always ready to forgive us.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">It’s the overriding theme of this whole season of Lent.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">There have been efforts to deepen our understanding by focusing on characters other than the son. The father, for example, has to look past that his son's actions were equivalent to wishing him dead. (Ironcially, it’s the son who later will become <i>as dead.</i>)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The father sees the son while he is still<i> far off,</i> meaning he had to be out there looking, looking, waiting for the son’s return, believing he would come back. And he <i>runs</i> to greet him. Leaving aside all dignity and <i>runs</i>. And this is a metaphor for how God is out there looking for us.</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And we have looked at the older brother. The apparent bad guy of the story, at least as our spoil sport. Until we stop and think about. Sympathize with his position.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He has stayed, been responsible and done the right thing. Taken care of his father’s business.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And never received a word of thanks. Or felt appreciated. His feelings are hurt.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He needs to be reminded that his father is “<i>always with him.”</i> That <i>all that his father has is his.</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"><i> </i> </span>And that<i> this son </i>of his fathers in truth, his <i>brother.</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And that it is our job to be compassionate and see the reason to rejoice.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Okay. Not sure what new I can add to these understandings. But here’s my idea.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>What if we pause and reflect on each character of the story? Pause and think about what each thinks and feels and imagine ourselves in the place of these characters? (Which is actually the way to read any parable.)</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Lent calls us to see ourselves as the son.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But can we also see ourselves as the father? Ready to extend forgiveness? Can we see ourselves as then older bother? In fact in any church, there are a lot of elder brothers, we who are responsible, who<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>strive to do the right thing. Who watch others reap the benefits. And perhaps if we step outside the parable and see ourselves as the scribes and pharisees who inspire the parable. Though I’d say for Jesus, these scribes and pharisees are the elder brothers.</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We see this usually in terms of our personal individual lives. Maybe sometimes we can extend our understanding to our church community. But there is something broader at stake.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Our Presbytery is currently seeking to deal with its own reality of systemic racism.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It is complicated. Deep rooted. Our denomination has yet to acknowledge that a significant part of our church provided theological support for chattel slavery and broke off because of that belief.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Our nation has yet to face fully the truth of the genocide of our indigenous people or the ongoing legacy of chattel slavery. We’re caught between land acknowledgements in theaters and new laws against critical race theory or books or teaching that might "upset" anyone.</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We have learned historically from South Africa that only when history is squarely faced and openly talked about can there be reconciliation.</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Country blues singer Robert Timothy Wilkins in the 1930's ended his version of the <i>Prodigal Son</i> (later covered by the Rolling Stones)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>like this:</span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Well, father said, "Eldest son, kill the fatted calf"</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"Call the family round"</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"Kill that calf and call the family round"</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"My son was lost, but now he is found"</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"'Cause that's the way for us to get along”</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/humDgJ-SmHI" width="320" youtube-src-id="humDgJ-SmHI"></iframe></span></i></div><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> Prodigal Son</span></i><p></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Yes. <i>That’s the way to get along. </i>Th<i>e only</i> way to get along. <i>We need to be about the business of truth and reconciliation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I believe that this war will end.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We will need to find a way to get along, even as this divided nation we live in needs to figure out a way to get along.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Those moving images from Ukraine…of then people who captured a Russian soldier giving him food and hot tea and offering him a phone to call home to</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">his parents…those images point the way,</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Let those words stay with you…</span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"My son was lost, but now he is found"</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">"'Cause that's the way for us to get along”</span></i></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Let those with ears to hear, hear.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Amen.</span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; color: #18191b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px; min-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">1</span>Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">2</span>And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">3</span>So he told them this parable:</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">11b"There was a man who had two sons. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">12</span>The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">13</span>A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">14</span>When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">15</span>So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">16</span>He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">17</span>But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">18</span>I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">19</span>I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands."' <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">20</span>So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">21</span>Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">22</span>But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe-the best one-and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">23</span>And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">24</span>for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.</span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">25</span>"Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">26</span>He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">27</span>He replied, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">28</span>Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">29</span>But he answered his father, 'Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">30</span>But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!' <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">31</span>Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. <span class="s1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">32</span>But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'"</span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px; min-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px; min-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px; min-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px; min-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #262626; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 17px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335914640400880074.post-26168804292327308972022-03-24T19:27:00.001-07:002022-03-24T19:27:10.667-07:00Because St.Patrick's<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> 3/16</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqafMPnib2D9EdUsETO_XYBO1QGUZGviu3MDsVLdbBB729j4OSZU1DppvukWreZY19SE92mM7lUz8k3coTI1w24-pV8u_tX_kS3zFNPnfg8FDfr6dU9slSvCq3emOZGvwscUwAwbDfPP8AB1bGCAJA6riA_MESKXlKTytXvmWPotMIwueGRz1PaHI1w/s3024/95C4F0BF-5D86-4EC2-843B-7E9CC79B7BB0_1_201_a.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2855" data-original-width="3024" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqafMPnib2D9EdUsETO_XYBO1QGUZGviu3MDsVLdbBB729j4OSZU1DppvukWreZY19SE92mM7lUz8k3coTI1w24-pV8u_tX_kS3zFNPnfg8FDfr6dU9slSvCq3emOZGvwscUwAwbDfPP8AB1bGCAJA6riA_MESKXlKTytXvmWPotMIwueGRz1PaHI1w/w400-h378/95C4F0BF-5D86-4EC2-843B-7E9CC79B7BB0_1_201_a.heic" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ready for St.Patrick's Day</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large; text-align: left;">So with tomorrow being St.Patrick’s Day, today has to be <i>wearing of the green.</i></span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large; text-align: left;">I’ve got a New York Mets “Irish night” hat and a baseball jersey from their Brooklyn farm team, the <i>Cyclones.</i></span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: times; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><i> </i></span></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">While the baseball lockout was still on, spring training games were cancelled until March 18th. When the agreement finally came, they pushed it back to March 17th. Mainly because St.Patrick’s Day has become a thing in baseball. It all began in 1978 when the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Cincinatti Reds caused a sensation<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>by wearing green caps and the wonderful cognitive dissonance of jerseys with the word<i> Reds</i> written in<i> green </i>letters.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Since then teams like the Mets joined in and now virtually all MLB reams wear at least green hats on March 17th. It’s also a perch marketing bonanza. In my collection is a Knicks basketball jersey as well.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdICLxVgwB_AydArWSbI8F82e74SEo34eLuZrBLdpaV0VGqtqrH24Mnqw2jIQJahKhF0fC_OgLdj-_mNxm9DMilipzTrtehB-PBGn-aSgf7bl2qNw0R0v4zOBnpq99CVki4z1oejL9aMsXv2827IIBRFRr-rwdz7OK4bPNdVbBQL6rrtkMbd74qBYymA/s4032/66274AF2-6554-4283-BE5A-12441F864ABA.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdICLxVgwB_AydArWSbI8F82e74SEo34eLuZrBLdpaV0VGqtqrH24Mnqw2jIQJahKhF0fC_OgLdj-_mNxm9DMilipzTrtehB-PBGn-aSgf7bl2qNw0R0v4zOBnpq99CVki4z1oejL9aMsXv2827IIBRFRr-rwdz7OK4bPNdVbBQL6rrtkMbd74qBYymA/s320/66274AF2-6554-4283-BE5A-12441F864ABA.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally...</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And since training has started, my coffee mug from 2019, the last "normal" year. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAF0FlBvrHhvwxRU3bBPNpe6YXaf10vAVd7oHuZhckflyPop94b8Q3lQUlP5-qgRGnmT87Xt4xbU8dJMPbzLVAeVRaMXyx3yHbrJ-f0_98Ys8FDp0r0lB4NP-BjzI4IRxbOAsMt_LKb6M_cvDfMSnp4Cjwf3fDgek4wmJDWGbcHJNsRGrwR-vdv8zEA/s4032/27E5A85B-6D72-45FE-B89D-187236044D9E.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAF0FlBvrHhvwxRU3bBPNpe6YXaf10vAVd7oHuZhckflyPop94b8Q3lQUlP5-qgRGnmT87Xt4xbU8dJMPbzLVAeVRaMXyx3yHbrJ-f0_98Ys8FDp0r0lB4NP-BjzI4IRxbOAsMt_LKb6M_cvDfMSnp4Cjwf3fDgek4wmJDWGbcHJNsRGrwR-vdv8zEA/s320/27E5A85B-6D72-45FE-B89D-187236044D9E.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guiness and Staten Island</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">On the day itself, it's my Guiness soccer jersey and late lamented Staten Island Yankees Irish night hat. </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Special because the day after breaking five ribs I dragged myself in serious pain to the ferry and across the harbor just to get this hat.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiaMkvt_a3oF-1-tawwC80s3bPYElXfccxy3PmC5w0_tVVMWi3Fp7ztFXBLU6GaNnl5TuKerks6VmbPZiknua_i-WrSIRjMCRJoGX5Xtlgzdaddal4Ui4HzGryXsZdHgXRqFvdbMflWnKESdJnZAj35ZpoV81V17kwgikhJigpAMe4KxiilQrerXzKQ/s4032/82E73452-EF30-4D63-90AB-50EE4A6AD590.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiaMkvt_a3oF-1-tawwC80s3bPYElXfccxy3PmC5w0_tVVMWi3Fp7ztFXBLU6GaNnl5TuKerks6VmbPZiknua_i-WrSIRjMCRJoGX5Xtlgzdaddal4Ui4HzGryXsZdHgXRqFvdbMflWnKESdJnZAj35ZpoV81V17kwgikhJigpAMe4KxiilQrerXzKQ/s320/82E73452-EF30-4D63-90AB-50EE4A6AD590.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guinness and hamentaschen</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Let us also note this year the rare convergence of the Jewish] holiday Purim and St.Patrick's. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHDZwcO7QHzlE5MtwaKQwj0bRju25p6z_rVrCUkWvECUV5O--npwLVA9bFefOV4V082we1vaLyrsvNAapJKUElQAXmpGZ_CW2FZ5jWLiwk15nkKkNo0Vz-q2h0ei_qT2WrMSRiWNe9-Gx7igSYSTLBKNPDE0UlOGZvVWqJuFI2FMO6JOp5brN9WF_GA/s4032/AA28E952-7E6D-4012-8320-1BDAF400DAD5.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHDZwcO7QHzlE5MtwaKQwj0bRju25p6z_rVrCUkWvECUV5O--npwLVA9bFefOV4V082we1vaLyrsvNAapJKUElQAXmpGZ_CW2FZ5jWLiwk15nkKkNo0Vz-q2h0ei_qT2WrMSRiWNe9-Gx7igSYSTLBKNPDE0UlOGZvVWqJuFI2FMO6JOp5brN9WF_GA/s320/AA28E952-7E6D-4012-8320-1BDAF400DAD5.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">East Village</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And one quite odd St.Pat's display...</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Perhaps my favorite St.Patrick’s Day was 2012 “<i>Occupy St. Patrick’s Day,</i>” with the Occupy Wall Street march to Wall Street and then to the Irish Famine Memorial to make the point abut the voracious nature of predatory capitalism. My friends Pat and Mandola Joe played music and potatoes were handed out.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(<a href="https://west-parkpress.blogspot.com/2012/03/twentyfirst-day-of-lent-st-patricks-day.html"><span class="s1">https://west-parkpress.blogspot.com/2012/03/twentyfirst-day-of-lent-st-patricks-day.html</span></a>). </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Or perhaps the next night at West Park when we gathered to bring Mexicans and Irish bands together to celebrate <i>El Batalon San Patricio, </i>the <i>St. Patrick’s Battalion </i>of US soldiers who decided they were fighting on the wrong side and went over to the Mexicans,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>story celebrated in Mexico and buried in the US for more than a century. (<a href="http://west-parkpress.blogspot.com/2012/03/fourth-sunday-in-lent-vivan-los-san.html"><span class="s1">http://west-parkpress.blogspot.com/2012/03/fourth-sunday-in-lent-vivan-los-san.html</span></a>)</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">And this, from my Facebook post…</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i>OK...the easy thing to do is just go all shamrocks and leprechauns and just say "Happy St.Patrick's Day everybody"...and forget that the first New York St. Patrick's Day parade was a demonstration<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>for respect and dignity by denigrated immigrants...and that the potato famine was not a natural disaster but the results of a nearly genocidal imperialist colonial agriculture policy by Great Britain..and that the refugees were viewed suspiciously....lived side by side by African-Americans in 5 Points and Seneca Village...until they were accepted as white..that they were disproportionately drafted..and sent to Mexico in an imperialist war...West Point's first Irish graduate John Riley took his batallion to the other side where his mainly Catholic immigrant<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>conscripts joined the Mexicans as el batalon san patricio. When captured, they were hung as traitors without the usual court martial trial . Honored as heroes<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in Mexico. Hidden in history in the US until️ recently. El batalon san patricio presente. And happy St. Patrick's Da</i>y!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So today, hats off to the Irish, and people of struggle and resistance everywhere.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>robert l brashearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07364429354161467491noreply@blogger.com0