6 March 2011

Exodus 24:12-18
Psalm 99
2 Peter 1:16-21
Matthew 17:1-9

“This,” says Peter from atop the Mount of Transfiguration, “this is more like it! This is what I signed on for. Magic! Miracles, Bright lights, and special effects! It’s gonna be a rocky mountain high after all! Jesus, I just knew you didn’t mean it the other day when you chewed me out and called me a name. You are the Messiah Triumphant – and you do indeed have what it takes to be victorious over all our enemies! And this!! This!!!! Moses and Elijah here to anoint you and this! this! you shining like the sun. I was right the other day – there’s not going to be any cross for you. The forces of those other people will not have their way with you – or more importantly, with us. And with Moses and Elijah on our side, you will indeed lead us to victory – and at last we who have had it right all along will justly reign supreme.”

27 February 2011

Isaiah 49:8-16
Psalm 131
1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Matthew 6:24-34

Ah, Mammon! Such a god is he! Or she. Or it. Mammon is one truly inclusive god – speaking every language, to all people, of every culture, of every condition of being. And talk about being personal!! Much of the time the voice of Mammon sounds exactly like our own voice! And Mammon lives – in the hearts of each of us. And just the other day I, myself, received a revelation from Mammon!!! And Mammon said unto me, “You really, really need some new cowboy boots. Oh, I know, you have some in the garage, but they’re at least 20-years-old and bound to be too small by now. And they really were just for riding horses – they’ve traipsed through the mud and crap of barnyards and riding arenas. Pretty shabby – not to mention how they still smell. You really can’t wear them out in public. At least go down to Sheppler’s and try on a few pair. You know you need them. Go for it.”

20 February 2011

Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-15
Psalm 119:33-40
1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
Matthew 5:38-48

It's a story that is repeated on every elementary school playground, nearly every day in our country.  Two fourth-graders get into it during recess; something about “he did this, so I did that” and it kind of goes south from there.  When they get back to class, Billy trips Joey.  After lunch, Joey breaks Billy’s pencil on purpose.  When nobody is looking, Billy writes on Joey's desk, and later, Joey steals Billy’s folder.  After school, Billy and his friends face Joey and his friends, and they call each other names.  Somebody gets hurt.  Somebody else gets hurt worse.  And then there is no telling when or if these conflicts will ever end.

Sound familiar?  We have all experienced this sort of escalating pettiness and we readily admit that it is silly.  But I would suggest to you that we can remove the names “Billy” and “Joey” and insert the words “husband” and “wife” and the story is pretty much the same or we could insert the names of two rival high schools, or two rival companies, or “The Hatfield’s” and “The McCoy’s.”  Or Republicans and Democrats, or pro-life and pro-choice, or Israel and Palestine, or America and Iraq. Conflict at any level is conflict.  And if not preventable, most conflict is at least resolvable — but not until one side refuses to retaliate and instead decides to reconcile.