Sunday, November 2, 2014

Pursue Humility

"Are you wiling to pursue a life that "acts justly, loves mercy, and walks humbly with God" (micah 6:8)? How is your pride to be broken, and replaced instead with humility today?" - Wellspring, by Steve Macchia

The breaking hurts.
Pride in accomplishing good
in helping people
still is PRIDE.
Pause. Breath.
"Oh weary one.
Come back to me - pick up my yoke and come with me again.
What you thought was the way is your idea of good - I know even more abundant goodness...
will you join me in bringing it to pass?
I will give you rest.
Restoration. New life.
Pause. Breath.
Come with me - gently, humbly, I will lead this time.
It will be very good."

(inspired from Matthew 11:29-30)

Sunday, September 7, 2014

An Artist?

What makes you an artist?
If I can draw or paint something that others think is beautiful. Or accurate. Or powerful. 
Am I an artist?
If the lines are correct, emotion impacted, is it art? Perhaps... Am I an artist?
I don't know. 
Does an artist merely create art? Produce art? Make artistic impressions from blank paper and a pencil? Or is it more?
Telling a story 
Sharing heart and soul 
A lifestyle of creativity 
Other than the status quo
Different 
Unique
Questioning what is
New ideas for what can be
An artist is a truth teller 
Inspired
Honest and hopeful 
Never content with the answer "no, that's not how it's done"
Burst through those boxes 
And be. 
Be yourself. 
And while you're at it splash some paint around.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Good Friday thoughts on Shawmut Ave


"The one who hung the earth upon the waters : today he is hung upon a cross" 
- Common Prayer, a liturgy for ordinary radicals  



Friday around noon, the procession from The Cathedral of the Holy Cross came down my street and by my front door. 
I got a text from my housemate Cathi that they were coming, so i opened the door, with my cup of tea, and there, saw Jesus, bent under the weight of the cross, struggling down the street. Long dark hair, dark skin, rough linen robe, roman soldiers were yelling and whipping and there were others with small cross bars, struggling along side. They turned down Shawmut ave, and came towards me. A crowd followed yelling "crucify him!!" over and over and over... angry, mob. there were the chief priests and Pharisees talking together on the side, walking, dignified, long robes flowing and long beards
The street is cleared of cars from street cleaning on this side. 
people are filming, and taking pictures along the way with their ipads and cameras. 
I reach into my pocket to get my phone- Yes, my first thought is wow- i want to capture this moment and share it. 
spectator 
when i try to take a picture, A notice comes up - my pictures are full. The processing is going by - and i see the back of Jesus bent under the cross head around the corner. The soldiers with their robes and helmets are yelling and whipping. I am overwhelmed with a sense of sorrow for just being a "bystander" wanting to get a picture... and wondering if i had lived 2000 years ago, where would i have been? what would i have been doing? would i just be watching? The fear and intimidation of the occupying Roman forces would im sure have scared me from trying to do anything to help Jesus as he stumbled by, though maybe? maybe i would have come alongside Mary and wept with her and held her hand and shuffled alongside behind the crowds who have been swept up into this mob yelling "crucify him! Crucify him! He must die" No- do they know what they are saying? These same men and women were fed by his miracles, weren't they? amazed at the healing, his words of wisdom. Why this anger and blood thirsty excitement?! Is it sport? is it just drama? Is it just something we take a picture of and post on facebook? A good newsfeed? Intstagram it with a cool filter. 
Heartbreaking confusion, anguish, fear, why is this happening to the Lord? to Jesus? this one who came from Nazareth, born down in Bethlehem, this one who has shown us such love and compassion, and has opened up the Word and presence of God in such amazing ways. Jesus- why??? Why are they doing this to you? 

all this for me...?... yes. 

the procession passes by, with police cars taking up the rear, with their lights flashing, and as the last echos of "crucify him!!" fade away down the street i hear the ice cream truck's little jingle song playing in the distance. 
what a crazy world. 

----
later that day...
Good Friday service at South End neighborhood Church, combined with 3 or 4 other churches, English, Spanish, Amharic, and a few other languages represented in singing, prayers, testimonies, and looking at the last 7 words of Jesus from the cross. 
1) "Father Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing" (Luke 23:34)  Forgiveness: from Pastor C of SENCE, sharing that he is only able to fathom forgiving the man who shot and killed his son a few months ago, because of God in him, God's love and power. 

2) "today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43) From Pastor Jose Flores, sharing that this criminal had NOTHING to offer Jesus, he was about to die, and all he asked was to be remembered. not to be forgiven or saved, but remembered. He is not any further away, or closer to jesus than anyone else. we all have this same chance to come to Jesus, to ask to be remembered.

3) "Dear woman, here is your son" (john 19:26) A member of the Ethiopian church (emmanuel disciples church) shared the awe - we cannot fully understand what Jesus did for us- his divine blood covers us and frees us, and we don't know what He was meaning when he said this to Mary, but maybe he was saying "it will be ok - I am fulfilling the Father's will". How heartbreaking for Mary to see this pain. 

4) "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me!?" (Matt 27:46) Pastor Workneh Tesfaye from EDC shared that life is full of "Whys" and many questions, but we must follow Jesus example, and finish our "whys" in submission to the Father's will

5) "I am thirsty" (John 19:28) Carmen Barrientos from SENCE and Iglesia Communidad shared about Jesus' full humanity, and even to being thirsty. Remember the story of the Samaritan women? He asked her for a drink, and then also told her, that if she knew who he was she would be asking him for a drink, and he would give her living waters. He asked for a drink, while he was hanging there on the cross, to fulfill the scriptures, because he was tired and thirsty, and also perhaps to remind us - to ask him for a drink, to be thirty for him, and for the living waters that his death and resurrection provide for us. 

6) "It is finished" (john 19:30) Pastor Lowell Bowler from Dorchester Baptist Church asked the question "what was finished"?? Our debt was paid in full. done. complete. there is nothing we can add, or need to add. But out of the love in our hearts for Jesus, we want to serve and give our life to him.

7) "Father, into your hands i commit my spirit" (luke 23:46) Pastor Neal from SENCE shared again that Jesus submitted to the Father, he gave up his life willingly- it wasn't taken or forced, it was his love for us that held him there, and this is what brings us life and salvation. 

Thankful. 
I am so blessed to be a part of this community! 
We all circled around the large wooden cross, that was taken down from the wall and Nate held it up in the middle of the room. prayers and songs, and crying out to Jesus, thanking him for what he has done for us. 

Hallelujah!!  

---
After service I found out my friend Darla passed away that day. I've known her for several years, as she has struggled with homelessness and alcoholism, and come in and out of prostitution. She used to come over for tea on mondays, or stop by for a shower randomly, and would stay over night now and again. Once i helped dye her hair here in the bathroom. she liked to have jet black hair, and wanted to get rid of the grey that kept persisting. We did a pretty good job i think, and didn't make too much of a mess :) 
She had crazy unique rings on her fingers, often wore big clunky work boots, and was quick to laugh, even in the midst of the darkest seasons. Im going to miss you Darla. I gave her a pencil sketch of a girl with her face looking up into the rain when she had a place a while back here in the South End. As soon as she saw it in my room one night she identified with it, and felt it was a picture of her. I wonder what ever happened to that. 
Im sorry Darla... I wish there was a different ending. I trust that Jesus is holding you today though, that you are finally home, that you have finally found what you've been looking for all this time. The systems, the friends and families, even the churches of this world failed you in so many ways... But Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. I know you believe in him, and called out to him throughout your life. I trust that he has brought you home.  


"there in the ground, his body lay: Light of the world by Darkness slain..." 
but this is not the end...

Friday, January 3, 2014

Establish Peace 2014

"Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us." Isaiah 26:12

It's not about us. We are not in control. We can't bring peace. Yet, we have been invited to join God in bringing justice and peace, hope, light and freedom into dark and oppressive places! 2013 has been a crazy full, hard and amazing year- looking forward to what God has for 2014! Its not gonna be easy, but it will be beautiful. Ready for this??