On the first Sunday of Lent in time of war...

3/6

Time for peace

On the first Sunday of Lent, I am with friends from Beverley Church.  One member has just returned on one of the last flights out of Russia to the US.  Another has a spouse, inlaws and other family in the besieged town of Maniupol.  She has not been able to sleep or work all week.. Here is what I had to say...

Good morning.  The world has changed since last we were together. The war we worried about last month has become real as Russia has invaded Ukraine and continues to brutally assault its cities. The circumstances touched directly at least two members of our community,  One of my close friends in Pittsburgh grew up in the Ukrainian Church, just across the street from the Russian church. A million people have left the country in the largest out migration  of people since World War II. People across the world are showing their concern, We are moved by images of Ukrainians with a captured Russia soldier bringing him hot tea and food and helping him to face time his mother back home. Zelensky, the former actor and now President, has won us over with his “ I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition” quote. 

As they always do, wars reveal all kinds of realities. Our sympathies are with Ukraine but black and brown students hav been kept off the evacuation buses. Countries  like Poland welcome the refugees because they are a different kind of refugee, like us…in other words white…we put Ukrainian flag filters on our Facebook profiles and identify ourselves with them], like we did win France, remember? But not Syria. How many Americans can name three African countries or even know about the brutal civil war in Nigeria, bombing Somalia or the plight of refugees from the Western Sahara? The ongoing torment of Yemen.  Our compassion is very selective ….and Eurocentric. 

Nevertheless, I tell my boys there are three truths about this war:

First, in history, things are always more complicated than we would like them to be.

Second, there are no clean hands here, especially our own. 

Third but in the end, WRONG is WRONG and we need the courage to say it.

And here we are, on the First Sunday of Lent, entering into the wilderness with Jesus for a 40 day stay in the desert. So what’s going on there?

There’s a number of things I’d like to point out to  you about in  this story.  It happens to Jesus right after his baptism.  The same spirt that hovered over him like a dove drives him into the wilderness. For forty days…

Forty…..like the days of rain for Noah’s flood. Like the years the Hebrew children wandered in the desert. Like the days Moses spent on the mountain.  Or Elijah.  

It’s something Jesus must do before beginning of his ministry. He starts with a fast.  And when  he’s really hungry, that’s  when the devil comes.  But read closely..it’s almost like the Devil is working with God to get Jesus ready. He is called diabolos in Greek. It really means accuser, like the prosecuting attorney. Remember God and Satan in the story of Job?

Look very carefully at the temptations…they are sex, drugs and rick n roll or even wine, women and song. All the temptations are good things…

First, turning stones  to bread..he’s hungry. There are a lot of hungry people. According to Hunger Action there are over 1.5 million of our neighbor New Yorkers who are food insecure. Why not turn stones into bread? By the way, it has always annoyed me in that wonderful We are the World song, how wrong they got it in the verse that says :

As God has shown us by turning stones to bread.  And so we all must lend a helping hand

No no no..that’s what the devil offered not what God did..

Then the devil offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. Notice that no one argues that they are not his to give. I mean wouldn’t that be great if Jesus were in charge of all the governments? Isn’t that what Christian  nationalists are trying  to achieve? This temptation and Jesus’ reaction to it is about as total a rejection of Christian nationalism as you can get. 

Finally, the devil tells Jesus he should  jump off the tower of the temple and let the angels save him. Surely then everyone would believe in him..isn’t that what Jesus wants? Isn’t that good? 

Jesu knows that he is not supposed to be a magic man. He’s not supposed to be David Blaine and do tricks. That’s why Jesus’ miracles  are not done to prove he is the messiah…his healings, exorcisms, are for reasons of compassion, responding to human need not to lead people to follow him. That's why so often they are done in private or why he says tell no one. Jesus is asking people to follow him in a ministry of  compassion, reconciliation  and new community, not magic. 

Note this as well..the devil quotes scripture in his conversation with Jesus,  Remember this when people go throwing Bible versus at you….even the devil quotes scripture. 

So when he has resisted the temptations, when he has passed the test, when he  is good to go.. the devil departs from Jesus to wait for an opportune time…notice throughout the Bible whenever Jesus says get behind me Satan…there is something good in the temptation, usually from a friend like Peter. 

What are we to take from this? If there’s any common theme in these temptations and rejections, it is you can’t take the easy way out.  You have to work your way through,.You can’t get to the resurrection joy of Easter without the tragic journey of Holy Week.   And the purpose of this is to get us ready for that.

It’s kind of like our spiritual spring training….now there’s another sore subject…I should be in Florida right now..with everything else gong on…no baseball!…

So what do we do? Because Jesus fasted, we have the traditions of giving up something for Lent. When I was growing up and all my friends were doing that, my folks were like we don’t do that, we’re Presbyterians…..Back home in Pittsburgh, this is the season of fish fries, every Friday...night the Catholic churches have fish fries to raise money…

First, I like to think not of giving something up but taking something on, a spiritual discipline…what might you take on?

Second, practice resisting the devil. At one level, that means Don’t take the easy way out….you have to walk through all the way with Jesus.

But there’s a deeper meaning,,,the Devil is the accuser…that voice that keeps you from believing in yourself, from forgiving yourself, that voice that says you will never succeed, you are not  good enough…we have to learn to hear Jesus’ word of forgiveness, acceptance, we have to remind each other, help each other experience that…

And to that end, try this as a spiritual practice…seek to heal one broken relationship during this season…that would truly be resurrection…

I know it can continue to feel like a wilderness as we continue to worship virtually…outside our church home…in the lingering world of covid…i a time of war..but there’s still a journey to take …with Jesus …and each other…Easter awaits at the end…let those with ears  to hear, hear…

Amen

 Gospel Luke 4:1-13

1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. 3The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread." 4Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.'"

5Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And the devil said to him, "To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." 8Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'"

9Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,' 11and 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'" 12Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 13When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

First Sunday in Lent: Temptation

3/1

at Beverley

The weather has turned cold again. And there's no Q train running this weekend so I have to take longer walk i the cold to get to Beverley. I sit with Geraldine before the service. And Yevgeny (Eugene) makes me a cup of coffee. Irina is preparing the table for communion. We will begin soon. It's the first Sunday of Lent. 

After reading Matthew 4: 1-11, it's time for my reflection:

Soo…after a warm middle of the week, it turned cold on us again. But here’s the deal…by this time tomorrow , I expect to be in Florida in a ballpark waiting to see my hometown baseball team play a game, It’s what they call “spring training”…that wonderful six weeks in Arizona and Florida where our major league league teams go to prepare for the upcoming season. It’s an ages old tradition.

And it seems to me  a fitting  metaphor for us and what we’re up to during Lent, and of our "spring training"  as we get ready for Easter. But let's start with a look at Jesus and his “temptation in the desert.”  I want us to  notice some things….first, notice it's the spirit that leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It’s almost like they’re on the same team….the devil’s job is to make sure Jesus is ready for what happens next...like you, know, Lou Gossett as DI Foley in an Officer and a Gentleman?  Like Satan’s going to put Jesus through the paces then tell the Spirit he’s good to go.

SO what temptations does Jesus face?

Let’s look at them one at a time.  First, “turning stones to bread”….Jesus had fasted for 40 days and nights, He was famished. And even more, aware that there is hunger everywhere. BUT, still he replies that we do not live by bread alone…               

Second, it's the David Blaine way to fame, so to speak. Throw yourself off the edge of the temple  or St.John the Divine and you’ll caught….a real crowd pleaser. It’s Jesus’ call to gather the people. This would do it! It's Jesus’ response that we are not to test God. That is, if God really loves him, then he will be saved. Jesus rejects that idea. ( I think that in our own way, we test God ourselves…always daring God to save us...)

Finally, offered all the kingdoms of the world if he will worship Satan. (Note…Satan is saying he is in charge of the world…I could believe that!)  Jesus wants to establish his kingdom. Here he can get that! He could still set upon his own governance by his own rules. But he responds …we must   ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him             

And so the devil leaves him, Jesus has passed the test. Satan will-pass along the word that Jesus is “good to go”…..and immediately, the angels come to  help him recover.

So here’s what I want you to see….everything the devil tempted Jesus with was a basically a  good thing.  No proverbial wine, women and song. No or sex, drugs and rock n roll.  More like sustenance, influence,  and power. All things he needs. This has two implications for me…Satan is clever enough to match our temptations is uniquely personalized way. Just like he knew Jesus’ most important desires, he  will know ours. It’s also kind of like knowing we can’t take a short cut. Every time in my life’s work I have tried to take the short cutout has never worked. The temptations for us are less like Harvey Weinstein and more like the Houston Astros. 

And also that it's really hard to know the difference between a temptation and a call. They can be soooooo close.  You know that old spooky thing around 666? DO you know what it really means? It’ simply this….that 7 is the traditional perfect number….666 is about as close to 7 as you can get, the point being the line between good and evil can be a really thin one. We have to be careful.  I’ve sometimes heard these ministers caught in some sexual misconduct issue reported to have told their victim that their relationship was God’s special gift..                      

On the one hand that’s manipulation, pure and simple. But on the other,I can almost believe that on some level, they truly believed that. Leonard Cohen once sang about you who have never been tempted by a demon or the Lord…Here’s an overly simple idea…if it’s something you wouldn’t want people to know about it’s a pretty good sign it’s not the Lord you’re dealing with.

Our resources are scripture (read through the eyes of Jesus), the Holy Spirt and each other. Part of why the church is here is to help us in our discernment. As we consider our own temptations, let us use Lent as a time of reflection and discernment. May Lent be our spring training so that we can be ready for opening day , ie Easter. O maybe re-opening day, A chance for beginning again, A chance for new life. 

I appreciate how Evgeny crosses himself Orthodox style for communion. I am pleased that there are potential new members taking a class with Geraldine. Always signs of life...Lent has begun...after coffee it's back into the cold to head to Manhattan. 

Gospel Matthew 4:1-11

1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.2He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”4But he answered, “It is written,
     ‘One does not live by bread alone,
          but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
     ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
          and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
     so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” 11Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him

First Sunday in Lent: sin, temptation and Lent as spring training

3/9

It’s comforting to get to church and find Stephen and Cara already there, Stephen talking to Joe and La Toya encouraging them to move on. And great to see Dion back, helping me out with the chairs. And somehow Jeremy makes it in in time, even after the CD release party last night.

We begin with the creation story in Genesis 2: 15-17 and 3: 1-7. And then Jeremy and I follow up with an a capella version of the old call and response, John the Revelator, and before we’re done, everyone is joining in on the response.

Tell me who's that writin', John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin', John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin', John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals

Who's that writin', John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin', John the Revelator
Well who's that writin', John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals

You know God walked down in the cool of the day
And called Adam by his name
And he refused to answer
'Cause he was naked and ashamed....(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0bv_PTazDc)

Only song I could find with reference to Adam and Eve.

We  do Psalm 32 responsively, then Marsha reads Romans 5:12-19. Arcadia reads the gospel, Matthew 4:1-11 in Spanish and I in English. Then I sing Lonesome Valley, accompanying myself on guitar.

Jesus walked this lonesome valley.
He had to walk it by Himself;
O, nobody else could walk it for Him,
He had to walk it by Himself.

We must walk this lonesome valley,
We have to walk it by ourselves;
O, nobody else can walk it for us,
We have to walk it by ourselves.

You must go and stand your trial,
You have to stand it by yourself,
O, nobody else can stand it for you,
You have to stand it by yourself

And I then take issue with it some. W all have those lonesome valley moments, but the idea is that we don’t have to walk it by ourselves.   We’re supposed to walk side by side in solidarity with each other.

It’s Lent, which at it’s root means slowing down.  Time to slow down and examine our lives. Check out where we are on our journey.  Face ourselves as we are.

And a beginning topic is sin. What is original sin?

Stephen responds, you know the apple story.    

And Dion gives us   the classic theological formulation of our being born into sin and therefore needing a savior to step in and rescue us from our just punishment. (I’ve always had major trouble with that). I had a colleague one time say they’d love to see some original sin. Most of what we see is common, banal and boring.

In both the Jewish and Muslim tradition, this story is not about a fall, but more an explanation about coming to consciousness.

. ⁷Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked;

Nakedness being the open and honest awareness of one’s own reality. We are called to honesty about our own failings, our own missing the marks. As Reinhold Niebuhr said, Sin is not necessary but inevitable.  This story is about not hiding, one of the worst things we do to one another because reality is misrepresented. Thu story is about humans exercising moral agency and being responsible for their own lives. (EG, at 13 when a Jewish boy or girl gets bar or bat mitzvahed and becomes responsible for keeping the torah…)

So this season is for us a time to come to awareness.

The Gospel Matthew 4: 1-11, the temptation story of Jesus, is a kind of Lenten manual. We note that it is the spirit who sends him out, almost like God and Satan are in on this together, 40 days like Moses on the mountain last week. Or Noah and the flood. Or years in the wilderness. And as Stephen appropriately notes, spring training, because that is essentially what this is. What Jesus needs to be ready for his mission.

The devil,in Greek, diabolos, in Hebrew,ha Satan,ie,the accuser,like the prosecuting attorney. Not the rebellious fallen angel at war with God.

We note that the temptations are all good things…feeding people, controlling governance, gaining people’s confidence. But accomplishing these goals the easy way. Taking shortcuts. (Noting that Michael Jackson and the lyrics for we are the world, got it wrong…   As God has shown us by turning stone to bread…is actually what the devil tempted Jesus to do, not what he  actually did…and I hear a hmmm from Jeremy….) 

In Oklahoma, the strip clubs always had to have names like the Inferno, or Satan’s den. For sin to be really fun,it had to be truly evil (Although there was  one named the Pearly Gates.) That’s not what we mean by temptation here.

Marsha asks, What’s really the message for us, though? I mean for Jesus what the devil is putting out there, it’s a no brainer…the devil’s like my dad used to say a wart on a gangster’s ass….what’s the message for us?

Even if you have faith, don’t jump from tall buildings, says Jeremy. And lots of heads shake. Don’t go testing….

Cara says she’s thinking of the word resilient, the capacity to own your experience and move on. And we talk much of grace.

Which makes t appropriate to end with singing Amazing Grace.

The session will meet briefly to get those who weren't here Saturday caught up on our agreements.

I watch everyone leave on by one. Some to brunch. Some home. I’m  heading home.

First Sunday in Lent: Temptation

Amanda is back for the first time in a year. Her presence has been missed. 

It’s the first Sunday in Lent. I ask how many had experiences with Lent growing up. Many with Roman Catholic backgrounds remembered giving something up for Lent. Hope remembers Bible study with her father. And I remember when I was a kid, most of my friends giving something up. Like meat. And I mention that the first part of carnival...carne...refers to meat, the last chance to revel in meat. How Presbyterians always looked on Lent with suspicion. When  Andrea innocently mentioned my giving up something for Lent, my family looked, well, aghast.  Anyways, my hometown of Pittsburgh was a great place to be in Lent...Fish fries every Friday at the Catholic churches.

Lent also has to do with slowing down...like Spanish lentamente...slowly... and I think of David Michalek’s ultra slow motion video installations...how spaces are opened u to walk into and explore that you never see...how you miss so much..so if it’s a season to slow down, what will we see?

But the real issue before us today is temptation. Hope says it’s what take us away from what we’re supposed to be. John says indecision. Anna a divided mind. (Could say heart..) 

This section follows Jesus’ baptism where the Holy Spirit declares this is my son, my beloved.. Then follows the Lucan genealogy where Jesus is traced back to Adam, son of God, not David. It’s humanity that is emphasized here, not kingship. And then thay very same spirit leads him int the desert for a confrontation with the devil. Like it’s necessary. Like spring training. 

The key is that title...son of god... the same title used by Caesar...so the devil, who says all the kingdoms of the earth (ie, Roman Empire) with his three temptations, food (sustenance), non-exclusive worship (keep your own religion but worship Caesar) , and peace and security. This is what Caesar can do, can you?

It’s Jesus vs. the Empire...

(Zeljko tells us  they were celbrating the 1700th anniversary of the Chritianiztion of the Roman Empire (or the imperialization of Chirtiamity?) under Constantine in hs home town of Nis. Ul called ths 1700 years of the misuse of the cross. )

Bu there’s another way to look at it. Like each of these is the opportunity to take a short cut. And, like what you learn from community organizing, there are no shortcuts. Try to skip a step, especially in relationship building...it all galls apart and takes longer to pull back together.

And for us, it’s the difficult task of discernment or temptation  over against call. Is what you’re drawn towards a call, a distraction, or a temptation...that’s what we look for in our slowed down time when we can look deeper...

That is the journey we are on for  this Lent...discerning our calls, both  as individuals and as a congregation...

just remember...the devil left...for an opportune time...

After services, session meets to review our ever shifting landscape...and Amanda is singing wth Cara....time for a lunch....then Teddy’s memorial service.

First Sunday in Lent: You think someone else is in here

3/13

The March winds blow.  Enough lions, waiting for the lambs.  Sunny and cold. Bandaids, butts and papers.  As usual, Jim and Holly are the first ones here. When the doors are open, a tall sandy haired man walks in. “I’ve never seen these doors open before,” he says. I’m getting really tired of hearing that. “But I saw the doors open and just had to come in.”

Bob and Juan

He’s from the Eastside. Goes to First Baptist at 79th and Broadway. Turns out he’s a sound engineer. Tells me he loves old churches. Asks me about the architecture and I tell him all about Kilborn and Richardsonian Revival and....He mentions the Prairie School. And I say, “But that was Frank Lloyd Wright.” And he says, “No, the one who gave Wright his first job.” And I don’t see the connection, but...

I tell him we’ve been back since December. Worshipping every Sunday. He looks me square in the eye.  “Do you preach the gospel here?” he asks. “That’s what we’re supposed to do,” I say. “Yes, but lots of churches are just social clubs. Places people go on Sundays to feel good about themselves.” No argument there. “I know,” I say, “we may have differences in what we believe, fine points of theology and all, but everyone here is committed to following Jesus. And yes, I preach the Good News, right from  the Bible, every Sunday.”  He looks me in the eye again. “Good,” he says, “that’s good.”

He steps to the center, claps his hands, listens. “Beautiful, just beautiful. Deep and rich.” He tells me the natural acoustics are so fine, there’s little need for amplification. I tell him about our upcoming centennial.  He gives me his card. I give him the brochure. Amy and Juan have arrived. We shake hands and he’s off to the Baptist church. Rachel has arrived and taken her seat. Then Arcadia.

It’s after 11. People slow in arriving. I decide to begin. As usual, lots going on. The tsunami in Japan. The threat of nuclear meltdown. And the number of presbyteries approving full inclusion for lgbtq folk has grown to 67. Only 20 to go. This week we’ll pray for Seattle and West Jersey as they vote. This time, this time, the victory is getting close.

It’s the first Sunday in Lent. I lift up the cup from Wednesday, shift the ashes through my fingers.  Share what I learned about not counting Sundays. Recall my childhood  friends giving something up for Lent. Ask if that meant you were free from that promise on Sundays. My former Catholic friends have different traditions on that one. Recall the Friday night fish fries in the Catholic churches in Pittsburgh. Fish sandwiches instead of hot dogs Fridays at Forbes Field. 

Talk about how its a time for reflection, self-assessment. And how I like to focus on reconciliation. To repair,restore at least one relationship...or at least try...(And who will that be this year? The list is so long...)

This season raises for us the nature of temptation, the nature of sin. And so we begin at the beginning, with Adam, with the fall. The old Puritan children’s rhyme In Adam’s fall we fell all.  And how in the  in the Jewish tradition, it’ s not so much the fall, it’s  more like a coming to consciousness, an awakening, about becoming responsible.

The original sin has nothing to do with sex. In the Genesis story, the sin of Adam is  seeking to have the full mind of God...to be  like God. That’s what is at the center of the current church debate over 10-a, over lgbtq inclusion. Those who are so sure that they have the knowledge of the full mind of God...As opposed to the vision of those who came before us here, who believed in more light, that the holy spirit always brings more light to the scriptures. 

I think of the new Governor of Alabama who says only those who believe in Jesus are his brothers and sisters. I remembered debates over ministerial  candidates in Pittsburgh. Could anyone other than Christians be saved? And a tall steeple friend of mine saying that in the Reformed tradition, if God truly is all powerful, God can do anything  God wants, when God wants for whom God wants. And that God is not limited by our imagination. 

P____ speaks from her seat. That though she prays in the name of Jesus and lives by his power, that as a Caribbean Asian, she was raised Hindu and learned of God’s power and inclusion that way. The sacredness of all life. And that the fast from blood was in recognition of that sacredness. 

I mention Peter King, the congressman for Long Island. (And my members with Long Island roots groan.) His grandstanding  investigation of Muslims, this  former vocal  advocate for the Irish Republican Army.

No, it’s not a fall. Just the end of innocence...In our tradition, we all see, hear , speak evil...

Now as to temptation. It is the  Spirit that leads Jesus out into the wilderness, not the devil. The same Spirit that came to him in Baptism. The story raises tough questions about who the devil is, what kind of structure, cosmology we’re dealing with here.  Satan almost seems to be working  with, working for God. Like in Job, where Satan is the Accuser, the prosecuting attorney. .

In his amazing translation and commentary on Job, Stephen Mitchell  has God say to Job, “your problem is you think there’s some one else in here...there’s only me...” So if you want me to explain evil, well, we stare into mystery.

Temptation. Voices. Remember Little Red Riding Hood? How the big, bad wolf is in grandma‘s clothes? The line between temptation and call is so thin, you have to listen closely. What voice is that you hear? You have to  invite them closer to see what they’re made of..but they’re all yours, all from inside yourself. You have to listen closely to discern the one true voice...

Ultimately, this story is about who Jesus is, not who we aren’t...

Now as to Jesus’ temptations. The first is to escape hunger through compromise. You know, the end justifies means. But maybe not. It is Satan’s argument that God won’t provide, so you better take care of yourself. It’s about shortcuts.We face that over and over and over again...Just sign this statement saying something  you don’t believe in, we’ll give you the money you need.... 

But it’s not always easy. I read where non-violent revolutions have a 60% chance of success awhile violent ones drop to 45%. But what if you’re not Egypt? What if you’re Libya and the pharoah just mows you down? What then?

The second is to seek God in the spectacular, not suffering and dying. The truth of Jesus’ path is not in his miracles, but in his going to the cross. It’s also about not putting God to the test .But what do we do when it feels like  God doesn’t come through?  How much dying is enough before resurrection?

The last temptation, they said at my study group, is the temptation to power. But wait a minute, what I’ve learned in organizing is that the problem is not power, but the lack of power. I remember Pablo Richard’s critique of Northamerican Christianity. That we don’t understand power. That we believe that  if we walk away from what we have, things  will get better. They don’t. If we give up our power, the evil person, the evil power, simply picks it up and adds it to theirs.  Our call is to use what we have,organize what we have for the transfer of power to those who are marginalized. 

And its not just empowering. It’s not like others are empty vessels waiting to be poured into. It’s helping to awaken, uncover, draw out the power that is already there. Like your own ministry given to you at Baptism. 

And this, too, is true. The stronger we are, the stronger the temptations will be. The better our intention, the stronger the temptation. The closer to God we are, the greater the power of satan...It’s the voice that says, give up, you can’t do it, you’re too small, too old, too weak, be reasonable, be realistic, you can’t...You hear that, you say, get behind me satan...

It’s interesting that in the argument between Jesus and Satan, all the quotes from both (yes, the devil quotes scripture...quite well, in  fact) are from Moses’ last discourse. In Deuteronomy. His preparing his people for their wilderness experience. And so we prepare for ours. 

It’s spring training.....spiritual spring training. And we will learn what we will practice...

During the offering, P____ passes the plates, brings them forward. Then kneels in front of the Christ  candle, embracing it with her hands in deep prayer. 

It’s time to say farewell to Juan. He’s played guitar for us for fourteen years. Through first Milton and then Regi and Spanish services, the enlace de gracia multicultural services and now our joint services. Seen singers and pianistas and congeros and even an accordion player come and go. To SPSA and back. Failed attempts at tarjetas verdes and wasted dollars on shady abogados.  He’s not been home to Venezuela in 14 years. But now he’s on his way back with a waiting job with el sistema, the program that brings social transformation through music. That produced Dudamel (now of the Los Angeles Philharmonic) and the Venezuela Orquesta de los jovenes. 

Jim has gifts for him. A sports bag with the name SANTANA and number 57, for Johann Satana, the Venezuelan ace for the Mets, bad arm and all. And a Mets shirt and hat. (Well, some of us are Yankees fans, but Juan loves los mets.) Juan had wanted  to be baptized here, but I reminded him that we honor one church, one baptism. His catholic infant baptism counts.

We sing Jesus Walked that Lonesome Valley. I point out that there’s a difference between by yourself and alone. Yes, we each have a journey we must walk for ourselves, a journey no one else can take for us. Rooted in our own unique calls. But we do not walk alone. Jesus walks with us, always. And more so, we walk with each other. 

 So we make a circle around Juan. Place my hands on his head. Give a prayer of thanks. And blessing for his journey. It’s time to gather food and drink. And go to Hope’s.   To break bread together. To party. Yes, we fast. But not on Sundays. Not today. 

Jim and Juan

Juan and Hope