City Called Heaven

Generous God, we come before you knowing that every Friday is a bleak Friday when we remember your crucifixion, each injustice, every evil in this world. And yet we rejoice, knowing that each Sunday - in fact every day - is a resurrection day when we celebrate your gift of new life to the world. Help us to trust that your providence is enough, and that each day may bring bread for all who hunger. Grant that we, like your faithful disciples in every age, might know the power of resurrection in the midst of this world. And enable us to be witnesses to your glory, sharing the good news of freedom from bondage to debt, bondage to lusts, bondage to fear, bondage to any desire other than for good, in Jesus name. Amen.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances ; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 The Apostle Paul does not urge us to give thanks for everything, but simply observes that we are created with an orientation towards thankfulness, and that in every circumstance there is something that we can be grateful for. Being thankful, dwelling in thankfulness, is good for us, and is a holy place to be. For what are you thankful today? I am fortunate to be blessed with many things. I am grateful for fulfilling work – even in the midst of aggravation! I am grateful for the generosity of others which is helping to feed so many people today. And I am thankful that today is a day of rest for me. I am glad to finally have a nice car to replace the one destroyed by a drunk driver in June, and still thankful that no one was hurt in that incident. And especially grateful that this has carried me to visit my Dad, who is still living and en...

Today marks the 52nd anniversary of the killing of John F. Kennedy, President. Since his death, we have learned some of the back story of his complicated life. Without the chance to complete his term as President - and a full life of public service - we are left with a story of promise and potential not fully realized. So it becomes easy to imagine a flawed Presidency, or an idealized one. And that has probably distracted attention from this American hero, who was elected based in large part on the strength of his character. Our polis , our civic life has suffered from this traumatic loss. While not my favorite talking head, Chris Matthews' writing on Kennedy is worth reading, and his new book Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero , provides a good look at a leader whose loss we justly mourn.

"Approval of Congress Matches Record Low," Allison Kopiciki, NY Times Caucus blog, 9/16/11. "Congress faces historically low approval ratings as it wades into the debate over the $447 billion jobs package proposed by President Obama, with just 12 percent of Americans now approving of the way Congress is handling its job, matching its all-time low... Only 6 percent of registered voters say that most members of Congress have earned re-election, while 84 percent say it’s time to give someone new a chance , a historic low for the New York Times/CBS poll. Dissatisfaction with Congress runs deep across both parties, with more than 8 in 10 of both Republicans and Democrats saying it’s time to elect new representatives" (emphasis added). I would like to know where they found the 9% who approve? People who have been comatose for the past six years? Clones of Grover Norquist, ideologically ecstatic that government has now ceased to function? First Congress punted the job of ...

For about as long as humans have been human, we have wondered, feared, and hoped about the souls of our companions who die. Both out of love for those we've lost, and out of fear for what might happen to us, we have felt it important to "put the dead in their place," to make sure they are not wandering the earth causing trouble. Perhaps it's no problem that we are no longer quite so supertitious in this direction. But there's something missing when Halloween has become just an occasion for dress-up and excess. Ghosts still wander the earth - in reality, or in metaphor. We do well to respect what they still have to say to us, what we need to do to help assure peace in their passing. In the Western Church, we will remember the departed tomorrow, on All Saints' Day. But tonight, for all the fun there may be in a Fall Carnaval, I hope we do not neglect the spirits that are just out of sight.

We were asked a question today in church: "How do we grow in faith"? Does the grass know how it grows? It is a mystery. Good soil, water, and sunlight help - but are no guarantee. We know people with seemingly all the resources, but no results. And, while hardship can stunt growth, new life can unaccountably spring up in the most adverse circumstances. Whenever it happens, growth in faith, faith itself, is always a gift. If there is one thing that helps the most... it is the example of others' fathfulness, others' hope, others' love. We see that so clearly in Jesus - but also in so many others. That is the best kind of soil.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy ." And then the Lord gave ten commandments for the people to follow. Leviticus 19:1-2 Over the years, the commandments have picked up a bad reputation with some, fueled by those who would impose them on others, or who seem to delight in punishing lawbreakers. But the text does not show the commandments given by these lesser authorities, but by God. And you might simply take them as guidelines for good behavior. We don't need a heavenly enforcer to know that killing, stealing, jealousy, failure to rest, and disrespect to others eventually leads to bad results. Violate them and you violate the conditions of personal and social health, to your peril. But look back to the way God gives the commandments: not to keep people in line, but out of God's desire that we share in the holiness, the righteousness, the goodn...