SOMEBODY WOKE UP JIM CROW

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. …” Matthew 5:43-48

 

We recognize Bishop Michael Curry as the Episcopalian preacher who so recently stunned the world with his energetic words at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Now, Curry and other prominent Christian leaders have taken their message of Christ’s unfailing love to the streets of our nation’s capital. Curry was joined by other progressive Christian leaders, including Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, the first female bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Friar Richard Rohr, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A candlelight vigil was held Thursday, May 24, 2018, followed by a march to the White House, dubbed “Reclaiming Jesus.” “As elders,” Curry stated, “we view bringing (this movement) to the public square as a tangible example of how to live out (Christ’s) way of love.” About two thousand people packed the National City Christian Church prior to the march.

 

Curry said, “It’s like somebody woke up Jim Crow*.” Without naming politicians, parties, or national leaders, these committed Christians issued a statement rejecting the “America First” philosophy as “theological heresy for followers of Christ.” They denounced “xenophobic or ethnic nationalism that places one nation over others as a political goal.” They also condemned “the normalization of lying…in favor of personal recognition and gain often characterized by offensive arrogance.” The leaders shared their concerns of a “dangerous crisis of moral and political leadership at the highest level of our government and in our churches,” which put “the soul of the nation and the integrity of faith” at stake. It is time, they said, to prove that conservative “evangelicals” cannot claim exclusive rights in the United States to defining and interpreting Christianity.

 

“As citizens,” Curry stated, “we want our government to reflect our values…(to) follow the teachings of Jesus Who taught us to love God and love our neighbor.”

 

Lord, stir in us a passion for Your message of love and tolerance for all peoples, nations, creeds and persuasions. Amen

 

• The “Jim Crow” persona was a theater character by Thomas D. Rice and an ethnic depiction in accordance with 19^th century ideas of African-Americans and their culture. Rice’s famous stage personal eventually lent its name to a generalized negative and stereotypical view of black people. The “Jim Crow” period began when segregation rules, laws, and customs surfaced after the Reconstruction era ended in the 1870’s. The period existed until the mid-1960’s when the struggle for civil rights in the United States gained national attention. (Source: Wikipedia) Curry’s reference to the “reawakening” of the “Jim Crow” era is a direct reference to the insurgence of racial tension in the United States today.

FALSE POWERS

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Mark 13:22

 

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children’s book written by American author L. Frank Baum, published in 1900. The verson best known today is the 1939 musical film adaptation entitled The Wizard of Oz. My favorite character is the Wizard, whose multiple roles in the story are explained on gradesaver.com. “The Wizard reveals himself to be a balloonist…who accidentally ended up in the Land of Oz, and was taken for a powerful sorcerer by its Munchkin inhabitants.” The Wizard is not a bad man. But his newfound fame with the Munchkins, and Emerald City, built for him by his tiny admirers, lead the man to think he is more important than he actually is. A clever Kansas girl named Dorothy reveals the Wizard’s sham. He then becomes himself, employing ordinary common sense to help Dorothy and her friends realize all their wishes. Of course, the entire adventure ends up to be a dream of Dorothy’s when a Kansas tornado knocks her senseless.

 

Today, there are many “wizards” competing for our allegiance. In her insightful Bible study, No Other Idols, Christian writer Kelly Minter exposes many ways modern people confuse illusion with reality. Minter says, “Our idols may look different, but our enslavement to them is the same.” She details the pitfalls of modern “idols” from smartphones to super-sized meals to lust for more and better “stuff.” Her study reminds us that people have always found “false gods” in this world, but the Internet has just delivered the next form of idolatry with alarming speed. Perhaps no place in modern history have we seen a worse example of “false power” than in the influence by the Russian government on the United States’ most sacred democratic principle of a free election. Unsuspecting people were duped into believing false social media posts clearly designed to sway opinions during the presidential campaign of 2016.

 

Both Mark and Matthew’s Gospels recount Jesus’ words, “False messiahs and false prophets will… perform signs and wonders to deceive” (Mark 13:22/Matthew 24:24). Kelly Minter concludes, “Nothing has brought me the joy, freedom, and happiness that Christ has given me…No (false) god can compare to Jesus.”

 

Holy God, deliver us from the evil of false gods. Compel us to worship only You. Amen

ONE SIMPLE QUESTION

Ask and it will be given to you…. Matthew 7:7

 

“What happened to you?” Not, “What’s wrong with you?” The difference in those two questions, according to Oprah Winfrey, was to her “life changing.” On a CBS 60 Minutes television segment hosted by Winfrey, the topic was “trauma-informed response” to mental health issues. This is an issue that was “life changing” for me as well, when I walked into a workshop two years ago and realized, as Winfrey did, that I had been asking the wrong question—of clients, students, friends, my children, and even myself—for most of my life. What a difference it makes, when people are experiencing a crisis, to ask, “What happened to you?” and not, “What did you do?” or “What is wrong with you?” Rephrasing this simple inquiry takes the sting out—the shame, the guilt, the blame, and the ego-deflating accusation, all gone. Instead, the focus is on, simply, what happened and how can we move to a better place from here?

 

Isn’t this what Christ came to tell us? He came not to condemn the world, but to reconcile the world to Himself through grace, and not through what we might do to earn His wonderful love (John 3:17). He asks not, “What’s wrong with you?” but “What hurts?” “What can I heal?” “What can I show you to make you understand how much I love you?” In this imperfect world in which we are all broken, a Savior comes to hold us in our pain, to encourage us in our rising from that pain, and to replace that pain with comfort and healing. The promise of eternal life may seem distant and unimportant when life tears at our souls and our spirts. But Jesus promises to be with us in this life, in this journey too. He makes our earthly walk abundant beyond our wildest dreams because He does not ask us to prove ourselves in any way. He quietly watches as we choose divergent paths, and He rejoices when we find the high road again. He is a total Gentleman; He is the ultimate Doorman, ushering us toward the better option but allowing us to exercise our free will as we choose.

 

Jesus, ask us questions, not always the most comfortable ones, but always the right ones. And give us the answers through Your Word. Amen

 

Meg Blaine Corrigan is the author of three books: Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child; Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist; and Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of New Mexico and has worked with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and war veterans.  Her books may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .

NOT YOUR WEDDING AT CANA 2.0

If you think you read this post on Monday of this week, you are right. I’m re-posting it because I made two egregious errors the first time. One, I forgot to insert this adorable photo of Meghan and Harry, and two, I mistakenly said the Queen’s beloved canine companions were Yorkies instead of Corgis (and I jolly well know the difference). So…if the New York Times can responsibly own up to its mistakes, so can I!

A wedding took place at Cana….Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.”  “Woman, why do you involve Me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” John 2:1-5

Cheerio, Luv! Check your stack of sweepstakes notifications and perhaps it’s there: your engraved invitation to the Royal Wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry! If you do get that invite, please note that time is running out, so you must dash to Walmart-On-Avon and see what’s left on the couple’s registry. Alas, the toaster is gone, as is the Figgy-Pudding-Of-The-Month-Club certificate. But remember, your presence is your gift, so off you go across the pond! Word has it a lottery is being held to decide who sits next to the Queen. If you should win, remember, she’s not much for chit chat. If you cannot discuss world affairs or polo with any semblance of knowledge, do not try to convince her that your beloved Bassett Hound Beauregard is a distant cousin to the Royal Corgis. Just sit quietly and watch to see which fork she picks up first….

Not many similarities are evident between the Royal Wedding and the celebration at Cana. It’s highly unlikely that the Queen will be asking Grandson Harry to change some ordinary tap water into wine—even though Harry has a face like an angel. One parallel we can draw between the two events is that family disagreements often crop up. Jesus seems a bit perturbed at His mother when she asks Him to save the day with a miracle she knows He can easily perform. He clearly states, “My hour has not come” (v. 4), indicating He hasn’t received direction from the Spirit to begin turning the world on its ear. How like a mom to want her son to shine sooner rather than later! What strikes me as most interesting is that, in spite of His objections, Jesus does what His mother asks. Mary knows that Jesus respects her—and all women. In fact, He came to bring love to all humankind. This Royal Family started some great traditions of their own.

Praise You, Jesus, for miracles great and small! Amen

NOT YOUR WEDDING AT CANA

A wedding took place at Cana….Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.”  “Woman, why do you involve Me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” John 2:1-5

Cheerio, Luv! Check your stack of sweepstakes notifications and perhaps it’s there: your engraved invitation to the Royal Wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry! If you do get that invite, please note that time is running out, so you must dash to Walmart-On-Avon and see what’s left on the couple’s registry. Alas, the toaster is gone, as is the Figgy-Pudding-Of-The-Month-Club certificate. But remember, your presence is your gift, so off you go across the pond! Word has it a lottery is being held to decide who sits next to the Queen. If you should win, remember, she’s not much for chit chat. If you cannot discuss world affairs or polo with any semblance of knowledge, do not try to convince her that your beloved Bassett Hound Beauregard is a distant cousin to the Royal Yorkies. Just sit quietly and watch to see which fork she picks up first….

Not many similarities are evident between the Royal Wedding and the celebration at Cana. It’s highly unlikely that the Queen will be asking Grandson Harry to change some ordinary tap water into wine—even though Harry has a face like an angel. One parallel we can draw between the two events is that family disagreements often crop up. Jesus seems a bit perturbed at His mother when she asks Him to save the day with a miracle she knows He can easily perform. He clearly states, “My hour has not come” (v. 4), indicating He hasn’t received direction from the Spirit to begin turning the world on its ear. How like a mom to want her son to shine sooner rather than later! What strikes me as most interesting is that, in spite of His objections, Jesus does what His mother asks. Mary knows that Jesus respects her—and all women. In fact, He came to bring love to all humankind. This Royal Family started some great traditions of their own.

Praise You, Jesus, for miracles great and small! Amen