By: Ali Brauner

Associate director, Cathedral in the Night

The reality of affordable housing in America today is far less positive than most of us would like to believe. Agencies are understaffed and case managers are overworked. Underfunded and overstretched, the programs designed to help people get back on their feet and achieve self-sufficiency have far too many gaps through which a person might fall, with virtually no built-in safety nets to catch those who do. There are mountains of paperwork, tedious, long hours in crowded waiting rooms filled with small children who can’t receive the attention they need from their stressed, anxious parents. I know this because I was there myself.

In truth, I cannot write from the point of view of the stressed parent, nor as the child fussing over the long hours sitting still under the florescent lights. I was there as an advocate, at once empowered and helpless. The mother of two young children sat next me to in the unflattering light of yet another waiting room, with its peeling paint and stained, warped floorboard. Stacy and I were the first to arrive at the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), but by noon the room was filled with people.

It is Stacy’s story that I want to share today, with her permission. Her name has been changed to protect her privacy, but all other details are true.

Stacy is strong and powerful, well spoken and incredibly well organized. While other mothers in the room barked at their toddlers to sit still, keep quiet and behave, tasks impossible for a person who is only 2, Stacy calmly responded to her child’s request for attention with patience and affection. She came prepared with snacks and distractions, books and crayons, coloring books and Legos. He stayed happily on the floor by her feet, indigo and violet swirls covering Mickey Mouse’s smiling face.

I accompanied Stacy to the DTA office because she was facing eviction. Her story is remarkable. A physical disability makes movement and travel hard on her body, leaving her in a fair amount of pain. Once homeless, she lived in a motel for a short time before being placed in an apartment with her young child. At the time, a state-funded program paid the portion of Stacy’s rent that she was unable to afford, allowing her to scrape by with her minimal income. Her disability has left her currently unable to work.

In addition to the physical pain, years of hardship and traumatic experiences have left emotional scars on Stacy’s spirit, which she is strong enough to acknowledge, but she doesn’t let them slow her down. She explained that the process of finding housing, getting swept off the street and into supportive programs required countless hours of paperwork. At an unstable time in her life, she is unclear what paperwork was signed, what information was given, who she even spoke with. The fog of trauma combined with the near impossible task of filling out the required paperwork for things like housing, health care, day care vouchers, food stamps, etc., leaves a person feeling exhausted, drained and even punished. It’s exhausting to be poor.

For a few years, the program in which Stacy was enrolled kept her safely housed, but over time, the budget for the program was slashed and a time-limit was placed on the assistance. Her housing voucher expired on Jan. 31. Without intervention, she would be homeless by the end of March.

I met Stacy at Cathedral in the Night, an outdoor church in Massachusetts. In December, she came to us, anticipating the end of her voucher and the chaos that would follow. When she asked us for help, she surprised us. Her hope was not so much for a resolution to her own housing crisis. What she really wanted was to help those like her, to tell her story to people in positions of power so that the system might be changed for the better. I continue to be impressed and inspired by Stacy’s spirit.

I was able to set up a meeting quite quickly between Stacy and U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, her representative in Congress. In the weeks prior, we helped Stacy write out her story in detail, shaping it into a clear, powerful narrative of struggle and survival, one that moved the congressman during our meeting. Not surprisingly, Stacy spoke in a clear, calm voice as she told her story to him, advocating for herself in a way she had been unable to do before. Her young son sat on my lap as Stacy spoke, crayons strewn across the table, and McGovern seemed perfectly at peace in the chaos.

We expected him to respond like most politicians might, with promises to work harder to make the country better, but then he looked at his staffer, sitting behind him at the table, and said, “Now, who do we need to call?” We continue to be pleasantly surprised by his commitment to not just his community as a whole but to the individuals within it. A few days after our meeting, he had written Stacy a letter of support and had called the directors of several housing organizations trying to find a solution to her crisis.

On the day of the DTA meeting, I was able to give Stacy a ride to the office, sitting with her in her meetings and keeping her child occupied. By car, the journey takes 30 minutes. By bus, it would have taken more than two hours, each way. Being poor is a terrible waste of time. After a phone call from McGovern’s office, armed with a letter signed by him, we still waited more than two hours before being seen, only to be told there was nothing the agency could do.

In spite of this, Stacy told me on the way home that my presence in the room made her feel supported and visible. She said that she had never been treated so well by a housing agency. I was there only as an advocate, helping to keep tones of voices low, asking clarifying questions, and taking good notes. When the young child got antsy, I would walk with him in the halls, allowing Stacy to focus on the meeting.

Even though we didn’t walk away that day with a solution to her housing problem, it did feel like a win. For me, I felt like the reality of the housing world had hit me in the face and opened my eyes wide. For Stacy, she felt visible and seen, supported and cared for by her church.

Eventually, Stacy was able to find an organization to help her stay afloat until a Section 8 voucher becomes available for her. Having a place to live is so important for her and her two children.

Cathedral in the Night is proud to have walked with Stacy and her family through this difficult journey, never speaking for but simply keeping watch and bearing witness to the hardship of poverty and disability. We are so grateful to McGovern for all his work on behalf of this family and look forward to new ways that members of Cathedral in the Night will be involved in advocacy.

Andrew Karrman, DesMoines, IA

 

Warm-up Question

What is the scariest thing in your life?

Paralyzing Fear

 Whether you want to be a part of it or not, we are all constantly bombarded with political ads and conversations during this time of year. No matter which side of the aisle you are on, there seems to be one thread that is constant in everything we see and hear: Fear. And that has been the case for the last couple of decades. During this time anger and alienation between political parties have been growing themes in every political cycle.

 

According to Rasmussen Reporting nearly 3 out of 4 Americans believe that the country is on the wrong track (Rasmussen Reports). The 2015 American Values Survey cites: “The number of Americans citing crime, racial tensions, and illegal immigration as major problems increased substantially between 2012 and 2015.” While there is no way to measure racial tensions, some things are measurable. During this time the total number of crimes have actually dropped across all categories while the total population has increased, resulting in a significantly lower crime rate (Disaster Center Crime Report). Pew Research reports that the population of illegal immigrants has decreased from its peak in 2007 (Pew Research Center). Jobs, GDP growth (a measurement of our wealth as a nation), and the number of Americans with health insurance have all risen since 2012, pointing towards a trend in the right direction. Despite evidence to the contrary, doom and gloom seem to dominate the political landscape now more than ever.

Norman Ornstein, a world renowned political scientist, proposed that what most people know about society and the economy comes from cable news, talk radio, blogs and their amplification from emails and other social media shared by close friends and relatives. This leads politicians to lean on long lists of enemies which they believe Americans should be afraid of. Republican candidates claim that our perceived problems come from Mexicans, Muslims, “political correctness”, and “Washington”. Meanwhile, Democrats espouse the evils of “Big Money”, racial injustice, and gun ownership as the major issues driving fear in America. Regardless of which side you identify with, it’s clear to see that our political campaigns are fueled first and foremost by fear.

Many Americans have found ourselves having above all, a faith in these stories of doom, and social media doesn’t seem to be helping.  As we sit and stew in our self-selected circles of fear reinforcement, we become paralyzed by our fear. Regardless of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, our fears leave us unable to actually do anything even when we do come up with a good idea to effect change. As a nation, America seems to be addicted to fear itself. Whether it is a different racial group, the overbearing rich, the grasping poor, or the lofty brainiacs, we will cling to fear far more easily than we look for hope.

 

Discussion Questions

• What sorts of things have you heard people say they are afraid of?
• Why do you think we seem to ignore the real statistics and lean on our fears when making decisions?
• Where do you get your news from? Do you always consider the source and what they may be trying to get you to believe? How can you do this?
• What role do you think social media and cable news have played in the amount of fear people feel about the world today?

Second Sunday of Easter

Acts 5:27-32

Revelation 1:4-8

John 20:19-31

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

 

Gospel Reflection

The Gospel this week begins with the disciples locked away and paralyzed by fear after Jesus’ body goes missing. Despite this, Jesus comes and tells them to go out and share the good news with others. When Thomas returns to the locked room and hears the other disciples recount what took place, he finds the disciples’ story hard to believe and says he just won’t take them at their word. He wants to see Jesus himself. This story is often used to condemn Thomas for not believing, but this time let’s look at the story from Thomas’s perspective.

While all of the other disciples are locked in a room afraid of what might happen to them, Thomas is outside. Why? We don’t really know, so all we can really do is speculate. Maybe the disciples were hungry and Thomas drew the short straw and had to bravely leave to get food. Maybe he was out investigating the claims of Mary Magdalene who had told the disciples that she had seen Jesus. Maybe he was out telling people about the good news of the empty tomb. Whatever the reason, Thomas isn’t with the others when they are locked away and afraid of the world around them.

When Thomas finally does return, his friends tell him that while he was gone their dead friend came and told them to go out and forgive the sins of others. Thomas doesn’t believe them. But would you have believed them? If Jesus really did come back from the dead and tell the disciples to do something, why would they still be locked away in this room. Thomas doesn’t doubt Jesus, he doubts the disciples.

Even when we come back to this scene a week later, nothing has changed. The disciples are still locked in their room afraid of what lies beyond (no wonder Thomas doesn’t believe them!). Then Jesus comes again and tells Thomas to touch him and believe. However, the text never says that Thomas actually touches Jesus. Instead, just seeing Jesus is enough to have Thomas’s doubts answered (unlike the fearful disciples) and he becomes the first person in all of the gospel of John to declare that Jesus is God.

Because Thomas was willing to admit to the doubts and fears that paralyzed the other disciples, he opened himself to hearing Christ’s answer. Doubt helped Thomas to grow and expand his faith, while fear caused the other disciples to lock themselves away. Thomas is a model of a hard-earned faith which will be able to withstand doubt and fear.

“Do not fear” is a common refrain throughout scripture. When Jesus spoke the words, “Peace be with you,” he was reminding the disciples of that very idea. However, when faced with the death of their friend, leader, and teacher, the disciples are paralyzed by fear despite the overwhelming evidence that their fears are unfounded. Jesus uses this peace to call his disciples to action by telling the disciples to go out just as Jesus did in his own life.

Doubt is the pathway to faith and freedom from fear. Doubt is what allows our faith to grow through questioning, investigation, wondering, and discussion. The end of the text tells us exactly why it is written. It is an invitation to those of us who haven’t been able to see Jesus after his death on the cross. But it’s not an invitation to lock ourselves away and wait to get into heaven because we’re afraid of what we might see, do, or have done to us. Rather, it is an invitation to allow our belief to free us from fear and lead us through questioning into a life of action!

Discussion Questions

• What is a time when you’ve been paralyzed by fear? What did it feel like at the time? How do you feel about it when you reflect on the situation today?
• In verse 27 Jesus says, “Do not doubt but believe.” Who do you think Jesus is questioning, Thomas or the other disciples? Why?
• Do you believe that doubt is the opposite of faith? Why or why not? What about fear?
• What would it look like to behave like Thomas in today’s political environment? What about behaving like the other disciples?

Activity Suggestions

Break up your group into smaller groups of 3-5 youth. Have youth use their smartphones to look up a political ad featuring some sort of fear (or look them up for them before hand). Ask them to summarize what the candidate is trying to say and have them create a response ad (most likely a skit) which uses doubt to dispel the fear that the ad created.

Closing Prayer

My Lord and my God, thank you for your presence here among us today. Help us to believe that Jesus is your son and our Messiah. Please help us to keep from falling into the trap of fear and use our doubts to free us so that we can live lives of faithful action. Amen.

Por Elizabeth Eaton

Ambos tomaron el cuerpo de Jesús y, conforme a la costumbre judía de dar sepultura, lo envolvieron en vendas con las especias aromáticas. En el lugar donde crucificaron a Jesús había un huerto, y en el huerto un sepulcro nuevo en el que todavía no se había sepultado a nadie. Como era el día judío de la preparación, y el sepulcro estaba cerca, pusieron allí a Jesús. (Juan 19:40-42).

Sábado de Gloria. Una pausa. Un espacio entre el Viernes Santo y la Pascua. Un sepulcro lleno y, excepto por el guardia, un huerto vacío. Sin movimiento. En silencio.

No prestamos mucha atención al Sábado de Gloria más que como día de preparación para el Domingo de Pascua. El grupo juvenil tiene que prepararse para el desayuno de Pascua. El gremio del altar está ocupado encargándose de los lirios y preparando el altar. Los supermercados están llenos. Se pintan huevos. Estamos ocupados con un ajetreo de anticipación. Dejamos atrás el Viernes Santo. Incluso la Vigilia Pascual en la noche del Sábado de Gloria anuncia y dirige la mirada hacia la resurrección.

Nosotros, por supuesto, vivimos después de la primera Pascua. Sabemos cómo acaba la historia y se sentiría forzado quedarse en el Sábado de Gloria como si no supiéramos de la resurrección. Pero se nos ha concedido este día santo para hacer una pausa. Se nos ha dado este espacio santo para manifestar nuestro duelo; para estar vacíos; para darnos cuenta que la vida, tal como la conocemos, se ha acabado.

Esto resulta profundamente incómodo en nuestra cultura. Lo vemos en los noticieros cuando se empieza a hablar de un cierre inmediatamente después de una tragedia. Podría ser un intento bienintencionado por aliviar el dolor, pero no sana. Existe un peligro en superar con demasiada rapidez el duelo. Es importante resistirse al ansia de llevar al afligido hacia esa etapa de “cierre”.

No se puede apresurar el proceso de duelo por tragedias como las de Sandy Hook, Mother Emanuel o San Bernardino. Ninguno de los Viernes Santos de nuestra vida lo puede hacer. La resurrección se produjo después de una muerte real. La crucifixión no fue una metáfora. Un corazón dejó de latir. Exhaló su último suspiro. Un hijo murió. Las madres de Siria, El Salvador o el lado sur de Chicago hacen guardia al pie de la cruz.

Pero el Sábado de Gloria es algo más que el santo y necesario espacio para enfrentarse a la muerte sin negaciones, y para llorar sin la anestesia entumecedora del sentimentalismo. Algo mucho más profundo está pasando. Es una invitación a aceptar que la vida, tal como la conocemos, se ha acabado. Todos nuestros planes, toda nuestra premeditación y todas nuestras buenas intenciones se han acabado.

En el Sábado de Gloria se nos invita a dejar atrás nuestra vida y entrar al sepulcro. Nuestro esfuerzo y nuestro sentido de la justicia, así como nuestro pecado, nos atan. Nuestro esfuerzo por salvar nuestra vida nos ata. Esto es así tanto para la iglesia como para cada uno de sus miembros.

Me siento agradecida por la innovación fiel y el constante esfuerzo de todas nuestras gentes y congregaciones. No estoy tan apartada del ministerio parroquial como para no recordar sus dificultades y alegrías. Hay algo noble y querido en los santos que acuden una semana tras otra, un año tras otro, para escuchar y recibir el evangelio y, en respuesta a la gracia, participar en la obra reconciliadora de Dios en el mundo. Pero un día llega la hora en que hay que tomar en serio la enseñanza de Jesús: “Porque el que quiera salvar su vida, la perderá; pero el que pierda su vida por mi causa, la encontrará” (Mateo 16:25).

Ese día entre Viernes Santo y Pascua se puede mirar como un vacío, una nada, algo a lo que hay que resistirse a toda costa, algo a llenar. Es la misma reacción que muchos en nuestra cultura manifiestan ante el silencio. Es como si el sonido y la actividad demostraran que todavía existimos. Pero pienso que el espacio entre la crucifixión y la resurrección —verdaderamente aterrador y verdaderamente compasivo— nos llama desde nuestra vida hacia la vida en Cristo. Después de todo, no fue ni el ruido ni el fuego lo que llamó la atención de Elías, sino el sonido del puro silencio (1 Reyes 19:11-13).

Cuando dejemos atrás nuestras vidas y entremos al sepulcro, cuando el silencio nos rodee, entonces veremos que Jesús ya nos precedió, anticipándonos, acogiéndonos para que nos quedemos quietos y muramos en él y encontremos nuestra vida en él. Descansa, querida iglesia.

Mensaje mensual de la obispa presidente de la Iglesia Evangélica Luterana en América. Esta columna se publicó por primera vez en la edición de marzo de 2016 de la revista en inglés The Lutheran. Reimpreso con permiso.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

2016 Easter Message

From Bishop Dr. Munib Younan

Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

+++

1 Corinthians 15:1-2

Now I should remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.

+++

Salaam and grace to you from Jerusalem, in the name of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

Today Christians across the world rejoice in the Good News we have received, on which we stand, and through which we have been saved: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.

Jesus is raised from the tomb! Alleluia!

Light is stronger than darkness! Alleluia!

Life is stronger than death! Alleluia!

This is the center of our Christian faith and the source of our hope. For this reason, we celebrate Easter with joy and love.

For this reason, we sing along with Ephraem this beautiful hymn from the 4^th century:

Glory to you, friend of all!

Glory to you, O merciful Lord!

Glory to you, longsuffering God!

Glory to you, who takes away all sins!

Glory to you, who came to save us!

Glory to you, who became flesh in the womb of the virgin!

Glory to you, bound in cords!

Glory to you, whipped and scourged!

Glory to you, mocked and derided!

Glory to you, nailed to the cross!

Glory to you, buried and risen!

Glory to you, proclaimed to all humankind, who believe in you! Amen.

 

This Easter Good News has come to the world again at just the right time.

At this time, the world desperately needs the message of the empty tomb. We need the light and life of Easter morning. In just the first three months of this year, we in the Middle East have been witnessing an alarming wave of violence. Recent days have seen tragedies unfold in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, the Ivory Coast, Pakistan, Nigeria, and many other nations. Even this week, which we call Holy, began with a terror attack in Brussels. It’s difficult to comprehend the amount of death and destruction which has plagued our world, in just the few short months since the world’s Christians gathered to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace.

All across the world today we see that a culture of death and fear is heavily promoted to the people – by extremists, by the media, even by some politicians. The message they plant in us is that we should be afraid of losing our freedoms, or afraid of giving away too much power. They tell us we should be afraid of the evil which lurks beyond our borders, or the evil which lurks even next door. This culture of death and fear instills in us a certain envy, in which the only way for us to have life is to deny the life of the other—whether the enemy, or the neighbor of a different religion, or the refugee.

This culture of death is what Jesus experienced on his Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross.

Jesus experienced a culture of deception and betrayal when one of his disciples joined him for the Last Supper, but then sold him for thirty pieces of silver.

Jesus experienced a culture of denial and abandonment when Peter emphatically denied him, not once but three times.

Jesus experienced a culture of power over others when Herod and Pilate reconciled out of their common desire to humiliate him.

Jesus knew well the culture of death, and where it ultimately leads.

Today we are haunted and even obsessed by this same culture of death, but this culture is exactly what the resurrection of Jesus destroys. The resurrection of Jesus means we must not accept such a culture. We will not give in to despair, to hopelessness, to violence, or to complacency. We need not stay in the tomb, for by the power of Jesus’ resurrection, we have been raised to new life with him.

The resurrection reveals how the justice of God is wholly different from the justice of the world. Where the world insists that death and fear and jealousy and mistrust and deceiving are unavoidable facts of existence, a culture we must accept and work within, necessary evils which ensure our own personal happiness, the resurrection proclaims exactly the opposite. By rising from the tomb, Jesus shows us a new path forward. The Risen Lord has given us a Culture of Life.

And what is this life? It is a life of freedom, a life of joy, a life of equal dignity. The resurrected life is one of acceptance and love and protection of the other. The resurrected life is one which honors every gender, every race, every ability, every nationality, every faith. This new life, our Easter life, is the culture Christians everywhere share, in spite of differences in language or tradition or geographic location. Together, in every corner of the world, followers of Jesus share and proclaim and testify to this Culture of Life.

Perhaps over the years, we have allowed the world’s culture of death and fear to influence us. Perhaps we have opened the door to jealousy, to mistrust of the other, even to an acceptance of violence. Perhaps we have forgotten how Easter morning was a new day – the first day of the week, the first day of Jesus’ resurrected life, but also the first day of the church’s unique Culture of Life.

How could anyone forget such Good News? How could we forget we have been raised? How could we forget who we are?

When the church stands by as refugee families drown seeking freedom, we have forgotten.

When the church honors bell towers and organs over bread for the hungry, we have forgotten.

When the church stays silent in the face of injustice, oppression, and occupation, we have forgotten.

When the church’s message begins to reflect fear of the world outside, we have forgotten.

When we, who have already been raised to life, begin to feel comfortable inside the tomb, we have forgotten who we are. We have forgotten that we are children of the resurrection, children of abundant life.

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, if we have forgotten, then the Day of Resurrection is the day we remember. On that resurrection morning, the women stood at the empty tomb and could not believe their eyes. But then, the two men in dazzling clothes appeared and said to them: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”

And then, the women remembered! They remembered, and they ran to tell the Good News to all who would listen.

On this Day of the Resurrection, we also remember! We remember that the stone was already rolled back. We remember that that tomb was empty. We remember how God used the cross, an instrument of humiliation and death, to give us life. For this reason, the Orthodox liturgy sings: “Jesus is risen from the dead. He has overcome death with death and given life to all who are in tombs.”

By his rising, Jesus has freed us from the culture of death and fear. With him, and with all believers around the world, we now share one common Culture of Life.

On this Easter morning, I pray that Christians everywhere will remember who they are: People of life. People of joy and of freedom. People of mercy and forgiveness. People of love and of liberation.

Above all, remember that we are a people empowered by the resurrection of Jesus Christ to be ambassadors of our unique culture—a culture of life and life abundant. Therefore, in every church, in every community, in every nation, in every context, in every situation, let our testimony be as one:

The tomb is empty!

Life is stronger than death!

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

Il-Masih Kam! Hakkan kam!

Text from here

By the Rev. Cindy Crane
Director, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin

A photo of birds perching on telephone lines fills the front cover of the book, “Mobbing,” by Maureen Duffy and Len Sperry. The small creatures look as innocuous as notes resting on lines of music. However, the birds get center attention because of their tendency to join together to overtake larger animals. Recent studies show that if two particular birds have bonded to mob their prey once, the likelihood of their banding together in the future to gain advantage over another target grows exponentially. But the book isn’t about birds. It’s about human beings.

Mobbing is bullying that involves more than one person and has institutional buy-in. At least that’s one definition. When an entire agency, school, condo association, workplace, club, place of worship, government, or a political leader with followers condones abuse, validity is added to actions we would normally find abhorrent. There is something seductive about getting in line with a crowd even when it is moving in a questionable direction.

We stay alert to public policies that could add or diminish lawful layers of discrimination or violent behavior in general. Lessons from history add urgency to our advocacy when we notice disturbing trends repeating themselves. How will we engage?

Some mobbing is almost invisible, but the harm can have devastating consequences for the target, at times even leading to suicide. Duffy and Sperry refer to mobbing as a legal way to commit murder. Survivors often suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome and are left with a changed worldview; it becomes harder to trust, have hope in transformation, and to not see life through a lens of cynicism. The treads in a brain of someone recently bullied or mobbed are most similar to those of someone who was just raped. Whether we have witnessed mobbing or have only read about overt forms of it in the news, the story on Good Friday seems familiar. We don’t talk about it, but people sometimes mob. It happened to Jesus.

A band of soldiers, police and religious leaders swooped in to overpower the Messiah. As the abuse intensified, Jesus didn’t struggle with his worldview or faith. Instead, we hear about Pilate having no power over him and of Scripture being fulfilled. At this point, it’s easy to think about this story being about the glorification of suffering, of Jesus dying because he wanted to die. These interpretations have fostered misunderstandings that victims of abuse or oppressed groups should acquiesce to oppressors just like Jesus did, missing Jesus’ resistance to injustice that led him to the cross. His profound love and forgiveness went hand in hand with his challenging parts of society that were legally designed to ostracize certain people. And his defiance of the distorted messages hurled at him up to his death was entrenched in God’s love.

Knowing what mobbing does to a person, Jesus’ air of resistance is remarkable. If there is a context in which to say, “I’m not like Jesus,” this is it. The vision that St. John lets us in on is of the Jesus who was in complete control. He wasn’t a warrior, but he didn’t act like prey either. Facing the soldiers, he exuded calm and told them to leave his disciples alone, protecting and loving them even though he knew most would desert him. He was unwavering with Pilate, one of the most powerful people in Israel. He carried his own cross. And in this gospel from the cross, Jesus didn’t express a sense of abandonment.

The Jesus whom John experienced was steady while the people around him displayed a whole array of responses. Judas betrayed him. Peter denied his discipleship. Pilate was agitated by the injustice the mob demanded but in the end went with the crowd. His mother, aunt, Mary Magdalene, and the beloved disciple stayed close to the cross.

How do we respond to Jesus? By grace, the gospel gives us courage to have a public voice when facing powerful systems that frame our society. And we discern between organizing out of love and ganging up on others to exert abusive power. This lesson teaches us that God in Jesus walks with those who are mobbed; they/we never have to journey alone. The story reminds us of Christ’s love, even when we falter and move against justice.

People sometimes mob, but that is not what defines the drama in John’s lesson. God incarnate in Jesus, Jesus’ authority and love shape the story of Good Friday. The story shapes us. For now, for this part of Holy Week, that is the hope revealed.

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You can learn more about the work of Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin by visiting their website at loppw.org/.

Our ELCA Advocacy initiatives are made possible through support from ELCA World Hunger. As we near the end of this Lenten season, register yourself or your congregation for ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving to ensure that we can continue to work for systemic change that truly supports our brothers and sisters facing poverty and hunger.

 

I recently visited a congregation that has been a very generous supporter of ELCA World Hunger for many years. They also have their own thriving anti-hunger ministries for their community. During an adult forum, I asked them, “Why do you do it? How does your faith motivate you to serve?” They gave a lot of different answers, but in general, there were two themes that came up: “This is work God invites or calls us to,” and “This is work God tells us we have to do.”

Which is it for you? Do you serve because God invites you to be part of this work? Or, do you serve your neighbor in obedience to God’s command? Are you called or commanded?

Lutherans have a great way of talking about this difference. We call it “law and gospel.” There are a lot of books and articles on this, but honestly, I think the best example of how Law and Gospel work is found on bus stops in my city during the winter. Chicago, for a Catholic city, is profoundly Lutheran when it comes to shoveling snow:

We Northerners know how frustrating it can be to trudge through knee-high snow. Chicago helpfully reminds us to keep sidewalks clear for pedestrians. But why should we do it? Take a closer look at the poster:

As the poster says, “It’s neighborly.” It’s just what you do to help each other. But if that doesn’t move you to grab a shovel, maybe a ticket will: “and it’s the law.”

Hopefully, most people will clear the sidewalk out of concern for others. But just in case some ruffian leaves the white stuff out front, the city will send a citation with a hefty fine to make sure it gets done.

This is a great example of what Lutherans mean by “Law and Gospel.” With the Gospel, the hope is that we will do what is right because we feel called to do it, out of gratitude for God’s love and out of our love for one another. But, if that doesn’t work, God commands it, too.

When it comes to serving the neighbor, Martin Luther left room for both:

“This demonstrates that we are children of God, caring and working for the well-being of others…”

That’s the gospel side. And appropriately, it comes from Luther’s treatise “Freedom of a Christian,” which is, ironically, all about the freedom we have in Christ. Luther’s main argument is that we serve because we feel called to it in gratitude for God’s grace. We were saved by a free gift, so we serve others freely.

But just in case:

“If your enemy needs you and you do not help him when you can it is the same as if you had stolen what belonged to him, for you owe him your help. St. Ambrose says, ‘Feed the hungry: if you do not feed him, then as far as you are concerned, you have killed him.’ ” – Treatise on Good Works (1520)

And thus the Law side. Just in case gratitude doesn’t move us, perhaps condemnation will.

Does our motivation matter? Think to the snow-shoveling sign. If I clear my sidewalk out of love for my neighbors, how good of a job will I do? When I was a kid, I used to clear the walks for our elderly neighbors, a really nice couple. I made sure their path was as wide as could be. Heck, there was grass showing at the edges. It was a labor of love to help them, a way of showing thanks for their kindness to me over the years.

What will that path look like if the sidewalk is cleared just to avoid a ticket? If you’ve ever walked down a sidewalk shoveled so poorly that your legs knock snow off the mounds at your sides, you might have an idea. Some of the paths in my neighborhood are about ten inches wide and as slick as a skating rink. But, at least they’re shoveled. No tickets today.

Love pushes us to go as far as we can, to encounter our limits and then to find ways to go beyond them. The gospel draws us into a life of faith that is consuming, energizing, and challenging. The Law, on the other hand, sets a minimum standard we have to meet. We look for clear, minimal expectations and do what we must to meet them (or, sometimes, find a loophole.)

Another interesting thing about snow-shoveling in Chicago: elderly and differently-abled people are still required by the law to clear their walks. How they are supposed to this isn’t exactly clear. But if they don’t, they get cited like the rest of us. That’s the way the Law works. The Law doesn’t help us follow it. It merely condemns us when we get it wrong.

The Gospel, on the other hand, invites us into relationships where we support each other. So, the “Lutheran” government of Chicago encourages people to help their neighbors if they know they can’t take care of their sidewalks. It encourages the sort of “gospel” activity where we go out of way to serve one another, not out of fear but out of love and concern. The Gospel lets everyone participate.

What motivates your ministry? Each of us has days when we need the Law to get us out of bed and back to the work of fighting hunger. But each of us also needs the Gospel to help us see God’s reconciling grace at work, creating something new in our midst, something all of us can be part of. How can we be continually reminded of both the Law and the Gospel in our service?

 

Ryan P. Cumming, Ph.D., is program director for hunger education with ELCA World Hunger.  He can be reached at Ryan.Cumming@ELCA.org.

Dave Dodson, Fort Walton Beach, FL

Warm-up Question

How do you decide how to spend and how to save your money?

Resurrection

Though I’m a fan of a wide range of music, I must admit that I never cared for the works of rapper Waka Flocka Flame.  His earlier albums always seemed to me to celebrate the wrong sort of things: materialism, egoism, and sexual exploits, for a start.  Call me old-fashioned, but I like my music humble.

Imagine my surprise, then, when Waka Flocka gave an interview in September 2015 in which he decried his former materialism.  In his own words, he recalls an experience in which he travelled to Africa and met a teenaged boy who had never owned a pair of shoes.  Ever.  Waka Flocka was absolutely stunned by this.  As he put it, “That’s why I stopped wearing jewelry! I started traveling, I starting seeing these [people].  I was giving my diamond chains, breaking them apart!  I’m dead serious.  It changed my perception on life.”

According to Waka Flocka, he now sees the music industry as being meaninglessly materialistic and missing out on what really matters.  Instead, he has begun investing his money in technology, healthcare, and environmental programs.

It’s the last part of Waka Flocka’s quote that gets me the most.  Remember, he said, “It changed my perception on life.”  In other words, rapper Waka Flocka Flame experienced a rebirth.  His entire perspective changed, and it affected his values and his priorities in a very tangible way.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever spoken with a friend or family member after not seeing them for years? Was it difficult or strange to talk with them?  Did they seem like the same person?
• In what ways are you a different person than you were before high school? In what ways are you the same?

Resurrection of Our Lord, Easter Day

Acts 10:34-43

1 Corinthians 15:19-26

Luke 24:1-12

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings
For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

Alleluia!   Jesus is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Easter is truly a special time for the Church.  Today, we celebrate the culmination of Lent and our season of awaiting the resurrection.  Our focus today is on Jesus’ miraculous resurrection from the dead, three days after his death on the Cross.  It is that resurrection that serves as the most powerful witness to the divinity of Jesus.  As we hear the story of the followers of Jesus finding the tomb empty, we share in their overwhelming joy and amazement: Jesus is part of Almighty God, and he came back for us!

 The amazing news is that the resurrection story isn’t only about Jesus!  The theme of resurrection and rebirth is incredibly important in Christian theology.  Today, let us remember three distinct truths about rebirth and resurrection in our faith:

1. God replaces what we release. Many of us choose to give up something for the season of Lent.  Often, it is something that we thought we could barely live without (perhaps chocolate, soda, or one of a thousand other luxuries).  Yet now, forty days later, we have realized the truth: We were fine without those things.  It turns out that God’s love sustains us magnificently, no matter what.  This invites us to consider what we’re still holding on to.  Are you stressed about school?  Are you worried about family and relationship issues?  Are you holding onto guilt from something that happened in your past?  Give those burdens up!  God is there to help us take those burdens off of our shoulders.
2. We can always be reborn. We sometimes speak of being “born again” as followers of Christ.  This isn’t a one-time thing!  We make very human mistakes, and we stray away from God (sometimes even when we don’t intend to).  However, we always have the invitation to be reborn.  This is the nature of God’s forgiveness: We are given the gift of a new beginning from an amazingly gracious God!
3. What is lost isn’t lost forever. You are the one sheep out of the hundred, and the Shepherd is committed to finding you.  You are the lost coin, and God will never give up on finding you.  Even when all looked bleak, and the disciples had given up hope, Jesus came back.  God’s faithfulness is so great that we cannot separate ourselves from God’s divine love.  Even if you feel lost sometimes, know that you are never too far away for God to reach.

In Luke 24, we are shown what to expect.  Jesus’ followers arrive at the tomb to find it empty.  Two men in radiant white (an angels?) tell them that they are looking in the wrong place.  Don’t we do the same?  We dredge up old fears and stresses, guilt and shame.  We won’t find anything worthwhile there.  It’s time to leave those in the tomb, for Jesus is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever felt God’s providence in your life? Have you ever felt that God has put someone in your path to show you God’s love and support?
• If you were one of the disciples on that first Easter morning, what would Jesus’ resurrection have made you feel and do? How would you respond to His resurrection?
• Why do you think the Church places such importance and ceremony on Easter?

Activity Suggestions

We may celebrate the New Year on January 1st, but Easter marks another important beginning in our faith!  Celebrate the occasion in true New Year’s fashion by sharing resolutions for your new beginning.  What will you do with the fresh start God has given us?

Closing Prayer

Holy and Loving God, in you we find peace, hope, life, and love.  Your power sustains us, and your everlasting faithfulness gives us joy beyond measure.  May we reflect your love to all of your creation, bringing a message of hope and rebirth to a tired and hungry world.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

By the Rev. Paul Benz, Director, Faith Action Network

On Palm Sunday (the Passion of our Lord Sunday) it is very common across denominations to have a processional in order to remind us of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem – the political and religious “capital” of Israel. The people were enthralled and excited about this as Jesus walked in procession into Jerusalem, riding on the crest of his popularity as a miracle worker, truth teller and son of God.

When we read the texts recounting what Jesus did after his triumphant procession, we learn about how he spoke “truth to power” and how he touched and transformed lives. Jesus’ mission was to not only cleanse the temple but to “cleanse” people’s lives and all of creation through the ultimate sacrifice of giving his life on the cross. As advocates, we can use the mission of Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem as a guide for actions that we can take as part of our own “procession” toward justice and peace.

One such action might be to exercise our public voice by speaking to those in power about the necessary reforms we need in order to help our brothers and sisters who face hunger and poverty. The most effective way to affect this policy change in the long-term is to first build relationships with our own community members that are affected by the public policies enacted by our government and then create platforms with them so that they are able to speak their truth directly to these decision-makers.

Today in this country we are in the midst of a moment where competing popular public figures promise to improve people’s lives and move America in a positive direction. Our nation and we the people have many key decisions before us this year, and our faith tradition compels us to be engaged. Another action that can help us walk in procession toward justice is to engage in our electoral process and ensure that all citizens are provided the opportunity to participate. (You can join fellow Lutherans as we pray and act together this year by joining our #ELCAVotes initiative!)

As we continue through Holy Week, the Easter season, and the rest of this year, may we remember our baptismal calling and vocation as it directs us to walk in procession into the halls of power AND into our neighborhoods using our voices to speak out (and our ears to listen), empowering our neighbors, and using our hands to touch and transform.

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You can learn more about the work of Faith Action Network by visiting their website at http://fanwa.org/.

Our ELCA Advocacy initiatives are made possible through support from ELCA World Hunger. As we near the end of this Lenten season, register yourself or your congregation for ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving to ensure that we can continue to work for systemic change that truly supports our brothers and sisters facing poverty and hunger. 

Herb Wounded Head, Brookings, SD

Warm-up Questions

• Do you want to know what people say about you? Why or why not?
• If there’s one word you would hope people would use to describe you, what would it be?

Put on Trial

 It’s hard to open up your social media account or YouTube without seeing a political advertisement these days. Political conversations get incredibly messy during this time of year, especially the year before a presidential election. By messy I mean it’s hard to figure out who is telling the truth about a certain issue. Candidates start to point out flaws in the other person’s stance or position rather than explain their own. That makes it even more difficult to figure out because hardly anyone is presenting their own position! They’re just trying to present their opponent in a negative light in order to gain favor with the popular vote. On a more local level, have any of you had experience with this?

It’s teenage social sorting 101. Put other people down, point out their flaws and you become “popular.” At least, that appears to be what’s happening. Rather than just trying to win a popularity contest, people are being put on trial for being different or not fitting in to the usual social norms. They are tried and convicted for no other reason than they don’t look or act like “everybody” else, whatever that means. People say untrue things about us mainly to build themselves up on a false foundation. Paul mentions gossip right away in his book to the Romans. Proverbs 21:24 says, “Mockers are proud and haughty; they act with boundless arrogance.” If we put other people on trial, that means only one thing: we’re only looking out for ourselves.

Discussion Questions

• Describe a time when you felt like you were on trial, whether it was from parents, peers or teachers. How did you feel that time?
• Now describe the ways that you were able to come back from that trial. Who was there with you?

Sunday of the Passion

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Philippians 2:5-11

Luke 23:1-49
(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings
For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In our Gospel text, Jesus is put on trial as well. His own disciples deny him. The religious elite tell half truths about who Jesus says he is, and the people in political power have Jesus put to death by crucifixion. It’s an ugly, terrible scene, one that is at the core of the Christian witness: That Jesus was crucified, died and was buried. There are days when it feels like we have been put on trial, and that everyone has abandoned us. We suffer pain, rejection, ridicule and shame, all because of what people perceive as differences among us.

In our political realm, it seems that the differences are what divide us. When the opposite is most certainly true. It is in our differences that we find wholeness. It is in our differences that we discover a deeper connection with all that is around us. There is a way to look at the world that doesn’t see it as all a threat. One of the many things that set Jesus apart was his ability to see God’s presence in those who were outcast, rejected and abandoned. He was so willing to embrace the unembraceable that those sheer acts of hospitality were an offense to those in power and control. It was one of the things that got him killed.

However, we do know that the suffering and death of Jesus is not the whole story. Jesus doesn’t simply stay in the tomb, he comes back. Humanity gave Jesus the worst possible thing that was available at the time, and it wasn’t enough to keep Jesus down. It wasn’t enough to keep God from continuing to love us.

Discussion Questions

• Can you think of examples where Jesus was able to see God’s presence in those who were outcast, rejected and abandoned?
• Who are some people you know that need to know that they are not alone.
• What are some ways that you can embrace the unembraceable in your midst?

Activity Suggestions

• Have participants look at their Facebook feed for a day and count how many posts they would call affirming, judgmental, or neutral.  Talk about how you classify supposedly “funny” posts such as “Wardrobe Fails at Walmart” or informational posts like “Hottest Red Carpet Looks at the Oscars.”  What is going on with those posts?
• Ask all players to arrange themselves in a circle. Instruct each player to think of three statements about themselves. Two must be true statements, and one must be false. For each person, he or she shares the three statements (in any order) to the group. The goal of the icebreaker game is to determine which statement is false. The group votes on which one they feel is a lie, and at the end of each round, the person reveals which one was the lie.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, we reach out to you in times of thanks and in times of distress. Help us to trust always in your grace and never-failing love for us, the love that will always give us peace and set us free. Amen.

Issue 45 of Administration Matters

Crime prevention for your congregation
It’s impossible to predict when and where crime will strike. That’s why it’s so important to be prepared. By starting a crime prevention program now, you are helping protect your worship center and congregation. >More

Security questions you should ask every church management software provider
More church management software solutions are advertising as operating “in the cloud.” This article looks at two aspects of data security – the cloud and datacenter security. It lists questions you can ask as you compare the various software solutions from a data security perspective. >More

Tax guide for pastors
Portico offers the annual Clergy Tax Return Preparation Guide by Richard R. Hammar at no cost to members enrolled in the ELCA benefit program. The guide gives special attention to several forms and schedules and the sections of each form most relevant to ministers. Use it when you’re preparing your income tax return. >More

Federal reporting requirements for churches
Also, on Portico’s website for sponsoring employers, the annual Federal Reporting Requirements for Churches by Richard R. Hammar is offered at no cost to congregations sponsoring members in the Portico benefit program. This resource can help congregations understand federal tax reporting requirements. >More

1 percent health contribution discount
Portico offers a financial incentive to employers – a 1 percent discount on health contributions (last year’s 2 percent  discount) – as a reward for helping communicate to ELCA-Primary health plan members and spouses the importance of taking the online Mayo Clinic health assessment and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. See how much your synod’s employers could save collectively.>More

Switching to energy-efficient bulbs saves money
Saving energy helps you save money on utility bills and protects the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. See what many congregations and ministries are doing through the Energy Stewards Initiative (ESI). If your congregation is in need of financing for an energy project, there are Mission Investment Fund opportunities for loans that could be obtained for energy reduction and also include the initiation of a plan for a rotating loan fund based on grant and gift funds that would be interest free to congregations and camps. >More