Author: pastorbruceray

Easter Monday – Bonus Day

Americans celebrates holidays as a “one and done”. Christmas decorations come down on December 26 so we can get ready for New Year’s Day. Easter baskets are put away on Monday morning so can get get ready for Mother’s Day. In many European countries, Easter Monday is an official public holiday with picnics, sporting events, special food, and even community water fights (ah, those crazy Polish). The joy continues. According to my friend and colleague, Vince Amlin, even 2 days isn’t enough. It’s supposed to be at least 50! Here’s what he wrote for today’s, “Still Speaking Daily Devotional” :

“God’s anger is but for a moment; God’s favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” – Psalm 30:5 (NRSV with inclusive language) 

The other day, my wife made her famous apple pie. Only it wasn’t. She took the recipe from a different place, thinking it was the usual. When the pie came out, she knew something wasn’t right. The apples had overcooked. The crust wasn’t flaky. It tasted like nothing. 

The next week she tried again and discovered her mistake. The two recipes were nearly identical. The difference was just 1/4 cup of flour and 1/12 cup of shortening. But from our first bites of the second pie, we knew: Yes! That’s the way it’s supposed to be. 

Baking is a delicate balance. So is faith. 

Easter, like Lent, is supposed to be a season. Fifty days stretching to Pentecost. Seven weeks of celebration, resurrection, and joy. It’s called Eastertide. Don’t feel bad if you didn’t know. No one does. 

Many of us observe 40 days of solemn introspection at Lent. We give things up. We take things on. We remember we are dust. We bury our hallelujahs. 

Then, for one glorious morning, it’s lilies and trumpets and candy-filled plastic eggs; 40 parts Lent to 1 part Easter.

That’s the wrong recipe. The original calls for 50x as much! Fifty times as many rolled away stones! Fifty times as many empty tombs! Fifty times as much death-defeating love!

Imagine the difference. In your life. In your church. In our world.

The balance is off. It’s time to switch recipes. Welcome to Eastertide. 

Prayer

Joyful God, death-defeating Love: your anger is for a moment, your favor is for a lifetime. Death has had its day, joy has come. Hallelujah!

Vince Amlin is co-pastor of Bethany UCC and Gilead Chicago.

Peace.

A New Day – April 17, 2022

EASTER SUNDAY – The Disarmament

Lent is over and the season of Easter begins. At KANSA, we are celebrating the resurrection as the overthrow and disarmament of all earthly powers and kingdoms. While the nations may still rage, wage war and create systems of injustice, we, as followers of the Risen Son of Man, renounce the abusive and manipulative ways of empire–peace through intimidation and violence. We have joined God’s global peace initiative–peace through justice. The empty tomb is just the first sign of God’s new creation bursting forth, and there is more to come. Together with God, let’s wage peace until swords are beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks.

Day 40 – April 16, 2022

SATURDAY EASTER VIGIL

62 The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. 63 They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ 64 So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”

65 Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.”66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.

Matthew 27:62-66

The Roman Empire (through Pilate) has been involved in the trial, execution and is now involved in the burial. The tomb has been “sealed” by Pilate’s authority and Roman soldiers have been assigned to guard the tomb. It would be suicide for anyone attempting to steal the body of Jesus–even breaking the “seal” would have been seen as an act of insurrection against Rome.

Why do you think Pilate agreed to this show of military force–especially after he reluctantly condemned Jesus to death by crucifixion? Only Matthew records this part of the story. Why do you think he felt it was important to include it in his gospel?

Each day (except Sundays) during Lent, we will post a Scripture for reflection on our theme, “Military Withdrawal.” Together, we will learn to walk in God’s ways of peacemaking and reconciliation. These posts are meant to stimulate conversation and interaction. Please post your thoughts and comments.

Day 39 – April 15, 2022

Good Friday of Holy Week

33 Then Pilate went back inside the palace. He called for Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34 Jesus said, “Is that your own question, or did other people tell you about me?”

35 Pilate said, “I’m not a Jew! It was your own people and their leading priests who brought you before me. What have you done wrong?”

36 Jesus said, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it did, my servants would fight so that I would not be handed over to the Jewish leaders. No, my kingdom is not an earthly one.”

37 Pilate said, “So you are a king.”

John 18:33-37a (ERV)

This conversation takes place between Pilate, the Roman Governor, and Jesus, a Jewish King, at Jesus’s trial. It turns into the clash of the Empires – Rome vs. the Kingdom of God. Alternative kings/Caesars and alternative kingdoms/empires -especially one that “doesn’t belong to this world” would make Pilate and the whole Roman hierarchy very nervous.

Jesus says his followers would fight if his kingdom were earthy, but since it isn’t, they won’t. What do you think makes Jesus’s kingdom “not earthly?” Do you think this make Jesus more dangerous or less dangerous in Pilate’s view. Why do you think many of Jesus’s followers today participate in fighting/war?

Each day (except Sundays) during Lent, we will post a Scripture for reflection on our theme, “Military Withdrawal.” Together, we will learn to walk in God’s ways of peacemaking and reconciliation. These posts are meant to stimulate conversation and interaction. Please post your thoughts and comments.

Day 38 – April 14, 2022

Maundy Thursday of Holy Week

47 While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived. A large mob, with swords and clubs, was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 His betrayer had given them a sign: “The One I kiss, He’s the One; arrest Him!” 49 So he went right up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 50 “Friend,” Jesus asked him, “why have you come?”

Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested Him. 51 At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword.”

Matthew 26:47-52 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

The battle lines are drawn. On the one side, a mob (that included the leading priests, Temple police and Elders according to John’s gospel) come to arrest Jesus with swords and clubs. Jesus and his disciples (who have at least one sword) are on the other side–woefully outnumbered. A kiss of betrayal leads to swords being drawn and a severed ear. But Jesus immediately stops the military action.

One early church father observed that when Jesus told the disciple, “Put your sword away”, Jesus disarmed every Christian. In fact, until 175 AD, Roman soldiers who became Christians left their commission behind. Gradually though, the church took up arms once again. And once the emperor Constantine converted to Christianity (312 AD), the armies of Rome became the armies of God. Within 75 years, St. Augustine developed the “just war” theory and articulated rules of engagement for Christian armies.

“Christian Armies.” So many wars throughout the centuries have been waged in the name of Christ with the goal of Christian conversion of the conquered. How do you think Jesus feels about war in his name? What do you think using the sword in defense of Christian faith (or for the spread of the faith) really accomplishes? Is there an alternative? If so, what?

Each day (except Sundays) during Lent, we will post a Scripture for reflection on our theme, “Military Withdrawal.” Together, we will learn to walk in God’s ways of peacemaking and reconciliation. These posts are meant to stimulate conversation and interaction. Please post your thoughts and comments.

Day 37 – April 13, 2022

WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK

3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am.14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

John 13:3-15 (NLT)

When you hear the phrase, “military power”, what images come to mind? Weapons? Armed troops? Fighter jets? In today’s Scripture, we see Jesus, who has authority (power) over all things, taking up a different set of tools – a towel and a basin. AND he washes the feet of Judas, the one who would betray him! What does “washing each other’s feet” look like in our context? What do you think would happen if we expressed our power with a towel and a basin instead of with drones and missiles?

Each day (except Sundays) during Lent, we will post a Scripture for reflection on our theme, “Military Withdrawal.” Together, we will learn to walk in God’s ways of peacemaking and reconciliation. These posts are meant to stimulate conversation and interaction. Please post your thoughts and comments.

Day 36 – April 12, 2022

TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK – Tax Day is Coming!

13 Then they *sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Him in order to trap Him in a statement. 14 They *came and *said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.” 16 They brought one. And He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.” 17 And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at Him.

Mark 12:15-17 (NASB 1995)

You may have already filed your taxes for 2021. If you did, about 30% of your payment went to support militarism and war. But if I refuse to pay my taxes, there are severe consequences. And didn’t Jesus support the payment of taxes to the government when he said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”?

Many people quote this verse to support payment of taxes like a good citizen without asking questions about how it will be spent. But is that really what Jesus is saying?

There are several clues that Jesus’s answer shouldn’t be taken at face value. First, don’t forget who is asking the question and why. Some Pharisees and Herodians had been sent to Jesus by the Chief Priests for the specific goal of trapping Jesus. Second, remember that the Chief Priests and Herod’s people were in power only because they agreed to be in league with Rome. They had already made their choice about who–Caesar or God–had their allegiance. So Jesus’s answer isn’t really about whether his followers should pay taxes. In the end, his answer affirms that all things belong to God–and especially human beings that bear the likeness of God; and nothing (except the coin) really belongs to Caesar and Rome. God, not Caesar, is deserving of our allegiance.

His questioners understood him clearly, and later twisted his answer into an accusation when Jesus was on trial before Pilate. They claimed that Jesus was “subverting our nation, opposing the payment of taxes to Caesar” (see Luke 23:1-3).

So, should followers of Jesus blindly pay taxes that support militarism? Why or why not?

Each day (except Sundays) during Lent, we will post a Scripture for reflection on our theme, “Military Withdrawal.” Together, we will learn to walk in God’s ways of peacemaking and reconciliation. These posts are meant to stimulate conversation and interaction. Please post your thoughts and comments.

Day 35 – April 11, 2022

Monday of Holy Week

15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. 17 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

Mark 11:15-18

What do you think motivated Jesus to interrupt “business as usual” at the temple? In many protests, interruption of business as usual (such as sit-ins, blocking traffic, marches, etc) is a tactic for drawing attention to the need for change. Do you think Jesus’s direct action was effective? Why or why not? If we want to interrupt militarism, what is an action we could take?

Each day (except Sundays) during Lent, we will post a Scripture for reflection on our theme, “Military Withdrawal.” Together, we will learn to walk in God’s ways of peacemaking and reconciliation. These posts are meant to stimulate conversation and interaction. Please post your thoughts and comments.

The Sixth Sunday of Lent – Palm Sunday

Today, we are taking our “Military Withdrawal” to the heart of Logan Square as we celebrate the arrival of the “Prince of Peace” this Palm Sunday. If you are in Chicago, we invite you to join our “Occupy Palm Sunday” rally at the Logan Square Eagle Monument (Kedzie and Logan Blvds) starting at 12:30 pm.

Together with the congregations of the Logan Square Ecumenical Alliance, CodePink, the Divest Chicago Coalition and concerned neighbors, we will “Pave the Way for Peace” and support the “Resolution to Divest from the War Machine” that is currently being held in the Chicago City Council Committee on Finance. We will hear from two sponsors of the Resolution, Ward Aldermen Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (#35) and Daniel La Spata (#1) and push the Finance Committee to bring the resolution to a hearing and ultimate passage.

Visit our FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE for more information.