Later that same day

6/25

Later that same day....

There's a drying pool of blood in front of the steps.

Teddy is outside talking with his friend from the 24, Trevor and his partner, James. Trevor is caring and direct. Everything’s going to be ok.

Hope has arrived for our cross town trip to see the attorney. I introduce her to Trevor and James. And in the cab, tell her the story. 

When I get back, a photographer from across the street who once gave us a good picture of the church has brought Danielle a mystery. (Although at the moment he is giving an impassioned critque of the Bloomberg Administration.) He’s got photos of a religious procession. What could it be? OK, the vestments could be Greek. Or Catholic. No. There’s a woman priest. Has to be Anglican. There’s a censer. High liturgical. At least a 50/50 chance it  has to be St. Ignatius. The photographer admires my deductive process. 

I’m not showing  that I’m back in legal panic, once again trying to locate an attorney at the last minute. Jane’s nearly ready for a meeting. How can I focus?

Try all my contacts. Some interest. Some willing to go the extra mile. Heartfelt.   But the time is so short....the work day’s over. Hearing scheduled for 2:15 tomorrow. Forty pounds of files to sort through. If this were the Euro Cup, we’re already into stoppage time.  Finally my friend and neighbor Ric agrees to help. I can sleep.

Marsha, Hope and I meet with Jane and Karen. Trying to get clarity on the future. So many resources still unexplored. We are trying to pave the way for a real partnership. And we want them part of the Center. Can we find a win-win? 

Sekou can’t come to Bible Study toight. Or for a few. At least on Monday’s. He’s got a birthing class to attend in Boston for a few Mondays. BUT, sons Dan and Micah are here. And I'm glad to see Junia back tonight, too.

Back into Mark 3. Jesus calling of the 12. With the names he gives. Noms de guerre. Noms d'occupy...Twelve. Just like the twelve tribes.  He’s forming a confederacy. A provisonal government in exile. And he’s included a tax collector and at least one assassin. 

Then there’s one on Mark’s literary sandwiches where he introduces a subject, brings in another story then returns to his original idea. Here, he starts with a conflict with his family, who want to seize him and have him put away because his behavior is endangering not only him but them as well. He is beside himself...

Then confrontation with the scribes who say he is possessed. That old witchcraft argument to discredit. Or as Ched Meyer said, calling him a  Communist during the cold war. Jesus’ convoluted rhetorical defense says that is the ones who claim to be holy who do the work of satan. 

The scribes’ calling Jesus Beelzebub caused us to look up the lyrics of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen:

Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia, let me go

Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, 

Eventually the story comes back to Jesus and his assault on the kinship system. Who are my brothers,sisters, mother....Theologically, we get what’s being said. Emotionally, it's hard, and potentially dangerous, that kind of commitment. 

And yet I remember the Occupiers I met who’d been kicked out of their home, or ran away to save their lives, who came together here, found safety, security, home...who are my mother, my sisters, my brothers?  

Are we ready for that kind of commitment? Whee would it leave? 

I need to go get ready for tomorrow’s court case. 

Still keeping watch

6/18

The Sentinel appears for his appointed time, still keeping watch.

Martin and his brother Leslie come for another visit. Look at the space again. Try to estimate the renovation cost. 

Katherine comes to plan our meeting tomorrow to explore possibilities for the sanctuary.

Teddy and i talk about projects. Needed repair work on the grate. Some welds didn’t hold. What it would take to fix up a room for RL to rehearse. 

Ayse and Yannick in to talk about getting married. She, from Turkish-American Muslim background. He, German born soccer player. How much easier it is here than in Berlin where Turks and Germans have become so intertwined. Yet still so separate. Lots to talk about. My son in Berlin. My friends there. My own soccer experience. Euro 2012. 

The Sentinel has left and the Prophet has taken his place wearing his African straw hat.

Time for Bible Study. Glen has come for the first time. Tonight a turning point for Jesus as he confronts the powers in a synagogue. Looks them straight in the eye. Announces what he’s going to do. And does it. Call it civil disobedience. Asks the man with the  withered hand to stretch out his hand. Like the traditional blessing.Jesus filled with rage at systems that deny people their humanity. Point is the healing took place before the physical change. The healing took place when Jesus acknowledged his humanity. Saw him. No longer invisible.  

The line has been crossed. An unlikely coalition is formed between neoliberals and collaborators. What Jesus is doing completely denies their power. And so he retreats. To catch his breath. And the crowd follows. Not just a crowd like to hear a concert or a great preacher. Every one with a need. The demonic spirits call him son of God. A title usually reserved for Caesar. And so he silences them. It’s getting to be too much. The crowd is crushing. 

What is the answer? He goes to the hills. Where movements always start. Las montanas, as they said in Nicaragua. Selects twelve. A confederacy. Like the twelve tribes. Their names are give aways...some guerrillas, at least one assassin. They will be trained in a new form of resistance. To preach. To drive  out demons. The powers that seduce. Oppress. Deny humanity. It has begun.

 Bobby comes in towards the end. Teddy takes him to share some food. We marvel again at the density of scripture. The living word. Metaphorical hyperlinks taking us deeper into unexplored worlds.