Meditation on Luke 15

(for future reference, a friend was encouraged to write a letter to his father with the idea of why do we wait until someone is dead or no longer with us before we tell them how much they mean to us).

This parable of Jesus found in Luke is popular not only for Christians, but also as a wisdom story shared and cherished by many traditions. It is a story so rich; so full of meaning. It is a story of radical grace and forgiveness. I was told in seminary that preaching this kind of radical grace and forgiveness would be the most difficult task as a preacher. So, instead of me preaching which only provides my feeble and limited interpretation, Let’s let the story “preach” this morning. Let’s sit with this parable and give space for God to speak through it Here’s what I propose: I'll read the story again, I chose to not use the more familiar NRSV translation of scripture, but rather the message translation so that we might hear this familiar passage in a new way. After the reading for about six minutes, I’d like for you to engage the questions found on the sheet. So everyone will need something to write with. The questions aren’t necessarily to be answered sequentially, but they can be. This isn’t a test. You don’t have to answer them all, or any of them. If you would rather engage the story by drawing an image or writing your own questions you can do so on another blank section. Or just reading the parable over and over. This is time for you and God and this parable, which many of us probably don’t get too often. Before we start, I'm going to point out a few observations scholars have made on the passage:

- The parable is told after Jesus has been challenged by Pharisees and scribes. Their job is to preserve a community’s sense of righteousness. They accuse Jesus of not just keeping bad company, but welcoming those they consider a violation of the nature and purpose of true religion...in other words, he is threatening their work. - A younger son could expect one third of the inheritance, divided up before the death of the father, but usually received at the death. (1Kings 1-2) Anthropologist and longtime missionary in the Middle-East, Kenneth Bailey makes the following observation in the light of this parable: ”For over fifteen years I have been asking people of all walks of life from Morocco to India and from Turkey to the Sudan about the implications of a son’s request for his inheritance while the father is still living. The answer has always been emphatically the same…the conversation runs as follows: Has anyone ever made such a request in your village? Never! Could anyone ever make such a request? Impossible! If anyone did, what would happen/ His father would beat him, of course! Why? The request means–he wants his father to die.” the action of this younger son asking for inheritance and it being given was unusual at best, extremely offensive at worst.

- After he’s squandered the inheritance and finds a job working among pigs is an added layer of his unworthiness, as Jews and pigs don't really go together...he is outside of the covenant (Lv 11:7; Is 65:4; 66:17)!

- The story is told in a way to convey that the younger son is living in extreme poverty.

The questions that I hope will allow this story to speak deep meaning to you during Lent. Do not rush, do not feel pressure. Simply sit with the story, and respond as you feel would be helpful. This practice is for you.

Sit comfortably, take a few deep breaths, close your eyes, and allow God to speak. I will ring a bell to signal the end of the time.
Q. What surprised you or stood out to you, maybe something familiar, or maybe something new?
Q. What is most troubling for you in this passage? What about that aspect is troubling? Sit with that disturbance for a moment...
Q. What was the father's reaction to both sons in the latter part of the story? What did this convey about his love for his sons? Consider the listeners: What might Jesus have hoped would been learned through this reaction of the father?
Q. Of the characters, the father, the older son, the younger son, with whom are you most sympathetic? With whom do you most identify? What might this say about your own spiritual longings in this moment?
Q. The party is what seems to really offend the older brother. If you were a next door neighbor, knowing well the situation with the younger brother, would you have attended the party? If you were the older brother, would you have attended?
Q. Using a word or a phrase, what one thing has God spoken to you through this story?


BELL

We actually ended up sharing these reflections as a community...and it was beautiful to hear the way Scripture came alive in this way. 

I didn't get a chance to do this portion of what I'd planned due to time. 

Okay, now, as if that wasn’t different enough. I’m going to play some music...
One of the most powerful ways I've engaged the drama of this parable is through a musical interpretation by the late Keith Green. It may not speak to all of us but, it has meant so much to so many people. I’m going to play just the last half of the song, picking up the story after the son has spent all his inheritance.

Again, as I play this, there is no pressure... Just enjoy the music if you find it enjoyable, the words are printed on the sheet. You may continue to write or draw or reflect as you feel led, Or just tune it out and bask in th reality of God's ridiculous gift of love joy and desire to party with us, penetentes.

Keith green, Prodigal Son Suite (was only going to play from 6:15 on--lyrics below to that section--but whole song is awesome):

I finally found some employment, feeding pigs on a farm, I wasn't treated to kindly, lo! I had to sleep in the barn, I had to eat with the swine, The bread I ate was like stone, It didn't take too much time until, I was dreaming of home. Oh, the servants there are better fed, If I could only have what my father gives them, I would truly need nothing more. Oh, I will go and say to him, I'm no longer worthy to be in your family, Will you take me as your servant, and let me live with them. It didn't take too long to pack my things, I left with only what I wore, And I prayed that I still had a home. I was near home, in sight of the house, My father just stared, dropped open his mouth, He ran up the road, and fell to my feet, and cried, and cried... "Father I've sinned, Heaven ashamed, I'm no longer worthy to wear your name, I've learned that my home is right where you are, Oh Father, take me in." "Bring the best robe, put it on my son, Shoes for his feet, hurry put them on, This is my son who I thought had died, Prepare a feast for my son's alive, I've prayed and prayed, never heard a sound, My son was lost, oh thank you God he's found, My son was dead and he's now alive, Prepare a feast for my son's alive, My son was dead, My son was lost, My son's returned in the hands of God."  

Manure - Luke 13:1-9

HO! LO! We’ve got HO and LO in our scriptures...watch out! We’ve got manure in our story: Watch out! Ready to get a little dirty! Stinky! I see two types of manure in our passage from Luke, horse manure and rabbit manure.
     The first type I’m saying is suggested by the text. This type of manure describes the approach, the attitude, people often have to the reality of tragedy in life. We’re going to call this type of manure, horse manure. Bob Marshall’s theory as to why horse manure gets such a bad wrap is because back when people and horses shared common routes, people would frequently step in horse manure and say, Awe Horse....Poooh. Good theory... to suggest a bad type of manure... Feel free to replace horse with bull. And you may even replace manure with.... pucky.. what did you think I was going to say?
    The second kind of manure is like a rabbit Manure. Urban Farmer Novella Carpenter points out that not only is rabbit manure really good stuff, but it can go straight from the rabbit onto edible plants without harmful side-effects... unlike most manure which has to decompose a bit.. good manure. Rabbit manure.. You may replace manure...with...another word...starts with an “s”... “scat” What did you think I was going to say? Rabbit scat.

Part 1: Horse Manure:
Our passage from Luke starts off by raising the classic existentialist question: Why do tragic things happen? The problem of evil. If God is all powerful and God is all loving - Why does God allow for tragedies? And even more to the point, tragedies happen, manure happens, and when it does often it is said that victims of tragic events have received God’s judgment. To this kind of thinking Jesus says (implies): "Horse Manure." In our passage, some people come to Jesus--point out that a certain group of people - Galileans--were done in by Pilate...and ..."they deserved it right Jesus, Right! It was because they had done this bad thing, right!"
What did Jesus said in response? "Awe, Horse Manure. Bull pucky! Do you think they deserved this because they were worse than others! That kind of wrong-headedness is a load of manure!" Jesus goes on to say: "So long as you think that way, judging people from the tragedies they suffer... when the day comes that tragedy befalls you...people are going to judge you, too."
"Ok Jesus, but what about the tower... you know the one that collapsed right on top of those 18 people... Surely they did something wrong...right! They had to have been bad people right?!"
"AWE Horse manure! You think they were worse than others? Bull pucky." Jesus goes on to say: "So long as you think that way, judging people from the tragedy they suffer... when the day comes that tragedy befalls you...people are going to judge you, too."
Here Jesus once again is talking about one of our favorite pass-times: Judging people.... Basically, Jesus is saying:
- we are not to parse who are the really bad sinners and the not so bad sinner--EVER.
- We are not to assume that tragedy befalls people because of particular faults or traits or decisions they’ve made...EVER!
- and the real nugget of wisdom: when we no longer judge, we no longer fear the judgment of others or even divine judgment.  Still, WE judge, God weeps....
Here we go: HO! A litany of horse manure... I say the event, and if you think it’s wrong-headed rationale, you may say or shout horse manure or some other variation of the concept ready:
- Judging tragedy as a cause and effect helps us to understand: Horse manure.
- Judging tragedy may relieve us of guilt in some strange way? Horse manure
- bad things happen to bad people because they deserve it; and bad things happen to good people because...well the world is just not fair.
- When bad stuff doesn’t happen to us it’s because we’re pretty good! Horse MANURE!
If I suffer a tragedy it’s because of a sin from my past. HORSE MANURE
If something terrible has happened to me it’s because of a sin of my father: HORSE MANURE
my mother? HORSE MANURE
An ancestor's sin? HORSE MANURE
My child was born with down syndrome: God’s judgement on some wrong thing the mother or the father did: HORSE MANURE
- A hurricane tears a city apart - surely it was because it is a sinful city - HORSE MANURE
- A homeless person... must have made some bad decisions in his life...he deserves it... HORSE MANURE
- A rape victim...what was she wearing? HORSE MANURE
- THe victims of Newtown.... no one even dares go there with this line of horse manure thinking...the rationale completely breaks down.
Tragically, there are so many examples of this. Do any of you remember who Viola Liuzzo was? Her story was retold this past week in light of the voting rights act that’s being challenged in the Supreme Court. A white woman who had spent some years growing up in the segregated south, who, when she was 39, went down to Selma, Alabama to participate in marches and a carpool program helping those in the movement get from place to place... One day she was driving a 19 yr old black man on a winding, isolated road outside Selma, they were ambushed, and Liuzzo was shot to death by a car of four Ku Klux Klansmen. Liuzzo's murder became international news. And, it turns out people had little sympathy for Liuzzo. Hate mail flooded her family's Detroit home, accusing her of being a deranged communist. C rosses were burned in front of the home. Her husband had to hire armed guards to protect his family. A Ladies' Home Journal magazine questioned right after Liuzzo's death its what kind of woman would leave her family for a civil rights demonstration? In the aftermath of this tragedy, the majority of people said she had brought death on herself. And the perpetrators were initially acquitted Turns out, one of the four in the car was an FBI informant, and the FBI had to cover itself-- so the FBI leaked misinformation to the press, which soon began writing stories questioning Liuzzo's mental health and her morality. “It was horrible,” Her adult daughter Penny recalled.
What do we say? Horse manure!
Jesus says stop it!
HO! My ways are not your ways. My thoughts are not your thoughts says the Lord! LO! Here we go! Part 2: Rabbit Manure.
If you’re looking for a way to respond to tragedy..to suffering... maybe instead of judge Jesus suggests we try...love...sympathy...compassion... A parable. A fig tree is no longer producing.. but it’s not dead. “Pull it up, says the landowner, it’s just taking up space! “But, wait,” the sympathetic the farm worker says, “Don’t give up on it just yet.... It just needs a little diggin... and a little manure.. Rabbit manure and then, maybe then it will produce fruit.” A parable as simple as it is short. We only have a certain amount of time to live. DO we produce fruit while we live? Once life is over we can’t produce fruit anymore. Yes we can think fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as individuals and/or as a community... are we bearing fruit? In the context of this passage, when we are judgmental, we may have trouble producing fruit. During this season of lent, maybe we need to cover ourselves in a little rabbit manure... This may help to humble us - to repent --. I think, by calling us to repent of our judgmental ways, Jesus is calling us to achieve a higher consciousness... by taking a position of lowliness, humility, and compassion in the face of tragedy.
You may think you are right when in fact you are wrong.
You may think you know, when in fact you do not know repent.
Do not judge. Love. Rabbit manure wisdom.
Two rabbit manure stories:
The story of Reverend Carlson Pearson is fascinating, maybe controversial? Carlson Pearson calls himself Oral Robert’s black son, because he’s black and because Oral Roberts took Pearson under his wing as Pearson was up and coming in ministry. As a result Pearson became “a rising evangelical megastar. - A Republican activist who prayed in the Bush Sr. White House, - a guest on The 700 Club, - host of a national TV show, - he traveled all over the world in chartered jets lecturing to fundamentalist gatherings.” [from thisamericanlife.org]: “he’s at the top of his game. but something didn't feel right. Carlton had always preached a pretty conventional evangelical theology, which centered in large part around Hell-- the ultimate tragedy that will happen to people, who deserve it-- Hell, a horrible place, weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for eternity, and the only way to avoid it was to accept Jesus. But then, one evening in front of the television, in the late 90. Pearson recalls: “I was watching the evening news. The Hutus and Tutus were returning from Rwanda to Uganda. My nine month old little girl was in my lap. I'm eating, and I'm watching these little kids with swollen bellies. It looks like their skin is stretched across their little skeletal remains. Their hair is kind of red from malnutrition. The babies, they've got flies in the corners of their eyes and of their mouths. And they reach for their mother's breast, and there's no milk. And I’m sitting there, with my little fat-faced baby, a plate of food, and a big-screen television. I said God, I don't know how you can call yourself a loving, sovereign God and allow these people to suffer this way and just suck them right into Hell, which is what was my assumption. Here’s where we can interject...what kind of thinking is that: Horse Manure! But let’s try some rabbit manure wisdom: Pearson continues his story: I heard a voice say within me, "So that's what you think we're doing?" I said, "That's what I've been taught." "We're sucking them into Hell?" I said, "Yes." "And what would change that?" asked the voice. "Well, they need to get saved." "And how would that happen?" "Well, somebody needs to preach the Gospel to them and get them saved." "So,” the voice inside says, “if you think that's the only way they're going to get saved is for somebody to preach the Gospel to them and that we're sucking them into Hell, why don't you put your little baby down, turn your big-screen television off, push your plate away, get on the first thing smoking, and go get them saved?" And I remember I broke into tears. I remember thinking, God, don't put that guilt on me. You know I've given you the best 40 years of my life. Besides, I can't save the whole world. I'm doing the best I can. And that's where Pearson, believes God was saying to him, "Precisely. You can't save this world. That's what we did. Do you think we're sucking them into Hell? Can't you see they're already there? That's Hell. You keep creating and inventing that for yourselves [and then you judge them.] I'm taking them into My presence."
- See more on Pearson here.
Repentance...moving from judgment to humility From a position of horse manure thinking to rabbit manure, wisdom:
Last story: We go back to the story of Viola Liuzzo’s daughter, Penny.... people have smeared her mother’s memory, and tormented her family. Penny has become terribly bitter And she carries this bitterness with her for many years... ...producing little to no fruit of love. But a little rabbit manure wisdom: When Penny gave birth to her first son, she resolved not to let her anger infect her boys. "How can you be a good mom and be hateful?" she says. "Adults who grow up prejudiced -- how did they learn that? Their parents were role models. You have to be a living example.'' Penny got her chance to be a living example with an unexpected encounter in court. During her family's suit against the government, Penny was giving a deposition when she encountered Eugene Thomas, one of the men arrested for the murder of her mother. Penny was sitting in a waiting room when Thomas walked into the room. At first, he just stood there and said nothing as he looked at her, Then he asked her, "Can you forgive me?" Penny paused. Then she said, "Yeah, I do." Thomas' shoulders relaxed, and relief seemed to wash over his face. "Thank you," he said. Then he turned and walked out of the room. When asked why she would so readily forgive the man who participated in the killing of her mother. Penny said she felt sorry for Thomas. He looked like he was in agony. "I didn't hesitate. I could see the look on his face. I'm not out to crush people. Everybody lives with their own torture.'' Everybody lives with their own torture...
Rabbit manure wisdom... bringing health and nutrition... healing and wholeness.

Let us pray: God, enrich our lives...with some good manure... Cleanse us from that horse manure: guilt, judghttp://www.presbyterianmission.org/devotion/revised-common-lectionary/2013/3/3/#gospelment, bitterness, anger, resentment, hatred... Cover us in that good manure so that we may produce fruit... love, compassion, goodness...joy. now and always; in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Don't Half a Cow, Man - Genesis 15

Genesis 15
It’s funny to think about the common phrase, “Don’t have a cow, man.” It describes when someone panics or over reacts and is cautioned or consoled: Don’t have a cow, dude! When I was reading this story about Abram - AKA abraham, the father of faith, a model of righteousness-- As he’s getting his butchering on, halfing animals here and there. I had to wonder: is Don’t have a cow a folk etymology of Abram Halfing all those cows? Hey Abram, Don’t Half a cow, man! What is going on with poor Abram? He’s actually told by the LORD no less, to half not only three cows, but also three goats and a ram, plus a turtle-dove and a pigeon, oh but don’t half the birds please. Yuck. Here, we are reminded of the primeval nature of these sacred stories of origins. And if the butchering is not problematic enough about this story, there are elements of discrimination, conquest, and dispossession. The intrigue of the Bible.

Prayer to Open NM Senate Session - Friday, Feb 22, 2013

Let us pray... It has been said, the source of life dwells wherever humans become aware of that source,...and so we pray for awareness this day. (m Buber) It has been said, Have patience with all things but first of all with yourself. so we pray for patience this day. (St francis de sales) It has been said, To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage. so we pray for courage this day. (Confusius) It has been said, Labor to keep alive in your breast that spark of celestial fire called conscience...and so we pray for conscience this day. (G Washington) It has been said that laughter is a divine gift; it has made the world human and loveable, despite all it's pain and wrong... (WEB Dubois) And so we pray for hardy laughter this day It has been said, If the only prayer you say in your whole life is "thank you", that would be enough.. (Meister Eckhart). A so we say thank you. Gracias a dios, Y gracias a ustedes por su servicio en este estado. Amen

Me and The Devil - Luke 4:1-13

An ethic worthy of temptation....Resisting temptation....to be saved Have you ever been tempted to make a deal with the devil? If you haven’t maybe you’re not trying hard enough :). Tales of dealings with the Devil have long been part of the human experience. In contemporary lore, the devil shows up in cartoons- like the one Ruby was watching the other day which had a cute little dog who was conflicted about making a choice for selfish gain or making a choice for the good of his friends. ..and the little talking angel with a halo shows up on one shoulder and the little talking devil with horns on the other, both trying to persuade him on the choice...

Storm - Luke 8:22-25; (cf. Isaiah 54:9 ff)

Westminster Presbyterian, Santa Fe
February 10, 2013
Storm - Luke 8:22-25; (cf. Isaiah 54:9 ff)

National Scout and National Preach In Sunday

Thank you for being here, and to your parents and caregivers. Thank you for sharing some of your experiences today; and for the food that we will enjoy after the service.

I experienced the most terrifying storm of my life while on a Scouting expedition. We had been out on a hike; and returning to the camp late in the afternoon as huge storm clouds gathered. Then it came like a flash-- huge bolts of lightning crashing all around; Monstrous claps of thunder! Rain and hail falling in all directions! We were soaked before we knew what was happening. In order to make my way back to our cabins, we had to pass over what seemed a mile long damn, exposed, with an unsettled lake on one side and a steep eroding hill on another. We ran as fast as we could--crouching so as not to entice the lightning to strike us down! No one forgets an experience in a giant storm.
- The delegation from this church to Chiapas, will never forget the heavens opening knocking over trees across their path.
- The people of New England were bracing themselves for the storm this weekend, remembering Sandy.
- The apostles didn’t forget the storm over the lake. A routine cross from one side to another. So routine, Jesus, exhausted apparently, felt okay to catch some shut-eye....Then the storm came! But, these were experienced and strong men; they’d handled storms before. Was this one different, more powerful? But not powerful enough to wake Jesus!? Some are panicking, and their leader’s not pulling his weight as they’re trying avoid being capsized. “Aren’t you going to help out! We’re drowning for Christ’s sake ....wait...oh yeah....”

Jesus gets up! Rebukes the wind and raging waves. Then chastises his shipmates: Where is your faith!? “I’m going back to bed..!” Evidently, I’m not the only one who doesn’t like to be woken up before I’m ready.

Some interesting points to consider from this passage:
- it’s very likely this was seen by the early church as a form of exorcism, rather than an example of Jesus’ power over nature...in their time, the water- the great deep-- was where demons could reside, and would stir up at any unpredictable moment (Craddock, Interpretation). The formula, “rebukes the wind and the raging sea,” follows the pattern of words spoken to exorcise demons.
- Another: Just because Jesus is in the boat, doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing. Just because you have a bumper sticker that says Jesus is your co-pilot...doesn’t mean you won’t have an accident!
- Another: What is up with the question, “where is your faith?” What was he expecting from the apostles? It doesn’t seem like he expected them to calm the storm. They weren’t given this type of power until a few scenes later in chapter 9. Is this simply a statement on faith? That fear, not doubt, is the opposite of faith... and those dudes were scared! And Jesus is like: Calm down!
- Last consideration: the question the apostles ask: Who then is this? The $50 million question. The question they asked that day on the boat. A question asked of those who joined the early church. A question asked of Jesus generation after generation. A question asked of each of us today. Who then is this? And each of us--from my little girl Ruby Gene--to Gretchen who just turned 90, has an answer. An answer based on what we’ve heard about Jesus. An answer we determine from our experience with Jesus...and the church.  And each answer is something that gives meaning to our own lives.
Who then is this? He commands even the storms.

I want to shift gears a bit...and focus on scouting and storms. I have a deep appreciation for the great outdoors; The wonder of nature. The beauty of creation. I’m a tree hugger I suppose. In no small part to my experience in scouting.
Aside: Philmont was my first taste of NM...and we Georgia boys were blown away by snow on top of the mountain in June!

In the first scout handbook, published in 1911, there is a definition of “Scout”: “"Scout" used to mean the one on watch for the rest. We have widened the word a little. We have made it fit the town as well as the wilderness and suited it to peace time instead of war. We have made the scout an expert in Life-craft as well as Wood-craft, for he is trained in the things of the heart as well as head and hand. Scouting we have made to cover riding, swimming, tramping, trailing, photography, first aid, camping, handicraft, loyalty, obedience, courtesy, thrift, courage, and kindness.
Fast forward a hundred years...the Handbook is on its 12th edition. The First Green edition - which “is the embodiment of the BSA’s longstanding tradition of being a good steward of Earth’s natural resources. Throughout the book, you’ll see symbols printed in this book as a testament to our commitment to going green:
- Recycling Symbol;
- Chlorine Free Products Association logo;
- Environmental Choice Program logo identifies the book as being manufactured and supplied by companies that produce environmentally preferred products and services;
- The Biogas logo certifies that gas used in the paper-making process was produced from the decomposition of waste in a landfill and transported to the mill. Using this green energy substantially reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
- The Forest Stewardship Council logo certifies that the FSC has tracked the paper through a chain of custody, meaning that product and content come from well-managed and controlled sources.” Pretty cool huh. But wait, there’s more: “Nature! Scouting gives you the chance to explore the outdoors and see how the natural world affects all of us. Through Scouting, you can increase your understanding of your responsibility to care for the environment and learn ways to fulfill that responsibility.” (BSA Handbook Online Introduction).

Presently, some of the merit badges geared toward this end are: Bird Study, Energy Environmental Science, Fish and Wildlife Management, Forestry Gardening, Geology Insect Study, Mammal Study, Oceanography, Reptile and Amphibian Study, Soil and Water Conservation, and Weather.
Curious, I looked up information on Oceangraphy--thinking about the storm on a lake in our scripture story. One requirement toward earning the badge: “Describe the characteristics of ocean waves. Point out the differences among the storm surge, tsunami, tidal wave, and tidal bore. Explain the difference between sea, swell, and surf. Explain how breakers are formed.” Shall we add gale to that list...given our passage for today?

This knowledge about storms may come in handy more often these days: According to the Center for Climate and Energy Studies: “in the North Atlantic there has been a clear increase in the frequency of tropical storms and major hurricanes.” Names come to mind: Katrina, Sandy

Another nature related event increasing in frequency: Fires! -: “Scientists estimate that the fire season now lasts 75 days longer than it did 40 years ago. In 2012, there were fires in places researchers thought would never burn, including parts of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.” (Living on Earth)

Curious, I looked up the Forestry merit-badge. One of the requirements: "Take part in a forest-fire prevention campaign in cooperation with your local fire warden, state wildfire agency, forester, or counselor. Write a brief report describing the campaign, how it will help prevent wildfires, and your part in it." Prevent fires...calm the storms, if you will.

Is there a raging storm happening all around us? Is there a demon loose in our planet that needs to be cast out? Health advocate Brendan Brazier points out that sometimes it takes something significant for people to change. He compares mild dissatisfaction in our lives (like at work) to a slow-leaking tire (punctured by a goat-head:). You barely notice it and don’t really do anything about it—refilling it with a bit of air when needed and then back to normal… But imagine if the tire just popped! You’d get it fixed immediately, wouldn’t you?

Brazier goes on to say: “Many people put up with things that are unpleasant but tolerable, rather than changing them; their situation needs to become unbearable before they take action. So, in effect, an unbearable job is better than one that is simply dissatisfying, since it will be the catalyst for change.”

Where are we? Scouts? ...parents?...citizens?...Christians? What is our environmental situation? What is the climate? Is our situation, driven by so many factors - unbridled capitalism, powerful fossil fuel companies--- tolerable? If we continue on the same path, what will our world look like by the time these boys are the age of most of the people in this sanctuary? Will it be unbearable, Is it unbearable now? Has there been a loud pop! It’s too late to ask the thousands of extinct species exterminated over the last century.

It has been pointed out: “[W]e are the first species to become a geophysical force, altering Earth's climate, a role previously reserved for tectonics, sun flares, and glacial cycles.” (Bill Brown, Seven Pillars of Creation)

President Obama, seemed to respond to this reality by saying in his Inaugural Address: “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.”

But...What is our response?

More from the scout handbook: the citizenship merit badge: “Choose an issue that is important to the citizens of your community; then do the following:
- Find out which branch of local government is responsible for this issue. - interview one person from that branch of government.
- Ask what is being done about this issue and how young people can help.
- watch a movie that shows how the actions of one individual or group of individuals can have a positive effect on a community. - Discuss with your counselor what you learned from the movie about what it means to be a valuable and concerned member of the community. Great stuff! Let’s do this during this legislative session. I’ll take any of you who want to go to the roundhouse.

Here’s an example of some work of concerned members of various communities: There is a student movement across the nation--one of largest in decades--in which students at colleges and universities are pressuring their board of trustees to divest from fossil-fuel companies. “young people are starting to say, "We’ve got to spend another 60, 70 years on this planet. We better do something fast." And that something means standing up to the fossil fuel industry that’s been in the way of rational change for a quarter-century now.” This industry has five times as much carbon in its reserves as the most conservative scientists say would be safe to burn. Unless we rewrite the script, if we follow their business plan, the planet tanks.” Bill McKibbin - 350.org/.

A storm is raging. “We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom," laments biologist Edward O. Wilson.
Jesus wakes from his sleep, speaks truth to the power... calms the powerful storm... exorcises the demon that lies beneath the waters... and teaches disciples to not fear.
A storm is raging “We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom..." Jesus is still in the boat. And in courageous faith may we exorcise the destructive powers that are decimating our planet.

It gives me great hope to have these boys involved in the scouting program: may you boys go on to become lovers and protectors of nature - God’s creation: because we are in the midst of a great storm... and most of us are very asleep, and not because we’re trying to imitate Jesus :).

“Rules”-Luke 6:1-11

“Rules”-Luke 6:1-11
The Santa Fe children’s museum is such a great place for the girls to run around, explore, and be exposed to other kids sniffling and sneezing germs. So much freedom for them there! But there are some signs around... Some basic rules: “Under 2 only” referring to a well padded areas for crawling and toddling babies. “to play on this structure you must be under this height” - referring to a play structure that is too small for bigger kids. Perfect! If those rules weren’t there the littler kids could be really limited in their play options. Big kids would probably turn the padded play area into a MMA arena (that’s mixed martial arts). The climbing area would be a never ending game of king of the hill. Rules, clarifications, limitations are very necessary for the well functioning of societies and communities. They help us play well with each other. And so we have international, national, state, county, city, and then particular organizational rules and laws --a whole bunch of rules and whole bunch of lawyers! But throughout history, at every level there are times to expose injustices crafted within the laws...to expose and reform unjust laws and corrupt systems.