A Palm Sunday Reflection

Who doesn't love a parade?  Children, seniors, youth who participate due to their band member status --- we love parades.  As a kid, the biggies were the Halloween Parade where if you were in a Brownie troop you all dressed as witches --- catching the ire of the more fundamental clergy in town who took the pint-sized gaggle of witches as the portent for "something evil this way comes," and would soon take up residence in the local Five and Ten.  Of course, the annual Christmas parade marked the arrival of Santa who was joined by his crew of candy-throwing elves.  These elves were not in the holiday spirit of tossing the candy, they hurled the tootsie rolls, lollipops and bubble gum with maniacal glee.  Those not getting hit with incoming, quickly scoured the street, sidewalk and even sewer grates to gather free candy.....it's all good...the candy was wrapped......

Why all this talk of parades?
On that first Palm Sunday two parades were occurring on two different routes with two distinctly different reasons.
One parade featured the power and prestige of the Roman Empire.  It was a showcase of wealth and a who's who of the rich and ruling. The Roman soldier's golden helmets and breast plates, their spears glimmered in the afternoon sunshine as they promenaded and surrounded Pontius Pilate astride his battle horse.

The other parade featured the teacher from Nazareth riding on a donkey.  Clearing the path for him were the disheveled, the disenfranchised, those on the discard pile of life. They waved palm branches and placed pieces of their clothing and cloaks for a makeshift parade route.

Think carefully, ponder honestly, reflect upon what route would you be placing your chair?
Are we not drawn to power? Are we not amazed by military bravado and bluster? Don't we feel protected and safe in the midst of all that weaponry and might? Don't we like to see  a glimpse of the famous, the wealthy, the seemingly put together perfectly? Let's be serious, a donkey is not all that exciting (I could make a really sophomoric pun about when you've seen one ass, you've seen 'em all.....) and a palm branch is so common it's not noticed.
On what parade route are you reserving your spot?

If I'm with the marginalized many, I'm in the parade along side Jesus, waving my branch and yelling my loudest. Yet, if I had a choice, I'd most likely have been sitting this one out...too many people, too much risk, too much hype and hoopla all surrounding a whole lot of uncertainty.

Whatever the route, whatever the reason behind your choice, the one point that cannot be overlooked is the meaning behind both parades. Do we trust in the allusion of power and wealth or do we trust in the Judeo-Christian God who has always acted to deliver us?

This Palm Sunday and Holy Week will be unlike any we have ever experienced. We are in a strange new world of heightened anxiety which can only be eased by that which for our safety we  must not do and that is to be with each other. 

More than ZOOM, so beyond FaceTime, I choose to believe that in our thoughts by which we keep hold of one another, in the energy of our hope and in the belief of the One who has promised to be with each of us , we are together in and through all of this  in a very global way.

Together in our prayers, together in our resiliency, together in our hope.  

The journey continues and, as they say, the only way out is through.

The Blog is Back!

Of course, anything prior to March 10 seems like forever ago.  Yes, we are in uncharted waters, yet, I am confident and hope-full that we will journey through this and arrive safely on the shore.

Clearly, this blog had about 2 inches of "hibernation dust" upon it. The wind of "NOW IT'S NEEDED" blew it off and here we go.....the blog is back....or, if you prefer ---- get ready for "Child of Ministry on the Margins" blog.

I'm not on Facebook.  I'm not the most tech-savvy gal. I don't Instagram.

I do pay attention. I do listen.  I do seek community.  I write.  I blog.

I'll email this little, fairly low-tech blog to you and feel free to read it or not (however, by not reading you risk pissing off an ordained woman....).  Feel free to share this with friends and enemies.  Feel free to add your comments and reflections.

As we say at the monthly meetings of the Health Committee for Persons with Disabilities which I lead:  "Together, we have...and Together, we will;

                                                           sis photo
                                                      HOPE FLOATS

Why Walter

Today, 4 November, would have been the 100th Birthday of Walter Cronkite (check out the day's google page....very cool.). As many of us of a certain generation recall, Walter was referred to as "the most trusted man in America." Of course, that got me thinking about trust and what we mean by trust and whom one trusts.

When I worked as summer program staff at Camp Jumonville, one of our tasks was to take our campers on the Ropes Course. These courses were very popular during that time period and still are in use by groups wanting to build team work and togetherness.

One of my favorite tasks on the course was the Trust Fall. Each member of the team would take their turn standing on a small platform, six to seven feet above the ground, with their back to their team members standing below. Said team members formed two parallel lines with their arms extended and alternating between each person. Their job was to catch their teammate as she fell. 
The teammate on the platform's job was to stand straight, cross her arms, hold onto her shirt, so as not to flail her arms and smack the teammates whose job it was to catch her.  Clearly the major task of the person on the platform was to trust.

I lead many kids, youth and adults through that challenge and also participated in it as a catcher and a faller.  The vast majority of times were successful. There already seemed be trust in the group and after doing this event that trust grew. On the rare occasion one flailed and smacked or one was slightly dropped....well, that person probably ended up working at haunted houses designing and delivering horrors.....just kidding. Although, some of the ghouls working at the haunted house I visited I'm quite sure the trust fall exercise didn't go well for them and they chose a career path of fright.

Trust involves consistency and constancy. We watch people, observe how they are with others and trust those who consistently display care and concern for folks.

Trust involves honesty.

Trust involves integrity.

Trust involves a strength that is not grunt and threaten, it is strength that is steadfast.

Who do you trust?  Who trusts you?  Why?

sj;