Saturday, December 24

AM  Psalm 45, 46Baruch 4:36-5:9
Gal. 3:23-4:7
Matt. 1:18-25

And so we bid goodbye to Advent, as we prepare to welcome the Feast of the Nativity.

And if there is nothing else we take - I will remember that Mary got it right when she proclaimed what she believed the incarnation was about -
the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.  His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.


And from Elizabeth:
Blessed is she who believed there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.

What has the Lord spoken to you this Advent?

Friday, December 23

AM  Psalm 93, 96       PM  Psalm 148, 150
Baruch 4:21-29
Gal. 3:15-22
Luke 1:67-80  or  Matt. 1:1-17

In the way of virtue, there is no standing still;
anyone who does not daily advance, loses ground.
To remain at a standstill is impossible;
he that gains not, loses;
he that ascends not, descends.
If one does not ascend the ladder,
one must descend;
if one does not conquer,
one will be conquered.
--St. Bonaventure

I guess, here at the end of Advent, I'm wondering where I go with this.  "This" being the calls for economic justice. Here I live, far from the halls of power, surrounded by mountains and trees.  I'm not sure I agree with all the tactics of the OWS movement (I'm really struggling with the call to 'liberate' foreclosed homes.  I'm much more passionate about the structure that Habitat for Humanity works with to make homes available.)  But there is that part of me that wonders if I'm just the religious establishment watching that crazy John the Baptist and musing:  'Well, his message is good, but we really can't make the changes he's calling for.  And besides, his methods are way too much out there! That's not the way we do things.'

How do I 'daily advance'? 

Thursday, December 22

AM  Psalm 80      PM   Psalm 146, 147
2 Samuel 7:18-29
Gal. 3:1-14
Luke 1:57-66

This is a must read:  Diary of an Arrested Priest
The Rev. Michael Sniffen

from the article:  
The Kingdom of God is inside us and all around us. The world is a mess and yet the beauty of community is springing up in the most unexpected places. In an empty lot. In a prison cell. God is building staircases into our hearts this Advent. Sacrificial love is rushing up those stairs. It is the most powerful force on earth and it cannot be stopped. “We are unstoppable,” says God. “Another world is possible.”

read it all at: http://www.dioceselongisland.org/newsDetail.php?DEC-19---Statement-of-The-Rev.-Michael-Sniffen-on-being-arrested-at-OWS-267

Wednesday, December 21

AM  Psalm 72     PM  Psalm 111, 113
2 Samuel 7:1-17
Titus 2:11-3:8a
Luke 1:39-56

I think that this year has been a time of conversion for many, as we hear scripture and the constant call for economic justice that pours forth from its pages.  And maybe what we need to do next is focus on transformation of life as the new year dawns on us.  How to live a life, occupied by God's passion for justice, seems to be the task to come. 

From "Occupy Wall Street Meets Winter"  by Yotam Marom, on ZSpace:
But the season has changed. Autumn has ended and winter is upon us. We’ve lost Liberty Square, and each day brings news from across the country that another occupation has been evicted. Winter is here, and with it the cold; but it’s more than that. Winter brings the sober understanding that we won’t be in the headlines every day, that we need to be more than a string of events or actions or press releases, more than an endless meeting. Winter is the nagging truth that the next decade of organizing must be more sustainable than the first months we spent in the sun; that this is a struggle for the long-haul, that burn-out and martyrdom are no good for anyone and no good for the cause. Winter tells us to see our families and take a day off when we are sick, because the movement has to be healthy if it’s going to last. Winter is here to remind us that revolution is not an event but a process, and that social transformation means not only harnessing a moment, but building a movement.

Read the whole article here:
http://www.zcommunications.org/occupy-wall-street-meets-winter-by-yotam-marom

Yotam Marom is a political organizer, educator, writer, and musician based in New York. He has been active in the Occupy Wall Street Movement, and is a member of the Organization for a Free Society. Yotam can be reached at Yotam.marom@gmail.com.

Tuesday, December 20: Giles Fraser - ""Economic justice is the number one moral issue in the Bible."

AM  Psalm 66, 67    PM  Psalm 116, 117
1 Samuel 2:1b-10
Titus 2:1-10
Luke 1:26-38
 Thank you Hannah:
‘There is no Holy One like the Lord,
   no one besides you;
   there is no Rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly,
   let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
   and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
   but the feeble gird on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
   but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven,
   but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Lord kills and brings to life;
   he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
   he brings low, he also exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
   he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
   and inherit a seat of honour.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
   and on them he has set the world. 

And this from an interview in The Guardian with Giles Fraser, the priest who resigned his job as Canon of the Cathedral of St. Paul's in London, rather than go along with the injunction to remove the protesters from church property:
"He remains unswervingly positive about Occupy as a "new form of protest". He characterises it as "frustratingly democratic" because when he has said to protesters "take me to your leader", there has turned out to be no leader. And yet, as he remarks, the advantage of this is obvious: "You have to engage with the issues."He sees it as appropriate that the camp should be outside St Paul's on a "fault line between God and Mammon" and observes: "Economic justice is the number one moral issue in the Bible."

read the entire interview here: 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/dec/18/giles-fraser-faces-2011-occupy?CMP=twt_fd

Monday, December 19

AM  Psalm 61, 62     PM   Psalm 112, 115
Zeph. 3:14-20
Titus 1:1-16
Luke 1:1-25

Reading today's lesson from Luke, it immediately jumps out at you:  "In the days of King Herod . . . "    The power of the system that oppressed so many is named straight out.  The whole story is placed in the context of that power.

And then we get the religious leader Zechariah who can't quite believe what God will do.  God goes ahead and does it anyway!  The story will continue with Mary facing the same messenger and believing that nothing will be impossible with God.  And she will proclaim what seems impossible:  the lowly lifted up and the powerful brought low.

I cannot help but think that Trinity Wall Street and Bishop Packard represent two similar responses to God's message.  Can we all believe that nothing will be impossible with God?


From one of my favorite blogs:  The Friends of Jake:

Lessons from Duarte Square: More on Trinity Wall Street 

 " . . . a beautiful church building with an endowment to maintain it is not a bad thing in and of itself. A  beautiful liturgical space that offers spiritual sanctuary  is not a bad thing.  Taking steps to protect it is not a bad thing either. The question surely comes about how much is needed, and whether or not "building the endowment" takes precedence over justice. Does it become about the money as an end, rather than a means?

Bishop Gene Robinson famously says something like this: "Pulling drowning people out of a river is a good thing. But it's even more important to go upstream and stop the person who's throwing them in the water." Similarly, feeding the hungry is a good thing. But it's even more important to stop the policies that are driving them to hunger. As an institution (and yes, one with beautiful buildings and endowments, and that's okay), TEC has a strong voice, large in influence and bigger than its numbers. It's time, surely to use that voice for prophecy. Even if it costs.

As one commenter on Bp Packard's blog wrote,

Upon seeing you in the crowd I was confused why a Bishop was among our ranks in full regalia, but when the stairs went up and I saw you climbing into the park, tears of joy started streaming down my face. I cannot describe the hope and inspiration you gave me in that moment.

 Read the whole thing here:
http://friends-of-jake.blogspot.com/2011/12/lessons-from-duarte-square-more-on.html

Sunday, December 18

AM   Psalm 24, 29    PM  Psalm 8, 84
Gen. 3:8-15
Rev. 12:1-10
John 3:16-21

For God so loved the world, that God came - Emmanuel, God-with-us - not to condemn the world, but to save it.

That would be the whole world. The entire thing loved, with God working to save the whole beloved thing.  All 100%.

Don't miss this update from Bp. Packer's blog.  It's his wife writing on his behalf while he was in jail.
http://bishopsnotebook.blogspot.com/2011/12/occupy-20.html

Great commentary from the Rev. P. Joshua "Griff" Griffin (who, although now on the west coast, came through the process to Ordination in our own diocese!):
http://www.episcopalcafe.com/daily/parishes/occupy_wall_street_and_the_epi.php

Breaking News

Breaking News - brought to you by The Lead, at Episcopal Cafe:
http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/ows/bishop_packard_arrested_at_dua.html

Saturday, December 17

AM  Psalm 55     PM  Psalm 138, 139
Zech. 8:9-17
Rev. 6:1-17
Matt. 25:31-46


 Archbishop Desmond Tutu writes to Occupy Wall Street, and then also to Trinity Church, Wall Street (below).

First, the message posted on Occupy Wall Street's web site:

A Message Of Solidarity From Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Posted on Dec. 15, 2011, 7:37 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt

Sisters and Brothers, I greet you in the Name of Our Lord and in the bonds of common friendship and struggle from my homeland of South Africa. I know of your own challenges and of this appeal to Trinity Church for the shelter of a new home and I am with you! May God bless this appeal of yours and may the good people of that noble parish heed your plea, if not for ease of access, then at least for a stay on any violence or arrests.
Yours is a voice for the world not just the neighborhood of Duarte Park. Injustice, unfairness, and the strangle hold of greed which has beset humanity in our times must be answered with a resounding, "No!" You are that answer. I write this to you not many miles away from the houses of the poor in my country. It pains me despite all the progress we have made. You see, the heartbeat of what you are asking for--that those who have too much must wake up to the cries of their brothers and sisters who have so little--beats in me and all South Africans who believe in justice.
Trinity Church is an esteemed and valued old friend of mine; from the earliest days when I was a young Deacon. Theirs was the consistent and supportive voice I heard when no one else supported me or our beloved brother Nelson Mandela. That is why it is especially painful for me to hear of the impasse you are experiencing with the parish. I appeal to them to find a way to help you. I appeal to them to embrace the higher calling of Our Lord Jesus Christ--which they live so well in all other ways--but now to do so in this instance...can we not rearrange our affairs for justice sake? Just as history watched as South Africa was reborn in promise and fairness so it is watching you now.
In closing, be assured of my thoughts and prayers, they are with you at this very hour.
God bless you,
+Desmond Tutu
Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town


And then this posted on Trinity Wall Street's Web site:

A Statement from Archbishop Desmond Tutu

December 16, 2011

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has issued further comment on the Occupy Wall Street movement and Trinity Wall Street:

I’ve challenged my friends at Trinity on this issue just as I’ve challenged Trinity for the past 35 years in our ongoing friendship. I do this in love, not to harm.

I also now challenge those who disagree with Trinity. My statement is not to be used to justify breaking the law. In a country where all people can vote and Trinity's door to dialogue is open, it is not necessary to forcibly break into property. Nor is it to reinforce or build higher the barriers between people of faith who seek peace and justice. My deep prayer is that people can work together and I look forward to that conversation.

Friday, December 16

AM  Psalm 40, 54     PM   Psalm 51
Zech. 7:8-8:8
Rev. 5:6-14
Matt. 25:14-30

Holy Mess:  Faith and Spirituality at Occupy Boston
a 21 minute documentary by Grace Egbert, and posted on Vimeo
vimeo.com/33619533
For seventy days and nights, activists occupied a patch of greenway in the heart of downtown Boston's financial district, as part of the global Occupy movement. In this encampment, a community of faith and spirituality took root, in prayer and worship, meditation and yoga, communion and conversation. This documentary provides an interfaith space for the voices of "Protest Chaplains," prophets and solutionaries, a poet-evangelist, and many others.

Thursday, December 15

AM  Psalm 50     PM  Psalm 59, 60  or 33
Zech. 4:1-14
Rev. 4:9-5:5
Matt. 25:1-13

This in from Bp Greg Rickel of the Diocese of Olympia, who posts a story from Rev. John Helmiere:
http://bishoprickel.wordpress.com/ 

Part of what he says is :
I participated because I have witnessed overwhelming evidence that the economic and political systems of my country stand against those people who the God I worship stands for.  My conception of God, inadequate as it may be, is better described as the Love that generates creativity and community, than as a super-man judging us from a heavenly skybox.  Such a God cannot be exclusively claimed by a political party, a religion, or even a movement like Occupy.   Such a Love contrasts with everything that reserves power, dignity, wealth, and the status of full humanity for some while depriving it from others.  My commitment to Love requires me to challenge the increasing consolidation of all these good things in the hands of a few, and to collaborate for the creation of something that Love would recognize as kin.

Wednesday, December 14

AM  Psalm 119:49-72     PM  Psalm 49, 53
Zech. 3:1-10
Rev. 4:1-8
Matt 24:45-51

From the morning Psalm:
The earth, O Lord, is full of your love;
Instruct me in your statutes.

Then I got this notice, from NH Children's Trust, Inc., about a proposed change here in New Hampshire.  If we are trying to listen to God and our world this Advent, with a special emphasis on the voice of Occupy Wall Street, this seems to me to resonate with the concerns they raise about not paying attention to those most vulnerable.

This doesn't seem to help make the world full of God's love, nor to mirror God's statutes:

The Rules are about to Change

The Medicaid Rule Change

The rule change affects the extent to which Medicaid is used to provide services to pregnant women and children "for the purpose of improving birth outcomes and parenting skills and ensuring the health and well-being of the child." The proposed rule change further restricts eligibility in one program to only first-time pregnant women who are at least 19 but under the age of 21. Of even greater concern is the limitation of services in a second program, called Child/Family Health Care Supports (CFHCS). Let's examine this more closely.

The proposed rule change limits the amount of Medicaid-billable services that can be provided to a CFHCS-eligible family to the equivalent of three hours per year. That averages one hour of service every four months. To be eligible for CFHCS, the family must be struggling with at least two primary challenges such as mental illness, substance abuse, a finding of child abuse and neglect, homelessness.   Or, the family must face at least three secondary challenges such as limited English proficiency, single parenting without social supports, lack of a high school education, premature or low birth weight baby, documented family trauma (family death, domestic violence, parent was a victim of child abuse, violent crime), grandparents raising a child, family income less than 125% of federal poverty level ($27,938 for a family of four). To "maximize savings", the provision of three hours of service per year must include the assessment that documents the family's needs to receive services.

This means, of the allowable three hours of service per year that is supposed to "improve birth outcomes and parenting skills and ensure the health and well-being of the child" for these challenged families, most will be used simply assessing and documenting the extent of the family's needs. The premise would be laughable except for the disaster it represents for families across the state. If you pay local property taxes, you may see big increases when these unserved kids and families hit the school system.  

Virtually every other developed country invests heavily in maternal and infant health and early childhood while we propose heading in exactly the opposite direction. These countries who invest in early growth and development are outscoring our children, having better health outcomes, and a healthier economy. See chart below.

  

  

Chart taken from: 

UNICEF, Child poverty in perspective:An overview of child well-being in rich countries,Innocenti Report Card 7, 2007

  

The State Budget Savings

So, how much will the state save through this rule change that affects more than a thousand children? The state saves precisely $387,750, roughly the cost to incarcerate twelve people for a year. But let's not forget that the state also forfeits an equivalent amount of federal aid through this rule change, so the true total is more than three quarters of a million dollars ($750,000) that will no longer go to community based agencies to provide services to families. A rule change that

• increases unemployment,
• forfeits federal funding (these are YOUR taxes that you already paid that will go to another state instead of coming back to New Hampshire),
• downshifts and increases future costs to local communities, and
• abandons families trying to raise children in difficult circumstances

is not a positive development for New Hampshire.

What You Can Do

You have until December 30 to contact Michael Holt to suggest changes to the proposed rule change at Michael.Holt@dhhs.state.nh.us, or show up at the public hearing on December 20 at 1 pm at the DHHS Brown Building Auditorium at 129 Pleasant Street in Concord. The text to the full rule change is available at  http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us./oos/aru/comment.htm

Remember, too, that the rule change was proposed as a result of the cuts made by our legislators. To make a difference in the life of a child and to ensure the quality of life we all expect to have as NH residents, you need to speak up, submit a comment to the Medicaid administration, and hold your legislators accountable at the polls.

Tuesday, December 13

AM  Psalm 45    PM  Psalm 47, 48
Zech. 2:1-13
Rev. 3:14-22
Matt. 24:32-44

A good read from a priest in Virginia, raising some concerns about the OWS movement:
http://faithfact.blogspot.com/2011/12/on-occupy.html

But I still find myself resonating more with Bishop Packard.  Don't miss this blog post of his:
http://bishopsnotebook.blogspot.com/2011/12/trinity-compassion.html
as well as the next one on leadership.

Monday, December 12

AM  Psalm 41, 52       PM   Psalm 44
Zech. 1:7-17
Rev. 3:7-13
Matt. 24:15-31

Sunday, December 11 - "Occupied Bishop"

AM   Psalm 63:1-11;  98     PM   Psalm 103
Amos 9:11-15
2 Thess. 2:1-3, 13-17
John 5:30-47

Bishop George Packard keeps a blog that I have just discovered (called "Occupied Bishop").  In it he has pointed me to the OWS movement's publication called "Tidal".  It's going to take me a few days to read through that, but I recommend it to everyone.  You can find "tidal: occupy theory, occupy strategy" here: http://www.occupytheory.org/Home.html

Here's the beginning of Bp. Packard's blog entry that led me to it:

What "Occupy" is, read "Tidal"

In the confusion which characterizes the OWS Movement there are lots of claims and kibitzers promoting descriptions. None, I've found, are helpful, few are accurate. Among the worst is a piece I read on the Huffington Post where the author refers to protesters as "kids in tantrums" and, "in need of a job." Junk like this deserves a deep breath and an eye roll.

OWS has provided a fascinating syllabus in a glossy twelve page manifesto of sorts called, "Tidal." It reads a little like a self conscious senior term paper at first but in time...it catches up with you. "We notice a vague spiritual nausea, hard to discuss in a world where serious, hard-working people have little time to believe in the existence of the soul." Somebody was paying attention in Philosophy 101. But do you get the point? This is not a movement which is merely drifting over our landscape?

But they save the real firepower for you know who: "What do we want from Wall Street? Nothing, because it has nothing to offer us. We wouldn't be here if Wall Street fed off itself; we are here because it is feeding off everyone."
Read it all here at "Occupied Bishop": http://bishopsnotebook.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-occupy-is-read-tidal.html

Saturday, December 10

AM Psalm 30, 32; PM Psalm 42, 43
Haggai 2:1-9; Rev. 3:1-6; Matt. 24:1-14

Maybe one of the more important movements forward!  A proposed constitutional amendment that would reverse the Supreme Court's ruling in the Citizens United case

http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=7afc6d2c-7c24-4cb6-80c3-74cdf7e383a3

Friday, December 9

AM   Psalm 31     PM  Psalm 35
 Haggai 1:1-15
Rev. 2:18-29
Matt. 23:27-39

Quoting from : http://www.staythirstymedia.com/201112-064/html/201112-sipprelle-fair-shake.html
"Participants in the movement are motivated by the feeling that they cannot get a fair shake any longer, despite their willingness to attend college and graduate, work at (or try to find decent-paying) jobs and serve in the U.S. military. They believe that the odds are increasingly stacked by both business and government against their abilities as individuals to shape their own futures.
Occupy Wall Street is an expression, born outside traditional politics, of the fading confidence in the tenet that an American can work hard, (mostly) control his or her destiny and achieve the American Dream.
Yaneer Bar-Yam, an American born physicist, systems scientist and founder of the New England Complex Systems Institute described Occupy Wall Street as “an expression of general concern for financial and economic well-being” that focuses on the problem of “undue influence” exerted by business on government that government has been unable or unwilling to withstand."



I'm wondering about OWS - is it more a true biblical call for economic justice, being concerned about those without power/standing/voice . . . or is it a yearning for the ability to be self-sufficient?

Thursday, December 8

AM  Psalm 37:1-18     PM   Psalm 37:19-42
Amos 9:1-10
Rev. 2:8-17
Matt. 23:13-26

Wednesday, December 7

AM   Psalm 38     PM   Psalm 119:25-48
Amos 8:1-14
Rev. 1:17-2:7
Matt. 23:1-12

The greatest among you will be your servant.

How do I take the ways in which I am "great" and use them for servanthood?
How do I recognize, in those who serve around me, the presence of the greatest?

Tuesday, December 6

AM  Psalm 26, 28    PM  Psalm 36, 39
Amos 7:10-17
Rev. 1:9-16
Matt. 22:34-46

Don't miss this Episcopal News Service story from yesterday:
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2011/12/05/protestors-urge-trinity-to-open-outdoor-property-to-new-encampment/

from the article:
George Packard, retired Episcopal bishop for the armed forces and federal ministries, has been mediating between OWS representatives and Trinity staff.
Packard said he would like to see Trinity make the space available during the winter for the protestors, who say they need to have a space to “occupy” in order to build their community and carry their movement forward.

and more:
Packer’s first contact with OWS was periodically providing jugs of water from Costco for protestors. Late one night, he was wearing his clerical collar and dropping off water for the kitchen “working group” at Zuccotti Park when a police officer detained and nearly arrested him. In that moment, he said, “I was converted from a casual observer to a committed supporter of this movement. I think these young people are onto something. I think there is an anger in all of this for justice, that aches for some justice.”
“Something clicked in me” that night, he said. “These kids aren’t being heard. … This is no unemployed bunch of deadbeats. These are folks who are focused about the lack of fairness and equity and the ache for justice.”
++++++++++++

I think that first part really hit me as I read this:  "they need to have a  space to "occupy" in order to build their community."   I heard a snippet of an interview (and cannot remember where - it was early in the movement) with one of the NYC Occupiers who talked about how he had never taken part in anything like this before.  This was a young adult who claimed that most of his relationships with the world took place online.  He read the news and followed events online.  He communicated with people online.  But then something about this OWS movement seemed so important that it moved him to get out of his apartment and go down and actually see it, in person.  And he stayed.  He talked about how he had never been a part of a community before. His comment that stayed with me was something like "Even if this doesn't change anything about the way government or Wall Street works, it will have changed me forever."

Emmanuel.  God with us.  That's what the promise of Advent is all about.  And "God with us" seems to me to be about forming community with us.  Forming community is at the heart of the work of reconciliation.  The joy of being in community is what God-as-Trinity is all about.  The joy of being in community is what Incarnation and Salvation are all about. Our faith celebrates a community that includes the power of the Almighty, and the powerlessness of the created.   "And the Word became flesh, and pitched a tent with us."  

How do we move from fighting "the 1%" to building community with them?

Monday, December 5

AM  Psalm 25       PM  Psalm 9, 15
 Amos 7:1-9
Rev. 1:1-8
Matt. 22:23-33

Ps. 9:18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
   nor the hope of the poor perish for ever.

Psalm 15:1-2, 4b-5
¹ O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
   Who may dwell on your holy hill?
² Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
   and speak the truth from their heart;
4b who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
⁵ who do not lend money at interest,
   and do not take a bribe against the innocent.
Those who do these things shall never be moved.

 After that article I linked to yesterday, we get Psalm 15 today.  It's gotten me thinking more about the abusive power that money/riches has always tended toward, and how that plays out in our own world today.  How do we reform a system that allows corporate/lobbyist money such power?  How can we elect our leaders without forcing them to accept huge sums of money?

And how does money and power affect the church? 

Sunday, December 4

AM  Psalm 148, 149, 150     PM  Psalm 114, 115
 Amos 6:1-14
2 Thess. 1:5-12
Luke 1:57-68  

Credit cards.  Mortgages.  Car loans.   Student loans.  What is the role of charging interest?  What is the role of borrowing money? How might justice be served?  

How do we change a culture that has become addicted to borrowed money?  (Average credit card debt per household with credit card debt: $15,799.) 

One of the issues facing those who are struggling to make ends meet is the high cost of borrowed money (particularly that borrowed through credit cards).  Interest rates can skyrocket if you're late on just one payment, making it almost impossible to then make headway on paying off the principle. 

Here's some food for thought, from the NY Times:

December 2, 2011

Loans Without Profit Help Relieve Economic Pain

By SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN

When Hirshy Minkowicz was growing up in a Hasidic enclave of Brooklyn 30 years ago, he often noticed visitors arriving after dinner to meet with his father. They would withdraw into the study, speak for a time, then part with some confidential agreement having been sealed.
As he grew into his teens, Hirshy came to learn that his father operated a traditional Jewish free-loan program called a gemach. The visitors, many of them teachers in local religious schools, struggling to raise their families on small and irregular salaries, had been coming to borrow money at no interest and with no public exposure.
Now 39 years old and serving as the rabbi of a Chabad center near Atlanta, Rabbi Minkowicz has done something he never expected: open a gemach that deals primarily with non-Orthodox Jews in a prosperous stretch of suburbia. The reason, quite simply, is the prolonged downturn in the American economy, which has driven up the number of Jews identified by one poverty expert as the “middle-class needy.”
The same phenomenon has appeared in Jewish communities across the country, albeit most often in those with existing Orthodox populations already familiar with the gemach system. This institution, rooted in biblical and Talmudic teachings and whose name is a contraction of the Hebrew words for “bestowal of kindness” (“gemilut chasadim”), is now meeting needs created by such resolutely modern causes as subprime mortgages, outsourcing and credit default swaps.
“I honestly never thought, in my realm here, to start a gemach,” Rabbi Minkowicz said in a recent interview. “I thought people wouldn’t understand it. It’d be a foreign concept. They hadn’t grown up that way. But definitely, definitely, definitely the economy now is the worst. The 13 years I’ve been here, I’ve never seen people go from a regular life to rags. I’ve seen that up-front and personal.”

Read the rest here:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/03/us/a-traditional-jewish-loan-program-helps-ease-pain-of-tough-economic-times.html?_r=1

Saturday, December 3

AM  Psalm 20, 21:1-7 (8-14)    PM  Psalm 110:1-5 (6-7), 116, 117
Amos 5:18-27
Jude 17-25
Matthew 22:15-22

But let justice roll down like waters,
   and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

This, from The Washington Post: On Faith

Churches help Occupy movement survive crackdowns, winter

By Josef Kuhn| Religion News Service, Published: November 29

from the article:   “Churches traditionally do charity pretty well,” Ellick said, “and this is a moment where that charity gets transformed into justice work and they can start to see that there are underlying causes here that we need to address.”

Click here to read the whole article at thewashingtonpost.com

Friday, December 2

AM  Psalm 16, 17      PM  Psalm 22
Amos 5:1-17
Jude 1-16
Matthew 22:1-14

I hadn't looked ahead to see what the daily lessons were when I offered to blog with an ear toward Scripture and an ear toward the Occupy movement this Advent.  Then I realized that the Old Testament lessons start out with the prophet Amos.  "Like shooting fish in a barrel!"  I thought, "I can just get online each morning and say: 'Read Amos.'"  I can't read these passages without believing that Amos could be standing in Zuccotti Park, saying the same things (although I think the "you who . . . take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate" could be more aimed at our lawmakers (and lobbyists) than at Wall Street). 

But instead, I find myself continuing to chew on the Advent 1 sermon I was blessed to hear this week.  (It's really nice to have a great preacher be part of my congregation for a few more months.)  The reminder we heard as Advent began was that it is God in our midst that is the source of our hope and our courage.  If our hope is based in ourselves, then we are lost.  But we do not hope in vain, for God's promise is sure:  Emmanuel.  God with us.

And that's what I need to be watching for and believing in this Advent.  God with us.  Not "how can I/we fix this mess?"   That doesn't excuse me from finding what I can do to enter into God's justice, to help shape my life and the world around me as God desires.  But it starts in that presence of God.  As Amos says today:  Seek the Lord, and live. 

Thursday, December 1

AM  Psalm 18:1-20      PM  Psalm 18:21-50
Amos 4:6-13
2 Peter 3:11-18
Matthew 21:33-46

I am sitting in the mechanic's waiting room while my snow tires are put on my car.  To get on this guy's schedule you have to book the date weeks ahead of time.  So in late October I planned, and made an appointment for December 1, knowing that it would probably not be long after that when I'd be very glad to already have my snow tires on.  I must confess that some years I forget to get this done ahead of time, and find myself slipping around on treacherous roads, frantically calling around to find a way to get the snow tires on.  But either through forethought, or in the face of pending crisis, I manage to get those tires on each winter.

I wish it were so easy in the rest of life.  The prophet Amos, in today's reading, points out all the calamities that fell on the people, and how they still did not return to the Lord.  Does Amos speak to us today, as well?  I remember the full house at church on September 16, 2001, the first Sunday after the September 11 attacks.  But since then attendance continues to fall away.

I'm the first to admit that attending church is no guarantee of 'returning to the Lord.'  I think God is looking for the fruits of the kingdom, not gold stars on our attendance records.  But I also believe that gathering together in communities of faith allows us to better hear the call, and know that we are not alone as God sends us out with kingdom work to do.  God calls upon us to attend to issues of justice.  I don't think we can wait for some future appointment. Even now we slide around on treacherous ground, and the lack of justice is causing wrecks in the lives of those most vulnerable.

Vineyard Work - 11/30

Daily Lectionary for Wednesday in the 1st Week of Advent:
(click the link to read the passage)
AM  Psalm 119:1-24     PM  Psalm 12, 13, 14
Amos 3:12--4:5
2 Peter 3:1-10
Matthew 21:23-32

23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"  24 Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.  25 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  26 But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet."  27 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  28 "What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.'  29 He answered, 'I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went.  30 The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, 'I go, sir'; but he did not go.  31 Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.  32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.

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"By what authority are you doing these things?"   This question was asked of Jesus after he "occupied" the temple, throwing out the moneychangers.  But I don't believe it was a question just concerning his actions in the temple.  If you read through the verses before this, it becomes clear that it was also about his healings and teachings.  It was about him allowing the children (the most powerless) to have a voice within the temple, as they cried out "Hosanna to the Son of David." 

Then Jesus basically questioned the authority of "the authorities" through his parable.  Did what they do and how they live show them to be acting under the authority of the kingdom of God?

The question of authority seems to be one of those critical ones these days.  'By what authority are you in this park?'  And on the other side: 'By what authority do you (the 1%) make decisions that hurt us (the 99%)?'

And how do we spot authority?  Is it just by laws and systems which (in Amos' words) "oppress the poor, and crush the needy"?  What do we do when those with power (economic and political) are not doing 'kingdom vineyard work'?  How will we know if the Occupy movement is about kingdom vineyard work? 

And, maybe even more important, what do I do with the power I have in this world?  What do my actions this very day say about my response to God's call - - go and work in the vineyard today? 

Week of Advent 1, Tuesday - OWS, Jesus and the Church

Daily Lectionary Readings for Tuesday, November 29:
AM  Psalm 5, 6      PM  Psalm 10, 11
Amos 3:1-11
2 Peter 1:12-21
Matthew 21:12-22

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On November 18, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, preached at the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.

Here's some of what she said:
"I am profoundly struck by the parallels between the Occupy movement and Jesus' band of homeless wanderers ...

Most of our cities have become far more economically segregated than they were just a couple of decades ago.  The most scandalous divisions in our Church are probably economic ones.  . . .

The covenant renewal possibilities around here are mostly about breaking down dividing walls - dividing walls between ourselves and God, between us and all sorts and conditions of fellow human beings, and between ourselves and the rest of creation. Once again live in right relationship, well fed, healed, and at peace, the reign of God will indeed be here in its fullness.

The harvest is plentiful.  Pray that God will send laborers out into that harvest – to leave the shelter of the places we settle in, whether they are in parks, tents, or beautiful buildings.  It’s time to break up any movement called Occupy the Pews."

You can read the whole sermon here:  on the website of the Diocese of Missouri

Community Resource for Sunday, November 27

This is today's portion of the community resource for theological reflection, put together by Bill Cruse.  PLEASE see the full manual for help in structuring a session that is respectful and inviting to all taking part.   The full manual can be found HERE (a Word document) or HERE (a .pdf).

 

Advent I       Mark 13:24-37

Jesus said to his disciples, "In those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see `the Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

"But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake-- for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake."

1st Reading:

Capture a Word, Phrase or Image (refrain from explaining your response)

2nd Reading:

What aspects of Christ’s message do you see reflected in the Occupy Wall Street (et al) movement?

3rd Reading:

            What does God invite you to do, be or change through this passage?

Close with the Circle Prayer sharing “I thank God…” and “I ask God…” ending with the Lord’s prayer.

Resource for Community Reflection

A resource for theological reflection in community, using the Gospel readings for each Sunday in Advent, was prepared by Bill Cruse to assist parishes in the diocese to engage in a grace-filled and respectful way on how we should or should not respond as Christians to the Occupy movement that is sweeping our nation and the world.

Bill is a postulant of the Diocese of New Hampshire from Christ Church, North Conway. He works full-time as  an Associate & East Coast Program Coordinator with the Kaleidoscope Institute.  In this capacity as a consultant for Congregational Development and Intercultural Competency, Bill has planned and facilitated workshops all across the country for seminaries and various denominational jurisdictions and congregations including Princeton Theological Seminary, Virginia Theological Seminary, Episcopal Dioceses of NY, PA, MA, OH, United Methodist Church Annual Conferences of NY, Upstate NY, Washington DC, MN, and with the United Church of Canada.

You can find the 14 page document HERE as a Word document, and HERE as a .pdf.  Each Sunday's portion will also be entered into this blog on the appropriate Sunday.

Why this Blog?

Resolution passed at the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, on October 29, 2011, in response to the Bishop's Address of that day:

BE IT RESOLVED, that this Diocese and its parishes shall dedicate ourselves this Advent to prayer and discernment that we might, in our local communities, hear our individual and communal call as Christians and children of God, heed God’s prophets and healers, Jesus’ teaching and example and fearlessly follow the Holy Spirit’s guiding movement in our broken world.

BE IT RESOLVED that this Diocese and its parishes and people listen and discover with the oppressed and the powerless a vision of transformation and give voice to the voiceless, seeking to find God in our support and work with the Occupy Wall Street movement.