Morning Reading . . .

I returned from holiday deeper into Bruce Springsteen’s book, Born to Run, appreciating his raw honesty, and having a better understanding of the backdrop of how he creates the lyrics of his music.  The cruise this year was more like the Enterprise, a community of people who share something in common, but whose religious ritual practices, or not, were private.  In years past, Christian and Jewish holy days were publicly recognized, but that is during Passover or Holy Week.  The retired Catholic priest onboard was not very visible.  The Ash Wednesday service was early in the morning and primarily for the crew.  No mention of the beginning of Lent.  No ash smudge on foreheads.  The sea pass card is the important identifier as well as what area of the ship you spent your days and nights.

Much of the cruise industry has embraced the need of being tethered to our devices.  Passengers could pay $249 for unlimited time on the seven day cruise.  Actually, that’s a deal when one considers that 24hrs of access was $36 and an hour $18.  Of course, the speed of the internet depends on the position of the ship, the satellite, and the weather.  The same is true for the TV in the cabin.  I tried this year to untether from my devices (phone and laptop), but alas I did check email a couple of times. The afternoon of Feb 14, the news of the school shooting made it to our cabin via the TV.  The BBC World reported the facts as they were known at the time.  MSNBC, Fox, and CNN reported facts and, as their shtick requires, embellished on politics, intent and reaction.  There was some talk between persons that I could overhear at dinner tables and in passing persons in hallways around the ship about the shooting.  Our table discussed it, not at length, but as we could even though we were like minded about assault weapons in our society.  There is no holiday from my vocation.

Social media has programmed those that use it, and are used by it, to respond otherwise appear to be insensitive, unattached, or uninformed though there is so much misinformation in social media.  Likes. Tweets and Retweets.  Stories. Timelines.  I don’t imbibe when I’m angry or sad.  I don’t effuse on social media when I’m angry or sad, at least I try not. If I could only apply this discipline to TCU football and the Cubs.  Better to go to an empty place and howl at the moon.  Social media is not an empty space.    Of these shootings, again, my “thoughts and prayers” are focused on the politicians with the power to act that choose to do nothing or are too afraid to try, anything, something that makes sense.  Assault weapons are made for killing people.  They are not made for hunting game or sport shooting.  They are made to kill or injure with extreme prejudice and do not belong in civil society.  AR-15’s and other weapons like it are military weapons for a time when diplomacy fails.  Each day military weapons are allowed into the hands of our citizens democracy is not defended. It is diminished.  We return to the “old west” and that was such a good time?

Our core values are among our greatest assets. What are some of my values?
The Daily Question, Gratefulness.org (Feb 22, 2018)

If Our Leaders Won’t Lead, Our Children Will
Jim Wallis, Sojo.net (Feb 22, 2018)

What ‘Black Panther’ Means for Christians
Esau McCaulley, ChristianityToday.com (Feb 20, 2018)

Billy Graham’s Legacy Is Conflating White Christianity And Patriotism
Lyz Lenz, Huffpost Opinion (Feb 22, 2018)

Billy Graham’s legacy for Christians, evangelical and otherwise
Grant Wacker, ChristianCentury.org (Feb 21, 2018)

March For Our Lives
marchforourlives.com

Is tech dividing America?
Nancy Scola, “The Agenda,” Politico.com (Feb 7, 2018)

, 02/23/2018. Category: Michael D, Monday Morning Reading.

Queasy lent

This year during the lenten season I’ll be posting weekly with the notes I would use if I were preaching every Sunday.  The post below is part of what I posted for my Region’s lent blogging with our Regional Youth Council.  These words would be the background of the preaching I would do this first Sunday of lent.

Lent (def) verb: simple past tense and past participle of lend.

Lend (def) verb

1. to grant the use of (something) on condition that it or its equivalent will be returned.
2. to give (money) on condition that it is returned and that interest is paid for its temporary use.
3. to give or contribute obligingly or helpfully;
4. to adapt (oneself or itself) to something;
5. to furnish or impart;
[lent. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/lent (accessed: February 8, 2018).]

I am beginning the season of lent at sea.  My companion and I are on holiday touring the southern Caribbean on a cruise ship.  We like cruising and we’ve been to the ports of call many times.  What we can see from our limited perspective are islands recovering using tourist’s dollars and the other aid they can get.  May the odds be ever in your favour.  If you live in an area that is prone to nature’s cleanse, it will be your turn to lend a hand cleaning up or seeking a hand to rebuild what is lost.

The first full day and night and the second day at sea we sailed for Puerto Rico.  The wind was blowing 25-35 knots from the south southeast.  The ship navigates along a similar course sometimes head on and sometimes broadside the wind and wind driven sea.  Normal seas are 4-6 feet.  The first full day and night the seas were 8-12 feet and transitioned to 12-15 feet.  I can be prone to motion sickness on the sea.  My sea legs are not deep within me.  That disorienting queasy feeling settled into my brain and stomach.  Pressure point bracelets that once helped were adorned too late to make a significant difference.  Non-drowsy motion sickness medication eased the disorientation and queasiness, but it did not completely go away.  Now, calmer seas and moored at the dock of our second port of call I still have a sensation that the ship is pitching and rolling through the water as I write and reflect on the experience, though without the sick feeling.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” And the Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by the Satan; and Jesus was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” [Mark 1:9-15]

Maybe that is what I need to experience: a queasy lent, O God.  Something disorienting that is not soothed by reading the sacred stories, singing the hymns, or participating in the ancient rituals.  The ancient ways and stories are meant to disorient, but have become a medication for the sensations caused by believing in Christ instead of following Jesus.  Being a follower of Jesus can make, will make, you queasy more often than not.  My “Jesus legs” may not as deep as I thought.

And from the rolling sea rises a response.  Michael.  Why is following Jesus disorienting?  Is he not what being fully human looks like?  Don’t you want to be fully human and touch the Imago Dei, the divine spark, in you?  Is it not tempting?  The kindom is near.  Believe the good news.

, 02/14/2018. Category: Michael D, Preaching Notes, Theological Rant.
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