From Ray McGinnis

When Metro Meteor retired from horseracing due to bad knees, Ron and Wendy Krajewski wondered what was next for their beloved horse. At first Metro Meteor was able to go on short trail rides. Eventually, however, the condition of his weak knees deteriorated so much that Metro wasn’t able to take anyone for a ride. The Krajewskis were paying high medical bills to address their horse’s deteriorating condition.

While caring for their horse the Krajewskis noticed that Metro Meteor liked to move his head a lot. Ron, an artist, got the idea of trying to see if the horse could hold a paintbrush. Ron knew that elephants were able to paint with their trunks, so he imagined his horse holding a paintbrush and bobbing his head in front of a canvas. Ron reasoned that if Metro stayed still long enough in front of the canvas it would be a way for the horse to paint alongside Ron, who would paint for hours at a time. It would be a way for the two of them to spend more time together.

Since Christmas 2012, Metro Meteor has become a painting sensation. The horse is the best-selling artist at Gallery 30, which displays local paintings in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, across the border from Metro’s home in Rocky Ridge, Maryland. The signature style of Metro’s paintings features colourful, sweeping brushstrokes. There are also specks of sawdust in the paintings. This is because as Metro paints, the sawdust from his movements gets thrown up onto the brush gripped in his teeth and onto the canvas.

“For his large paintings, there is a waiting list of 120,” said Ron Krajewski in an interview at the beginning of May. In total, about 40 large and 150 small works have been sold, adding up to more than $20,000. The Krajewskis donate half of Metro’s sales to the New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, which finds homes and rehabilitation for retired racehorses.

“Art scholars are not going to have long lengthy discussions trying to decipher the hidden meaning to Metro’s paintings. He is a horse,” state the Krajewskis on Metro’s website. Typically, horse and owner paint for an hour or two maybe four times a week, Ron said, adding that Metro never seems to get bored with the task.

Explore…Proverbs 8:1–4, 22–31

• What is wisdom’s call? What is the master worker doing in the reading from Proverbs?
• What might be the relationship between wisdom and creativity?
• What joyful creating is taking place in the avocation of Metro Meteor, the retired racehorse?
• What delights you about this story?
• On the theme of “joyful creating” what other stories come to mind?

Prayer links…God our Creator, you offer new possibilities in surprising circumstances. May we accompany you in the call to rejoice in your creation and to participate in its unfolding splendour.  In Christ we pray. Amen.

Read more…

• Jeffery Roth’s article, “Retired Racehorse Finds Calling…,” Reuters, May 3, 2013
• Metro’s website: Metro the Painting Racehorse

From Ray McGinnis

Oz the Great and Powerfulis a movie based on the Frank Baum books about the Land of Oz. Different from the classic 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz with Judy Garland, this one is set about thirty years prior to the original with the visual cue at the opening: Kansas 1905.

Oscar Diggs, Oz, is a fibber, a con man and a ladies’ man. He’s employed as a travelling carnival magician at the beginning of the 20^th century, working in Kansas. Flirting with the girlfriend of the carnival strong man gets him into trouble. Oz escapes from the strong man by climbing into a hot-air balloon and is taken, via tornado, to a strange, new place. As in the 1939 movie, the Kansas scenes are in black-and-white on a narrow screen, but in 3-D. The movie springs into colour and widescreen during the Oz sequences.
 

In the new land, Oz meets a friendly flying monkey (Zach Braff) and a brave china doll (Joey King). Oz also works his charms on the lovely Theodora (Mila Kunis), not realizing the possible repercussions of his actions. Oz learns that he may be part of a prophecy, one that involves a saviour wizard who will lead the magic kingdom to safety and prosperity. This prophecy also involves killing a wicked witch, yet it is not clear which witch is which: Theodora (Mila Kunis), Glinda (Michelle Williams), or Evanora (Rachel Weisz). Oz learns that the Tinkers, Munchkins, and Quadlings are kind-hearted, simple country folk who are mostly farmers with no experience in fighting. Furthermore, they are forbidden to kill anyone. Going reluctantly into battle, Oz uses what skills are available to him, employing magician tricks, such as fireworks and photography to combat magical forces.
Type: Adventure
Director: Sam Raimi
Film company: Buena Vista
Release date: March 8, 2013
Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz
Rating: PG
Focus: Oz believes he is not a good person, just a con man. But the good witch, Glinda, believes there is greatness and goodness deep inside of him. When Oz puts China Doll to bed, she tells him she believes he is not the kind of wizard she expected, but he is wizard enough. Oz begins to believe beyond his fears and he becomes a catalyst for a non-violent conquest of the Emerald City. Belief proves to be the foundation for motivating the people of Oz to advance on the Emerald City.

Explore…Acts 2:1–21

• What prophecy is being fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost? What prophecy is being fulfilled when Oz arrives in the Land of Oz in his hot air balloon?
• How does the presence of the Spirit manifest on the morning of Pentecost? What inspires Oz to adopt the role of the Wizard of Oz and make the prophecy come true?
• What is amazing about the day of Pentecost? What amazes the people of Oz, and the witches, about the power of the Wizard of Oz?
• What events can you point to that have been transforming and changed the spirit of the people in a community or nation? What role does belief play in making all things possible?

Prayer links… 


O God, who makes all things new, pour your spirit upon us. Where there is fear, bring us hope; where there is despair give us a vision to broaden our horizons. Where our ability to communicate is frustrated, open us to new ways of speech, tear down the walls that divide us from each other and from you. In Christ we pray. Amen.

Read more…

• Donald Clarke review, The Irish Times, March 2013
• Alison Gang review, UTSanDiego, March 8, 2013

From Ray McGinnis

In the fall of 2012, poet Susan McCaslin and her husband Mark discovered McLellan Forest, a beautiful mature rainforest in their town of Langley, British Columbia, in the Fraser Valley, an hour drive east of the city of Vancouver. When people think of Langley they usually don’t think of forests at all. They think of rolling farms, suburbs where there once were farms, and very few trees. Susan and Mark enjoyed walking the trails in this forest, some of which led to an old growth black cottonwood tree with a hollow at the base of the trunk big enough for numbers of children to hide in.

Then they learned that the Langley Town Council had decided to sell the forest in order to raise money to build a recreation centre. Since the forest was publically owned, people raised questions about the desired use for the land as there were other options for locating and building a recreation centre. The Council responded by giving an environmental group called WOLF fifty days to raise $3 million to buy the forest. Those in favor of preserving the rainforest objected that it was unjust to make taxpayers purchase land that already belonged to them. And they questioned why two beneficial projects, preserving a rainforest and building a recreation facility, should be pitted against each other.

If the McLellan Forest were sold, the land would not be accessible to the public and a vital ecosystem would be lost. Susan McClasin remembered an old hermit monk from ancient China named Han Shan who scribbled poems on rocks and suspended them from trees. Susan asked some poets to send poems about trees and tied these with string around the tree trunks. Word spread to blogs and websites and soon there were over 200 poems from poets around the world. One hundred and sixty students from the Langley Fine Arts School poured out of two yellow school buses to sketch and photograph the forest.

In 2013 the Council voted to save at least 60% of the park. The local Fort Gallery is now featuring a series of paintings of the forest by local visual artist, Susan Falk, donated toward raising funds to establish trails in the forest. The exhibition will also feature readings of poems about trees by local poets.

Explore…Acts 16:16–34

• What was the result of the confrontation between the slave owners and Paul and Silas? What was the result of the Langley Town Council’s proposal to sell the McLellan Forest?
• What obstacles did Paul and Silas face as they acted upon God’s liberating love? What obstacles are faced by the residents of Langley who want to save the McLellan Forest?
• What liberation did Paul and Silas experience? What liberation has come out of the McLellan Forest experience?
• What situations come to your mind where the odds seemed stacked against a liberating outcome, but in the end there was cause for rejoicing?

Prayer links…God of the unexpected, when circumstances seem impossible, when there is no sign of liberation, you reach out in love and show us again that you are our God. You, Creator, show us through signs of nature itself, shaking us up with the power of an earthquake or the beauty of a tree, beckon us to be believers. In Christ we pray. Amen.

Read more…

• Susan McCaslin’s article, “Art and Activism,” in Common Ground, Vancouver, BC,
• McLellan Forest blog

From Fraser Macnaughton

The recent London marathon highlighted the camaraderie of long-distance runners and the indomitable human spirit. As runners lined up at the start of the London marathon, they were asked to set aside their preparation as the race was preceded by 30-second silence for US bomb victims of the Boston Marathon. Defiant runners and supporters claimed back much of the marathon spirit  as around 36,000 people wound around the streets of London cheered on by an estimated crowd of half a million.

For every finisher from the 35,079 who registered, £2 (an estimated $100,000 total) will be sent by the organisers to help Boston victims. This race is routinely a triumph of the human spirit. Every athlete on the mass start, including the pantomime horses, scarf-knitters, rhinos and beer bottles wore a black ribbon. On a gloriously sunny Sunday competitors and spectators refused to allow the atrocity to redefine a sporting event which so embodies indomitable human spirit, benevolence, and endeavour.

Many thoughts were for those for whom the event was “a day of joy turned into a day of sadness,” as commentator Geoff Wightman described when announcing the half-minute silence over the loudspeakers. Among the tributes Sean Boyle, 37, from Blackburn, stood out, with a dyed blue and yellow mohawk hair cut and the word “Boston” written in black ink over his red face paint. Martin Connell, 42, an IT worker from Merseyside, wore a picture on his vest of eight-year-old Boston victim Martin Richard.

Surgeon Bill Speake, 42, from Derby, said as he crossed the finish in two hours 45 minutes: “It was particularly poignant at the start, standing there at Blackheath in complete silence. It was the right thing to do. It should have been done, and it was done. When it [the bombing] happened, you had a little shock to begin with. But there was no question of not running. I think it spurred people on even more.” Marathons were always a potential target, he added: “But you didn’t ever think it would happen.”

Prince Harry, who was making the presentation for the event, said that cancelling his appearance “was never an option.” Paying tribute to the “remarkable way Boston’s people had dealt with the atrocity,” he described London’s response and the huge crowds as fantastic.

“The great thing about the marathon is no matter what colour you are, or religion, no matter what nationality you are, everyone comes together to run a certain distance to raise money for amazing causes. I think that you can never take that away from people.”

Explore…Acts 16:9–15

The runners in the Boston and London marathons would not allow fear or risk to change their commitment to run. In the reading from Acts, Paul would not be discouraged from the call to go to Macedonia and Lydia would not be dissuaded from extending the offer of hospitality.

• When have you experienced times of risk and vulnerability and yet have not given up your intentions because you knew it was the right thing to do?
• In what ways have you found that a decision not to give up, which sometimes means moving outside your comfort zone, resulted in an experience of transformation?

Pray…That we may have the humility to see the God presence in others as they encourage us to “keep running” and move beyond our boundaries, or get us to see ourselves and or gifts and talents in a different light. Amen.

Read more…

• Show of support, The Scotland Herald, April 22, 2013
• Why we run, from Rabbi Adam Morris, April 16, 2013

From Fraser Macnaughton

There is perhaps no more cogent example in churches and communities across the world with regard to being “beyond boundaries” than that of same-sexmarriage. Recent reports highlight the different sides of a boundary as far as churches and communities are concerned.

On the one hand countries like Ireland and Uruguay, both perhaps considered Catholic and conservative, are moving beyond traditional boundaries. Ireland is to hold a referendum on legalising gay marriage after a special convention set up to reform the Irish constitution recommended that same-sex couples in the republic be recognised in law. On Sunday, the convention voted 79% in favour of full equality for same-sex marriage in Dublin. Marriage Equality director Moninne Griffith said the vote proved that “Ireland is ready for equality for same-sex couples and wants equal access to civil marriage for loving committed gay and lesbian couples.”

Meanwhile, Uruguay’s Congress has voted to legalise same-sex marriage, making it the second country in Latin America and the third in all the Americas to do so. One week after the senate passed it by a wide majority 71 of 92 lawmakers in the lower house voted in favour of the proposal. President Jose Mujica is expected to sign the bill into law. “I agree that family is the basis of society but I also believe that love is the basis of family. And love is neither homosexual nor heterosexual,” said opposition lawmaker Fernando Amado of the centre-right Colorado party. Uruguay is the 12^th country to pass a law of this kind, according to the organization Human Rights Watch. In the Americas, Argentina and Canada have approved gay marriage, and it is allowed in Mexico City and some parts of Brazil, as well as nine states of the United States.

By contrast the Church of England has ruled out offering blessings to same-sex couples, insisting that such public gestures belong only to heterosexual marriage. The bishop of Coventry, Dr Christopher Cocksworth, warned that the government’s plans to introduce same-sex marriages – a move opposed by the Church of England, which will in any case be legally barred from marrying same-sex couples – risked jeopardising the institution of marriage.

However, despite the church’s traditional and unchanging view of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, the new archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has expressed his admiration from some same-sex relationships. “You see gay relationships that are just stunning in the quality of the relationship,” he told the BBC on the morning of his enthronement last month, adding that he had “particular friends where I recognise that and am deeply challenged by it.”

Explore…Acts 11:1–18

• Although it is not recorded, how do you imagine those who followed the “clean and unclean school of thought” in the Acts community would have felt about Peter’s vision?
• To what extent are churches trying to be “in the world but not of the world” with regard to the issue of same-sex marriage?
• How do we create a community where all are welcomed in the light of such a divisive issue as same-sex marriage?
• What other contemporary issues demand the pushing of boundaries for the church?

Pray…

We pray for Christian communities across the world living in tension as they try to preach the good news of God’s love. We pray that love and compassion not power and authority are the driving forces of communities that seek to serve others. Amen.

Read more…

• Ireland to hold gay marriage referendum, The Guardian, April 14, 2013
• Church of England rejects blessings for same-sax marriages, The Guardian, April 10, 2013

From Fraser Macnaughton

South Africa is, once again, on tenterhooks. Nelson Mandela, the father of the nation, 94, was in hospital again and is now receiving home-based care. Mandela transcends party politics but many fear that without him the country faces instability as memories of the apartheid struggle fade. South Africa’s first black president, who is the closest thing the republic has to a king, tested the nation’s nerves again. The president’s spokesman was bombarded with calls; TV crews gathered outside a hospital on a best guess of where Mandela was being treated; editors polished obituaries and supplements; Twitter filled with prayers and unfounded rumours; and millions of South Africans were on edge, pondering: what happens after Mandela?

Mandela is of course a role model par excellence for far more than South Africans. Millions of people all over the world joined in wishing “Madiba” (Mandela’s clan name) a speedy recovery and discharge from the hospital. Many offered their prayers for the old statesman to get better. But there are also many prayers that Mandela will not have a long, drawn-out death, that he will be peaceful, surrounded by loved ones, and be able to look back with satisfaction on the life he lived.

Madiba is an old, old man – one who crammed more into his active years outside of jail than most people would do in two lifetimes. Mandela also used his jail time to good effect, educating himself and others, and spreading messages of peace. Most importantly he also used the time to work on his inner world – coming to terms with the abuse he had suffered, so that when he came out of jail he was able to lead his people to genuine reconciliation.

During his lifetime Nelson Mandela has had a profound influence on so many lives. Part of what makes him such a remarkable human being is that we would be hard-pressed to find a person who had not been influenced by him in some way. If there is anything Mandela taught us, it is gentleness and humanity, not to mention the stupendous power of forgiveness. For many, every time the anger comes, they look towards Madiba and remember what the human soul can overcome.

Explore…Acts 9:36–43

• Who in your life has proved to be a role model for you?
• What do you make of the potential benefit of restoring Tabitha to life? What parallels do you see with the life of Nelson Mandela?
• How do we move from talking of role models to living out their example in our own lives?

Pray…

Let us pray that we can learn to forgive like Mandela.

Let us pray that we learn tosacrifice, without complaint, for the common good.

Let us pray that we learn his great gift of introspection, so that we never let the bitterness grow inside us, even when it seems nothing is changing.

Let us pray that we have the courage to speak up and be honest, even if there are grim punishments in store for us when we do.

Let us pray that even when we are good, good people, we remember that nobody likes a goody-goody; that it’s still nice to dance, crack jokes and wear a loud shirt. And most of all, let us remember that all great changes begin with the person in the mirror; our own transformation leads it all.

Read more…

• Article in The Guardian, March 30, 2013
• Article in The Telegraph, April 10, 2013

From Sandra Rooney

History is replete with atrocities perpetrated around the world on innocent civilians and foreign enemies alike. Charges are brought against military leaders, dictators, and many others caught in the web of such violence. For example, take the New York Times story from Santiago, Chile: “Focus on Healing Arts After Kidnapping Conviction.” 

First there is Tomás Cassella gently gliding his hands over his patient, a 63-year-old engineer undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer, with New Age music playing softly in the background. Then the story moves on to recall criminal investigations that followed the end of the Augusto Pinochet government and we read how army intelligence began what it called “casualty control,” clandestinely taking former agents out of the country to avoid their being charged with humans rights crimes.

A complicated story reveals that Cassella, a former Uruguayan Army colonel, was extradited to Chile in 2006 and prosecuted for the abduction of Eugenio Berríos, a former chemist for Chile’s secret intelligence agency during Pinochet’s dictatorship. In 2010, Cassella was sentenced to eight years for kidnapping and illegal association. His case is now in the appeal process.

Cassella’s military history includes training at the Chilean Army’s Parachute and Special Forces School in Peldehue, the site of political executions and anti-subversive commando training after the 1973 coup. He founded Uruguay’s first parachute instruction center in 1976, under Infantry Battalion 14. Recently criminal inquiries into human rights violations have found the remains of two “disappeared” victims buried in a field next to Battalion 14.

In early 1993, with his military and counterintelligence life behind him, circumstances led Cassella to a healing congress in Argentina, where he learned about reiki, working with energy, stones, aromatherapy, and magnets. “I was skeptical but open to the experience,” he said. “A woman with severe multiple sclerosis offered a heartbreaking testimony. And there I was, a tough parachuter and commando, with tears streaming down my face.”

Cassella began training and for six years now he has been “devoted in body and soul” to reiki and Syntergetics (described as a synthesis of conventional, homeopathic, Chinese and Hindu medicine, reiki, magnet therapy), and other healing techniques. Cassella is in charge of all syntergetic volunteer groups at a children’s hospital in Santiago and provides free reiki services for cancer and bone-marrow transplant patients. 

Intertwined with this has been his court case. Cassella states: “The Berríos case was a breaking point in my military career and in my life, but for the better.”And his patient, Gabriel, praises Cassella for what he has done for him. “So when I learned about his past, I chose not to think about it. It doesn’t make sense.” 

Explore…Acts 9:1–6, 7–20

Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus is the quintessential story of conversion and redemption, hard to believe, yet we can hardly imagine the Christian story without it.

• With whom do you identify in this week’s scripture story? Why?
• Whom do you know, or know about, who has had their life turned around, dramatically or in a more subtle way?
• Where in today’s world do you see examples of redemption and restoration?

Prayer links...

Loving God, God of second chances, may we have the grace to reach out to those who have been the cause of hurt and brokenness. In true community may we all find hope and healing, transformation and the courage to live as Jesus has shown us. Amen

Learn more...

• The Story of Tomás Cassella, New York Times, March 29, 2013

From Sandra Rooney

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, formerly the archbishop of Buenos Aires, is the new leader of the Roman Catholic world. What we have learned about the new pope is that he is humble and devoted to serving the poor. He said he had chosen his name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, who worked for the poor and for peace. We know that as a Jesuit he comes from a tradition of rigorous study and life among the people whom he is dedicated to serve.

On the Saturday following his election, Francis offered a blessing to an audience of journalists and other news media workers, a silent blessing, acknowledging that not all of them were Catholic or even believers, saying, “I give this blessing from my heart in silence, to each one of you, respecting the conscience of each one of you, but knowing that each one of you is a child of God.” In keeping with the Jesuit ideal to live simply, Francis in his first days as pope dressed in a plain white cassock. He chose to ride in a minibus with his fellow cardinals rather than a private Vatican car. He has suggested a humble course for the church as a whole, saying, “How I would like a poor church, one that was ‘for the poor.’”

At the same time that headlines called him self-effacing, humble, and dedicated to serving the poor, others said that he was starting his papacy “Amid Echoes of a ‘Dirty War.’” The charges focus on his role as the most prominent leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Argentina, and the criticism for its role in failing to publicly resist, and in some instances actively supporting, the military dictatorship of the late 70’s and early 80’s, when as many as 30,000 people are thought to have been killed or disappeared.

Explore...Acts: 5:27–32

All of the gospel writers report Peter’s denials during the hours leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. And after Jesus’ crucifixion the disciples hid in fear.

• How do you think the disciples might have felt as they relived the hours before Jesus’ death?

In this week’s reading from Acts we encounter these same disciples, courageously refusing to obey the authorities’ orders not to tell others what they have experienced.

• Where do you find yourself in this week’s story?
• When have you been moved out of your fear into action or advocacy on behalf of others?
• What possible commonalities do you see between the situation of the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection and Pope Francis?

Prayer links...

Forgive us loving God when we fail to have the courage of our convictions, when fear silences our voices and our actions fail to point others to you, when we shrink from proclaiming your kingdom. Help us to be bold in the face of injustice and fill our hearts with compassion and love. Amen

Learn more…

• “Pope’s Blessing”, New York Times, March 16, 2013
• “Francis Charms Crowd”, New York Times, March 17, 2013
• “Amid Echoes of Argentina’s Dirty War”, New York Times, March 18, 2013

From Sandra Rooney

There they were, women and men, dressed in their jail orange clothes, dancing! The Youtube video was titled “Inmates Rising.” What was going on? They were dancing to demonstrate their support of a global movement to stop abuse and sexual violence against women.

That was February 14, Valentine’s Day, and Inmates Rising was one response to One Million Women Rising, a protest/rally that had women, sometimes joined by men, dancing in the streets of major cities around the world, responding to the call to “walk out, dance, rise up and demand an end to violence against women.”

The San Francisco jail participants described the event as “empowering.” One woman said that although locked up physically, she felt mentally free, at least for a little while. Another woman said she was feeling a lot of unity, compassion, and love. A man promised to stand up for women and be a role model when he was back in his community. Another said he had lost two sisters to violence and it meant a lot to him to be involved in this public action.

International response to One Billion Rising, spearheaded by Eve Enster, the author of “The Vagina Monologues,” was strong, with participation in cities in nearly 200 countries. The campaign wasmeant to highlight a sobering United Nations assessment: that one in three women in the world – roughly one billion – suffers some sort of violence at the hands of men in the course of her lifetime.

“Dance allows you to express emotions—outrage, anger, hope—that sometimes words don’t allow you to,” explained Sakshi Bhalla, an Indian classical dancer, who “put everything on hold,” including her job hunt, to work on the campaign. 

Explore…Luke 24:1–12

Jesus had died and his disciples were afraid. The women went to the tomb and found the stone rolled away. What happened next surprised them all.

• What message does this passage have for you?
• What stones are being rolled away by the One Billion Rising project, raising hope and disarming fear?
• Where do you see stones being rolled away and new life possible?
• What is the stone that needs to be rolled away for you to experience new life?

Prayer links...

Amazing God, may we know you in new and surprising ways as we celebrate the stone rolled away. May the hopeless experience hope and all of us sense the possibilities of new life that love offers. Amen

Learn more...

• Inmates Rising! video, San Francisco, February 14, 2013
• One Billion Rising Movement: a global campaign that uses dance to call for an end to violence against women
• Posting in India Ink, February 13, 2013

From Paul Turley

Bradley Manning is guilty.

He pled so last week at a pre-trial hearing before a military judge. However, he only pled guilty to 10 lesser charges against him, leaving the ex-intelligence analyst to face 12 other counts for allegedly leaking hundreds of thousands of government documents to the WikiLeaks website.To these other 12 charges, he has pled not guilty.

Manning now faces a possible 20-year sentence, even if he were to be acquitted on all other charges.

Of course, for many of us Manning’s guilt is old news. Before he was arrested, many world leaders, including the Australian Prime Minister, made public statements about the guilt of Julian Assange, founder of the WikiLeaks website, before they were in possession of all the facts and before any charges had been laid. Assange was labeled a “terrorist” and, by implication, Manning was also guilty in the minds of many.

Then of course there is the bigger, more complex question. Manning is guilty of releasing classified government documents, he has admitted as much. But is he a criminal or a whistleblower? If a criminal, then criminal law must come into play; if he is a whistleblower, then a new set of complex laws, provisions, and understandings come into play. The American President, when still a Senator and campaigning for office, committed himself to the appointment of a special counsel committed to whistleblower rights. While President Obama’s support for whistleblower legislation is less than many would like, he frequently states publically that he is committed to transparency.   

And then there is the role of public opinion. If we discover through opinion polling that the majority of the American public want Manning to be convicted (or, conversely, to be thanked) how does this influence those who must decide how this case proceeds?

For many, Bradley Manning’s trial is a trial of the US government, Western diplomacy, the activities of nations in foreign wars, the role of the World Wide Web in our culture, the issue of whistle-blowing, the US administration’s involvement in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and possibly many other issues.

Explore...Luke 22:14—23:56

• How might all of the complex issues around Manning’s trial help us understand the issues around the arrest, trial, and execution of Jesus?
• Was Jesus guilty? If so, of what? Was he truly a threat to Rome or only a threat to Pilate? Was he a threat to Judaism or a threat only to the Jewish leaders?
• To what extent do you think Jesus was punished for being popular?
• To what extent do you think Jesus was punished for telling the truth?
• Had you been present, where do you imagine you might have stood in relation to the trial of Jesus?

Pray…

God, forgive us when we gloss over the events at the end of Jesus’ life because of too much familiarity. Help us remember that, just as today, there were many people with many different motives, hope and fears. Like us they had only partial understanding of what was happening and they too had to sift through rumors and half-truths as they made their way forward. Remind us that the issues of truth and justice that were vital in Jesus’ time are vital still today. Amen.

Read more...

• Article from NBC News, February 28, 2013
• Wikipedia – Whistleblower Protection Act
• Article in Counter Punch, March 4, 2013
• Article in The Dissenterblog, March 4, 2013

From Paul Turley

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is the President of Liberia in West Africa, the first elected female head of state on the African continent and the joint winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. In the lead up to Women’s Day on March 8, Liberia has become the latest nation to sign a pledge to end violence against women and girls. Earlier in February 2013, at a United Nations meeting in Dakar, Senegal, President Johnson-Sirleaf signed the U.N. pledge.

Up to 77% of Liberian women say they have been the victim of sexual violence. Human rights groups say it is likely these numbers are even higher, as many of the cases go unreported. The government of Liberia says it is determined to deal with crimes of sexual violence by the implementation and enforcement of stronger domestic violence legislation.

However, not all of Liberia’s public voices are in support of the President. In October 2012, Leymah Gbowee, who shared the Peace Prize with the President, quit her role as head of Liberia’s Peace and Reconciliation Commission and criticised Johnson-Sirleaf.

Simon Allison, writing for the Daily Maverick in October 2012, stated:

            “Gbowee’s criticism focused on two areas: first, the nepotism of Sirleaf’s government, symbolized perfectly by the high positions occupied by three of her sons. Robert is head of the state oil company and a senior economic advisor; Fumba is head of the National Security Agency; and Charles is deputy governor of the Central Bank (although he is currently suspended for failing to declare his assets).

            “Second, Gbowee thinks Sirleaf has not done enough to address poverty in Liberia. ‘In her first term she developed infrastructure. But what good is infrastructure if people don’t have enough to eat? The gap between the rich and poor is growing. You are either rich or dirt poor, there’s no middle class.’”

Explore...John 12:1–8

In our text, Mary performs a role that is both traditional (anointing and preparing a dead body) as well as radical and prophetic in that Jesus is still living.

• How difficult do you think it might have been for Mary to both live within and break out of her traditional roles?
• How might the story in this passage be used at this time – a week after International Women’s Day 2013 – to encourage and challenge women in our faith communities?

There is little doubt that in a male-dominated culture like Liberia, both Leymah Gbowee and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf are like Mary in John’s gospel, women of courage.

• Where do you need courage to stand up for what is right?

Pray...

God we pray for the men, women, and children of Liberia. May they live in a land controlled by a fair and just government that respects the rule of law and encourages and endures criticism and dissent. We pray that the women of Liberia will be inspired by Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee, and other women of courage. And at this time of International Woman’s Year, may we all work toward a world that is a safe and just place for all women. Amen.

Read more...

• Article in Voice of America, February 28, 2013
• Article in The Guardian, October 10, 2012

From Paul Turley

In Finland, a nation of a little over 5 million people, in northern Europe, the citizens are good at many things. We have known for a decade that they are good at building phones (Nokia is one of the world’s leading mobile/cell phone manufactures). What we didn’t know, but are beginning to understand, is that they are also very good at education. In fact, according to the Programme for International Student Assessment(PISA) survey conducted every three years by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Finland has ranked at or near the top in every survey since 2000.

How do the Finns do it? Well, by pretty much ignoring all of the “must dos” that most other western education systems do not even question. For example, apart from the National Matriculation Exam, which everyone takes at the end of a voluntary upper-secondary school, there is no standardizing testing in Finish Schools. Instead the public school system’s teachers are trained to assess children in classrooms using independent tests they create themselves. All children receive a report card at the end of each semester, but these reports are based on individualized grading by each teacher.

In other words, teachers in Finland are expected to treat their students as individual, unique people, with their own ways of learning, their own ways of expressing themselves, and their own strengths and weaknesses.

In Finland teaching is a well-paid profession requiring a masters degree before prospective teachers begin their teacher training. The Finns want teachers who are responsible not simply accountable. As Pasi Sahlberg, director of the Finnish Ministry of Education’s Center for International Mobility, puts it, “Accountability is something that is left when responsibility has been subtracted.”

Explore...Luke 15:1-3, 11b–32

In the gospel story of two sons and their father, the father does not respond to both his sons in the same way. He does not have a textbook in one hand called “How to Raise Boys” while he implements what he reads. Instead he deals with each according to his personality and need.

• What do you think this story has to tell us about the way God relates to us?
• How do you think each of the main characters in the story would respond to the statement, “Accountability is something that is left when responsibility has been subtracted”?

Imagine you are a school principal or government education bureaucrat.

• What lessons could you take from the gospel story about what it means to be human and the relationship of human beings to the divinethat would help you to do your job?

Pray…

God, forgive us when we fail our children because we are not willing to spend the energy, the money, and the resources to enable them to grow into all they can be. Forgive us when we forget how glorious it is to be a human being in your world. Help us to remember that you welcome us all into your household. Amen.

Read more...

• Article in The Atlantic archive, December 2011

From Ray McGinnis

In January 2013 two United States Senators re-introduced legislation, the “Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities From Disease Clusters Act,” which would help communities determine whether there is a connection between “clusters” of cancer, birth defects, and other diseases, and contaminants in the surrounding environment. 

This act is more commonly known as “Trevor’s Law,” named for Trevor Schaefer, who was raised in the scenic countryside of rural Idaho in the United States. Trevor lived in the town of McCall (pop. 3,000), near the Payette National Forest, where he and his friends swam regularly in the lake.

Then, in 2002, just before he turned thirteen, Trevor experienced ongoing acute, crippling headaches. At first his doctor determined all he had was a sinus infection. But Trevor and his mom, Charlie, sensed there was something more serious going on. Eventually, Trevor was diagnosed with a brain tumor, a malignant medullablastoma. This diagnosis came during a time when Trevor was dealing with a stressful relationship with his father and his parents’ divorce

During his mother’s frequent visits to the regional cancer unit and conversations with other cancer patients, Trevor and his mother began to question why so many children in McCall were getting sick with cancer. To their shock they discovered that the scenic setting where they lived was toxic as the lake was full of a chemical cocktail of pollutants.

Together Trevor and his mother led a campaign of environmental awareness which eventually took them to Washington, D.C. in June of 2011. There Trevor, still recovering from cancer, spoke to members of the U.S. Congress, urging passage of a bill named” Trevor’s Law” (U.S. Senate Bill s.76). Passage of “Trevor’s Law” would provide federal funds to communities where the cancer level is very high among children so that testing can be done to determine if there are any contributing environmental factors.

Explore… Psalm 63:1–8

• What are the challenges facing the psalmist? For what is the psalmist praising God?
• What are the challenges faced by Trevor Schaefer?
• What were the anchors that helped Trevor find strength to endure and press on in the face of these challenges?
• What have been the anchors for you in times when you’ve been tested? How can love be a key in helping to turn around formidable situations and circumstances?

Prayer links…

God, thank you that we are upheld in times of trouble. When we thirst for you, you refresh us with your love. May we cling to you for help and in that fierce devotion find our home in you. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Read more…

• Press releases regarding the legislation introduced on January 22, 2013
• History of “Trevor’s Law,” February 5, 2013
• Book review for “The Boy on the Lake” - Psych Central
• Book review for “The Boy on the Lake” - Seattle Pi

From Ray McGinnis

Lincolnis a historical dramatization of the final four months of the life and presidency of the 16th president of the United States. In the fourth year of the American Civil War, Secretary of State Seward persuades Lincoln to move forward and pass an amendment to the Constitution to abolish slavery. Meanwhile, as both sides dread the coming of spring and passable roads and another huge slaughter of young men, there are signals of a Confederate surrender. Such a surrender could result in the Emancipation Proclamation being overturned and no amendment ever being passed.

The film also offers insights into Lincoln’s increasingly tumultuous relationship with his troubled wife Mary Todd. And we watch him struggle in his relationship with his son Robert, and failing to keep him from enlisting. Robert’s decision causes anguish to both Abraham and Mary who have already lost two other sons at young ages.

From scene to scene we comprehend how an unflappable man like Lincoln could serve as catalyst for such momentous change through the dysfunction and chaotic antics of the House of Representatives. The vote on the amendment is a squeaker.

We gain insight into his daring as he starts to speak, after the conclusion of the Civil War in April 1865, of the possibility of giving the vote to black men. Such speeches gain him notoriety among those within the loosing Confederate side, including the Confederate spy who targeted Lincoln for assassination.

Type:Historical Drama
Director: Steven Spielberg
Film company: Buena Vista
Release date: November 9, 2012
Starring: Daniel Day Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sally Field
Rating: PG
Focus: Though Lincoln is an even-tempered man, he is passionate in advocating the abolition of slavery, while more pragmatic than the “radical Republicans” who want to give the vote to blacks. He recounts seeing slaves in chains on wagons going to auction, and persuades through a range of patronage appointments and moral persuasion sufficient numbers of congressional Democrats who have recently lost re-election to support passage of the amendment. Lincoln seizes the day as he perceives this is America’s opportunity to rid itself of the scourge of slavery. It is a promise he makes to his wife too, who tells him he will have to answer to her if the amendment fails.

Explore…Genesis 15:1–12, 17–18

• What is God’s promise to Abram? What is Abram’s reaction? What does the promise, the covenant, make possible
• What promise does Abraham Lincoln want to make to the American people in the final year of the Civil War? What does the promise make possible?
• What struggle is involved in forging the conditions to keep the promise?
• What promises are you aware of that have been momentous in the lives of other people?
• How might the spiritual aspects in making a promise help to sustain the vision?

Prayer links… 


God of justice and hope, we sometimes struggle to pull ourselves out of the folly of distractions and routines. We yearn for a brighter vision of who we are meant to be. May we be freed from that which binds us to old ways. May we be empowered with a vision large enough to instil within us the purpose to follow you with daring and courage. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Read more…

• Review by Philip French, The Observer, London, UK, January 27, 2013
• Review by Donald Clarke, Irish Times, Dublin, Ireland, January 25, 2013

From Ray McGinnis

“Quartet” is 75 year-old Dustin Hoffman’s first movie in the role of director. The movie is about aging and celebrates the idea that it is never too late to begin a new chapter in one’s life. The plot of “Quartet” is built around the residents of the Beecham House, a retirement home for elderly opera singers who have fallen on hard times and their decision to put on a fundraising concert in order to save their residence. The show is to feature a reunion of four well-known opera singers. However, there are obstacles to mounting the performance as each performer struggles with his or her personal ailments and life issues.

Cissy (Pauline Collins) is a cheerful soul who has a kind word for everyone, yet struggles with memory and concentration. Wilf (Billy Connolly) is a life-long charmer and party animal who has had a stroke. Reginald (Tom Courtenay) is soft-spoken, yet comes to life when teaching opera to a class of youth. Jean (Maggie Smith), Reginald’s ex-wife and the final member of the quartet is a diva. Initially she refuses to sing in public due to her bad hip and rusty vocal skills.

Each character has room to grow into a nuanced person with many sides to their personality. Hoffman shows us the struggles and the small victories as the group prepares for the show while belting out arias, concertos, and a fabulous version of “Happy Birthday to You.” “Quartet” is one of the best movies you’ll ever see about old age as it is a celebration of life and the small things for which to be grateful.

Type: Comedy
Director: Dustin Hoffman
Film company: Weinstein Company
Release date: January 11, 2013
Starring: Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly
Rating: PG

Focus: In one scene Reggie, who has been rather bitter as he faces an aged future, is giving a lecture to a class of young student visitors. During the class Reggie has an exchange with one boy who wants to explore the similarities between hip-hop and classical music. The exchange is endearing. But more than this, we get a sense of Reggie’s thankfulness that he is able to make what he teaches relevant to a new generation. It is in snapshots like this that the small victories of savouring each day remain with the viewer.

Explore…Deuteronomy 26:1–11

• In this passage, what are the Hebrew people called to do in response to their situation?
• What is the situation facing the residents of the retirement home?
• What does this crisis call forth among the residents?
• For what are they grateful in their community? What gifts are they able to share and celebrate with others?
• In what ways do you express your gratitude?

Prayer links…

God of history and life journeys, may we be grateful for those with whom we live in community. May we have a spirit of thankfulness, gratefully aware of what you are doing among us. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Read more…

• Article by Philip French, The Observer, London, UK, January 6, 2013
• Article by Linda Barnard, Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario, January 17, 2013
   

From Fraser Macnaughton

Professor Brian Cox, former keyboard player with band D:Ream, is the new doyen of British TV presenting. A year ago the astrophysicist fronted a series on the wonders of the solar system and the universe on the programme “Stargazing Live” and now turns his talents to the “Wonder of Life” series. These programmes have promoted a reawakened interest in heavenly matters for succeeding generations in Britain. The cosmos has become cool again.

In the first programme of “Wonder of Life,” Cox shows us a dragonfly, a live one. The dragonfly gets us thinking about what makes something alive, and how life began in the first place. Then we went to the Philippines to meet people who believe in spirits and the dead.  As one critic comments, “Prof Brian isn’t all snooty and dismissive of the spirit people; he’s a nice, understanding, smiley scientist.”

And as for the growth in interest in astronomy, it’s not hard to see the hobby’s attraction. As Chris Bramley, editor of the BBC’s amateur astronomy magazine, Sky at Night, says: “(Amateur astronomy) takes you away from everyday life. It lifts your horizons…You may start with only a small telescope, one that will not let you see the glowing dust clouds in nebulae that are shown on television. However, on a clear night you can still see a great deal of detail in objects like the Andromeda galaxy or a planet like Jupiter with its colour bands and moons. And while these images may lack the detail of professional photographs, there is nothing to beat the magical feeling when an image of a planet slides into your eyepiece for the first time and you see it with your own eyes. That is the real joy of the hobby.”

Back with Cox, we go to a waterfall, a good place to have a conversation about the conservation of energy. Then on to the big crater, good for illustrating proton gradients, which, it turns out, are absolutely crucial to everything. They’re really important, the source of energy for life, and probably how life began, emerging from vents in a primordial ocean.

Throughout the programme viewers are challenged to see that life is not a thing, but a series of chemical processes that harness the flow of energy, and they are encouraged to the contemplative, thinking big thoughts.

Explore…Luke 9:28–36, (37–43)

Celtic Christianity speaks of “thin places,” where it seems as if a veil between humans and God has been lifted.

• When have you experienced “thin places,” revelations of God’s glory, in your life?
• Given the discoveries of science how hard or easy is it for you to see God’s power and majesty experienced in the beauty of nature?
• How has your conception of “God” changed over the years in relation to your understanding of the wonders of life and the universe?

Pray…

For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies, for the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind’s delight, for the mystic harmony, linking sense to sound and sight, we give our thanks. Amen.

Read more…

• Article in The Guardian, January 28, 2013
• Article in The Observer, January 5, 2013
• Article in The Observer, January 21, 2012

From Fraser Macnaughton

Perhaps out of all the hype surrounding Lance Armstrong’s “confession” on Oprah, the most poignant moment was when talking about his son. Armstrong’s steely demeanour cracked when he recounted how his 13-year-old son Luke had defended him against the taunts of other children. Groping for words, Armstrong said: “That’s when I knew I had to tell him…He’d trusted me.” When Armstrong confessed to his son and twin 11-year-old daughters he stated that they accepted it without saying much. With raw emotion showing in his face, Armstrong told Winfrey that his son just said, “I love you, you’re my Dad, this won’t change that.”

Was that the point at which Armstrong was “called to wisdom”? And how does that sit with the perceived wisdom Armstrong’s mother imputed to him when he was young: “Make every obstacle an opportunity and every negative a positive.”

When the decision of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to strip Armstrong of his titles was ratified by the world cycling governing body, the cyclist tweeted a defiant image of himself surrounded by his framed yellow jerseys. But now the hours of dialogue with Winfrey, which culminated in a choked-up moment as he discussed the impact of his cheating on his family, appear to have failed to give Armstrong the redemption that he craves.

His confession, which many believe is aimed at reducing Armstrong’s ban from competitive sports and allowing him to take part in triathlons, has been greeted with dismay and criticism. Few fellow athletes and critics who watched his display have extended the hand of sympathy. Many sports stars condemned the former hero, saying his actions – in both taking drugs and then denying it for so many years – have damaged the image of sports far beyond cycling.

Many a guest appears on Oprah to appeal to the audience’s desire to experience their own catharsis through the act of emotional generosity of absolving someone else. This is the place where Armstrong stands most chance of being viewed not as a criminal in the dock, but as a human being on a “journey” and in need of forgiveness; one who may have made errors and have flaws, but nevertheless represents something still admirable.

Explore…Luke 4:21–30

• What do you make of Armstrong’s claim that it was listening to his son defending the indefensible that finally struck a chord?
• When do you think it is appropriate to glorify willpower (as exemplified by Lance Armstrong) and when to limit it?
• How could we use this story as a prompt for self-examination and for reflection on the notion that victory is not everything and that it is what you do that matters?
• Jesus was brave enough to speak truth unto power. In what ways do you think it actually makes any difference?

Pray…

It is easy to say the ways of God are not our ways and leave it at that. Our ways are our ways but if they can be leavened with the ways of God, and if we can discern the wisdom of the ways of God, then maybe we do our world some good. Amen

Read more…

• Article in the Guardian, January 19, 2013

From Fraser Macnaughton

The coalition government in the United Kingdom has just produced a “mid-term review” telling the public all the things that have been achieved and what is planned for the next half of the term. For some it might seem like a person marking his or her own exam paper but the media have not been slow in having a thorough dissection of government claims. In the world of politics and media spin “changing the landscape” can be a very useful tool.

The review on the economy claims that the elimination of Britain’s structural budget deficit, which has fallen by 3% since the general election, remains at the heart of economic strategy. The overall deficit has been cut by a quarter and the coalition’s fiscal mandate is to “balance the current budget adjusted for the economic cycle.” However it glosses over Chancellor George Osborne’s promise to eliminate the structural deficit by 2015-16. David Cameron said, at the launch of the review, that it was “inevitable” that there would be difficulties along the way because of the broken public finances.

The Anglo-French mission that led to the eventual overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya tops the list of the coalition’s foreign policy achievements. It says that Britain will end its combat role in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, with a withdrawal of 5,200 troops this year. On Trident, the review simply says the coalition has “maintained” Britain’s nuclear deterrent and will publish a review into alternatives. The Liberal Democrats are opposed to a like-for-like replacement. Prime Minister Cameron can point to tangible achievements such as the eventual overthrow of Gaddafi and the promotion of British trading links in previously neglected markets. But on Europe the Prime Minister is constrained because Britain’s most Eurosceptic party in the commons is in coalition with the most pro-European party.

On climate change and transport there are pledges to electrify more railway, build new road lanes and press ahead with new London rail links and a “national high-speed rail network.” There are no further promises regarding climate emissions, but there are various incentives to get others to invest more in renewable energy, nuclear power, and a big increase in gas. Thus promises rely almost entirely on private investors spending their money, so there are no guarantees.

Explore…Luke 4:14–21

• What opportunities are there in your faith community for open, honest and frank discussions about the direction your community wishes to travel?
• In what ways do you see your faith community being run too much like any other institution with power in the hands of the few and little chance of open dialogue?
• In what ways are there differences between the teachings of Jesus and how the churches are run?
• In what ways does your church or faith community achieve a balance between proclaiming God’s reign of peace and justice and maintaining its own structures and position?

Pray…

May we call to mind the great injunction of the prophet Micah as we wrestle with the great questions of faith: “God has told you what is good, and this is what is required of you –
to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Amen.

Read more…

• Full document of Coalition midterm review, in The Guardian, January 7, 2013
• Editorial in The Guardian, January 9, 2013

From Sandra Rooney

As news commentators have looked back at 2012, they shared not only the tragedies of the past year, but celebrations of the human spirit as well. NPR’s Neal Conan, on his show, “Talk of the Nation,” had conversations with some of the folks with whom he had talked during the past year. Among them was Rich Vernon, a farmer from South Union, Kentucky, who had called in to a discussion about the drought. According to recent reports, 60% of the contiguous United States is currently experiencing moderate to extreme drought and the same is true in many places around the world.

Vernon had been forced to sell most of his livestock and admitted they were living on “borrowed money and borrowed time.” When he and Conan talked on January 2, Vernon said his family had done a lot of soul searching after that first call. They realized there were a lot of other folks out there just as bad off or worse. They made the decision to put their energy into helping those who were worse off.

The idea of helping others wasn’t new to the Vernons. Over the years they had helped homeless people and those struggling with addiction, but this time they took it a step further. They fixed up an old farmhouse on their property and allowed a homeless family to move in – a family with seven children, who had been homeless for seven years. That family stayed two months until they were able to get a job and move into their own home. Now another family that had recently lost their farm is living there. “So, rather than focusing on what we don’t have, we are trying to focus on what we do have to offer,” Vernon said.

When asked about the holidays, Vernon acknowledged they didn’t have money for gifts, but then moved on to talk about how heartsick they were for the people in Newton, Connecticut, after the massacre which happened there in December 2012. They wanted to reach out to those folks, but knew they couldn’t. So they did the next best thing. Vernon took his last two boxes of tomatoes to the local elementary school. “It was my way of reaching out to the people of Connecticut,” he said, “to the people all over the country, really all over the world, who have lost loved ones, needlessly. I can’t do much but I can give somebody a tomato and say you’re on my heart today.”

Explore…John 2:1–11

• What message does this scripture passage seem to hold for you?
• When have you had an experience that renewed or reinforced your faith?
• When you look around your community, where do you see signs of true celebration?

Prayer links…

Gracious God, giver of all good gifts, may we recognize the abundance with which we have been blessed and the miracle of sharing out of whatever resources we may have. Amen.

Learn more…

• Hear Neal Conan’s interview with Rich Vernon or read the transcript: “Closing the Circle: Memorable Stories of 2012”

From Sandra Rooney

For nearly 35 years, Ruben Garcia has been helping “the poorest of the poor,” undocumented migrants from Mexico and immigrants from Central America. It all started in 1976 when Garcia and a group of idealistic Roman Catholic young adults started looking for a “greater sense of purpose and mission and substance,” as Garcia says. They heard the biblical message of God’s identification with the poor. Four of them took the bold step of quitting their jobs and quitting school to live “by the grace of God.”

Walking the streets of El Paso, they came to realize that the “poorest of the poor” were the undocumented Mexicans, who had come to the US seeking work and who were not eligible for the social services usually available to the poor. The Catholic Diocese of El Paso gave them the second floor in what is now Annunciation House. And thus began Ruben Garcia’s life work. Over the years Annunciation House has provided a place to sleep, a shower, a hot meal, and many other services for more than 100,000 poor immigrants.

In the mid-1980s they also began to provide assistance for Central American immigrants fleeing the violence in their countries. In recent years they have found a renewed focus on refugees from Mexico, especially those who have been caught in the drug-related violence in Ciudad Juárez.

From his experiences with those to whom Annunciation House has provided Christ’s radical hospitality, Garcia has developed a commitment that goes beyond hospitality to address the root causes of injustice that push migrants to flee the political violence in their countries or the economic conditions that condemn their families to live and die in conditions of extreme poverty and misery. Garcia has also met with hundreds of delegations to the border, teaching them by allowing them to see and hear firsthand the stories of immigrants.

In April 2012, Pax Christi USA, the national Catholic peace movement, recognized the life and witness of Ruben Garcia, naming him the 2012 recipient of the Teacher of Peace Award. Scott Wright, author and biographer of Archbishop Oscar Romero, in his nomination of Garcia, wrote, “Garcia teaches peace by embodying peace, welcoming the stranger, and inviting others to share in this community where the least have a place at the table.”

Explore...Luke 3:15–17, 21–22

This spare version of Jesus’ baptism leaves us with unanswered questions. Who is this man? What motivated him to be baptized?

• What do you imagine the rest of the story might have been?
• What parallels do you see between the world of Jesus’ day and our world today?
• When have you had a clear sense of your own identity and felt real purpose for your life?
• Where do you see ordinary people responding in extraordinary ways to the world around them?

Prayer links…

Compassionate God, as your sons and daughters, we pray that we may be faithful to the call to be followers of Jesus the Christ. We long to live in such a way that we might truly know ourselves beloved and loved. Amen

Read more…

• Article in The Christian Science Monitor, November 9, 2012
• Article in Pax Christi USA, April 11, 2012