Living in the tension...

It was awesome to be back in worship this morning with my faith community in Pittsfield:  grounded, gentle, open, deep and humorous all at the same time. Being with my man C - the BEST music guy EVER - made my heart sing.  And after we spoke about the parable of the Good Samaritan - and the Trayvon Martin case was always looming just beyond our thoughts and words - we gathered in the chancel for Eucharist.  Most of us love sharing Holy Communion in this way - 100 people clumped together around the table receiving and serving the bread and cup in a simple but generous way - it was beautiful.

I return thanks this day for faith communities that are soul food for one another.  In the midst of so much brokenness and pain, we not only need one another to be the Body of Christ, we need one another to keep our feet firmly planted on the big truths.  For a short time we were truly Black and White, young and old, gay and straight, rich and poor, women and men together in grace.  It didn't last forever, but it was a foretaste of what God wants for our everyday realities.

Here's a clip from an American comic genius. Louis CK, that deserves to be seen at this moment in time.


Here's a tune by the Boss that also cuts to the chase and needs to be reheard over and over:



Tonight there are people calling for the justice department to look into Trayvon's death.  Our sisters and brothers in Turkey and Egypt are wrestling with a whole other host of problems as they search for ways to live together in harmony and diversity.  There is a profound tension to living in these times, yes? 

Here a few good links to add some perspective:

+ SALT @ http://www.saltproject.org/salt-blog/not-guilty.html

+ Susan Thisltethwaite @ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-faith/wp/2013/07/14/for-trayvon-martin-is-there-no-justice/