Trump's Bible -- Read it and Weep

President Donald Trump formulating his next online diatribe while faith leaders gather around him  in the Oval Office.

Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice.  When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain or command the locust to devour the land or send pestilence among my people,  if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.  For now I have chosen and consecrated this house so that my name may be there forever; my eyes and my heart will be there for all time.  As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my ordinances, then I will establish your royal throne, as I made a covenant with your father David saying, ‘You shall never lack a successor to rule over Israel.’ 

 “But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will pluck you up from the land that I have given you, and this house, which I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.  And regarding this house, now exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this house?’ Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord the God of their ancestors who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they embraced other gods and worshiped them and served them; therefore he has brought all this calamity upon them.’ ”

2 Chronicles 7:12-22 NRSVue 

Do not be overly alarmed if at 7:00 this evening the sky should go black as midnight and thunder roars. This will be a sign of God's displeasure as President Trump reads a pre-corded scripture passage from the Oval Office. This will be part of a week-long "America Reads the Bible event to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Trump's blasphemous two-and-a-half minute reading from 2 Chronicles is part of this initiative involving about 500 people from varying walks of life and celebrity. Of course, reading scripture is not blasphemous but coming from a leader who chose Easter morning to fire off a profanity laced threat of hell against Iran was, and to ask a man who has probably never turned to the bible for guidance and wisdom in his life to now participate in this project is. This Hebrew scripture passage includes  verses beloved by Christian Nationalists:  

...if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 

You may recall that during his first term Trump ordered peaceful protesters gathered in a public square in Washington DC to be cleared by force so that he could march, unannounced, to an Anglican Church where he glowered and brandished a bible as though it was an assault rifle. When asked if was his bible he responded that it was a bible. Trump has also sold bibles because he really needs the money.

Trump isn't known for his humility, except, perhaps in his own mind, but maybe he will be prophetic without knowing it. The passage promises that those who serve other gods will be plucked up and cast from God's sight. The opinion polls are not good for the Mob Boss in Chief, so we can only hope. 

So, what is the shortest verse in the bible? "Jesus wept." John 11:35 

Irreverent, Holy Ravens in Earth Month

                                                                              Huxley the Raven 

Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. 

Luke 12: 24 NRSVue

Have you heard the story about Huxley the rescue raven and his loud sneeze?  Huxley has lived at the Good Caws Crow Rescue in Prince George, BC, for about 18 months and can mimic the obnoxious allergy sneeze of the owner so perfectly that her husband is confused at times, sure that she left the property. 

This situation came to mind as I read about ravens in Adam Nicholson's Bird School: A Beginner in the Wood. There is evidence of a relationship between ravens and humans going back thousands of years, a symbiotic relationship predating cats and dogs. They can be mouthy, aggressive, playful, mutually supportive, social, adaptable, and generally akin to humans in various ways. Nicholson contends that if we were birds we would be ravens. 

                                                               Raven and the First Men -- Bill Reid 

Indigenous peoples get this and the raven of myth is the trickster and central to creation stories. When we visited Haida Gwaii ravens and eagles were everywhere so its not surprising that they are the two principal clans. Southern Ontario is generally crow country but when we lived in Sudbury we heard and saw lots of ravens as we rambled about and they are marvelous flyers, perhaps most evident during mating season. I've actually read a book about the raven master and ravens of the Tower of London. 

The bible has some important ravens as well. Noah sends a raven forth from the ark after 40 days to survey the watery world. My personal letterhead, rarely used anymore, features an ark with a raven in flight because I figured congregations should always be asking what our mission should be, 

Elijah was fed by ravens in the wilderness. And in Luke's version of Jesus'  "don't worry" teaching the generic birds of Matthew are specifically ravens. We are in Earth Month and approaching Earth Day (Wednesday) so why not give a holy shout-out to irreverent ravens? 

While the terms for a group of ravens include an "unkindness" and "conspiracy" I prefer "storytelling." 

 So Elijah went and did according to the word of the Lord; he went and lived by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the wadi.

Elijah 17: 5-6 NRSVue 

                              Prophet Elijah fed by a raven 1318-1321 Gracanica Monastery Belgrade 

Earth Sunday & the Web of Creation

 

Opening Song

Then Let Us Sing #2 “A Strand in the Web of Life”

A strand in the web of life let me be 

a string on the harp that the Spirit plays

at one with the sky and the earth and the sea

in the web of life let me be, let me be

in the web of life let me be, let me be

Maria Case

This is Earth Sunday, the day on which many Christian congregations in the United Church acknowledge Earth Day, which is April 22nd. Before many denominations including the UCC began celebrating Creation Time/Creationtide/Season of Creation through September each year there was Creation Sunday. 

As a pastor I introduced Earth Sunday services of worship at least 30 years ago and in the early days I was on my own when it came to liturgical resources. Now the United Church provides them from year to year. Here are a few of the elements from this year's service which include a chorus from the recently published music resource Then Let Us Sing. 

While there is a lot of "mother" here -- can you imagine multiple references to "father"? -- I appreciate the creativity. And it's good to be reminded that as humans we are part of the astonishingly intricate and beautiful web of Creation. We are called to live with awareness and respect. 

The Call to Live with Respect

We, humans, are but one strand in a web of life, and only one being among many relations. The land and waters are not resources to be exhausted. Serious disruption and harm has been caused by colonization and extractivism in the material and the spiritual. 

We, as followers of Christ, seek balance, the repairing of relations and to live with respect in Creation today and for seven generations. And we call on all people to do likewise, for the sake of Mother Earth.

Opening Prayer

Our kin, the flora and fauna are calling,

The earth, the sea, and the sky join in,

Mother earth is hurting

they cry

We need you to act with us

they call

We need you to join us in the restoring Creation

So that our mother may flourish once more.

We need you, they plead.

Discerning God,

How do we faithfully respond to these calls?

[moment of silence]

What would you have us do?

How would you like us to act?

Guide us, we pray and lead us towards transformative actions.

Amen.

Guardrails for Medical Assistance in Dying

 

This past week the Ontario government decided to reduce the size of the body that reviews complex medically assisted death and to alter its scope. The 16-member committee could be less than half that number and some of those who have been let go claim that it is because of their caution about certain cases and that the new format will be less rigorous. 

Ontario’s Solicitor-General and the Chief Coroner claim that the new group will reflect a diversity of views and uphold transparency. While I tend not to trust the Ford government on anything I have no reason to believe that this is an attempt to expand the scope of MAID or to hurry people out of this life. Why is the change necessary, though, knowing that the committee is only two years into its existence? Will a smaller group which meets less often ensure that the complex cases, including those involving mental health issues, be able to do an adequate job? 

As a Christian I want our governments to protect the poor and the vulnerable at the end of life and don't want any person to feel compelled to choose Medical Assistance in Dying as an act of desperation. At the same time I've come to believe that offering the option of MAID under carefully developed guidelines can be an act of mercy. Extending life under all circumstances is not compassion. We are certainly not intended to play God in taking life but is requiring people to live with no reasonable chance of quality for their remaining days fulfilling God's intention? 

The Globe and Mail ran an editorial two days ago with the headline: The guardrails of MAID need vigilant scrutiny. This is true and it's important for all of us to be informed and vigilant. 

When MAID became law eleven years ago the United Church issued a reasoned statement and then another a year or so later. Congregations and members where invited to respond to a government survey and we did so at Trenton United Church. I also led a discussion and study series on MAID and hospice/palliative care which was well attended.  

It seems to me that it's time that our denomination formulates another statement to address changing realities and encourages more discussion within congregations. 

Hope & the Flight of the Swallow

 

                                                            The view from my study window 

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 

My soul longs, indeed it faints, for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

 Even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
    my King and my God.
 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah

 Happy are those whose strength is in you,
    in whose heart are the highways to Zion.  Psalm 84:1-5 NRSVue 

We are at the stage of life where there is a lot of gloomy news about the health of our peers and, even more distressing, loved ones who are much younger. When I feel overwhelmed -- often these days -- I find solace in the natural world, Creation. While our walks, skis, now paddles and cycles, are part of this so is looking out the window of my study. 

My view is to two birch trees where there are often birds, although not swallows such as those featured in the fold-out Angela Harding card given to me by daughter Jocelyn a few years ago. I decided that I couldn't just tuck it away so I put it on the window and I still love it.

The other day we were walking alongside the Moira River north of Belleville and we saw, for the first time this year, swallows flitting and swooping over the surface. This is always a thrilling sign of Spring for me and they bring to mind the Spirit moving over the waters of Creation in Genesis. 

When I took the photo above I'd just opened the window to the sound of the dawn chorus and I felt uplifted in an indescribable way. On Easter morning I felt Resurrection hope during the worship service and I did again as the birds sang and the birch trees held their promise or renewed life. As I write this with window open I hear the rain and a loon in voice flying above, to who knows where. Life is uncertain but in this moment the God of Creation and Resurrection, animated by the Holy Spirit, is good. 

                                                 Swallows in Flight -- Angela Harding

World Art Day & Faithful Expression

                                              

Um, how did I miss World Art Day! 

When I was in my late teens and early twenties, considering ministry in the United Church as a vocation, I would go before a panel of church mucky-mucks who would ask the right questions about my suitability for the role. 

One minister was suspicious that I was focusing on art history in my undergraduate degree -- wouldn't sociology be more practical? The late Rev. Dr. Stanley Osborne, long-time principal of the Ontario Ladies College (what a name) had doctorates in theology and music. He came to my rescue noting that some of the greatest examples of art through the ages, were commissioned by the Christian church. I will always be grateful to the kind and supportive Dr. Osborne and I have no regrets about my art history education. 

When I have been in some of the great art museums of the world I have the same sensory and emotional response I've experienced in cathedrals and other places of worship. At it's best art, whether it be visual or aural, is a spiritual experience, transporting us into another realm. 

One of the unfortunate realities of the United Church tradition with Methodists and Presbyterian forebears is that we've been indifferent or suspicious about expressive art in our sanctuaries and leaned toward mundane architecture. The Roman Catholics tend to be much more inclined to share the gospel through artistic expression in their places of worship. One of my favourites through the years is the chapel of Christ in the Desert Monastery in the wilds of New Mexico. 

While I was in pastoral ministry I served St. Andrew's United Church in Sudbury. The doors to the sanctuary and peace chapel were created by internationally renowned artist, Jordi Bonet. I rarely went through those monumental doors without admiring the unique works themselves and the foresight of the congregation to include them in the new structure built in the 1970s. 

The doors have these themes: 

I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD 

I AM THE DOOR 

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND LIFE

COME HOLY SPIRIT 

COME, HOLY SPIRIT COME

 COME AS THE FIRE – AND BURN 

COME AS THE WIND – AND CLEANSE 

COME AS THE LIGHT AND REVEAL

 CONVICT – CONVERT – CONSECRATE UNTIL WE ARE WHOLLY THINE!

( the door of the Peace Chapel:

"PEACE"

                                                     St. Andrew's United Church, Sudbury Ontario

David Suzuki, Lessons from a Lifetime

 

Do you remember the 2004 CBC contest called The Greatest Canadian? More than a million of us voted in choosing the top ten, with Tommy Douglass, the Premier of Saskatchewan and the parent of Medicare at number one.  Another near the bottom didn't deserve to be there at all (Don Cherry ) and Wayne Gretzky probably wouldn't make the cut these days. Terry Fox and Sir Frederick Banting definitely deserved the honour near the top, but would PM Pierre Trudeau still be number three. 

The only person in the top five who is still with us in David Suzuki who recently celebrated his 90th birthday. The scientist, environmentalist and longtime host of The Nature of Things has been tireless in his efforts to speak on behalf of the planet, beginning in the 1960s. Now the David Suzuki Foundation continues this essential work in Canada and around the world, in advocacy and financial support for environmental projects.

                                                            from A Force of Nature, an NFB film 

I have finished Suzuki's Lessons from a Lifetime which includes a series of his reflections on a long and remarkably varied life interspersed with tributes from a varied bunch of admirers Jane Fonda, Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth May and so many more. I found myself unexpectedly moved at times by his thoughts about childhood as a Japanese/Canadian who was sequestered in what was essentially a prison camp during WW2 and the racism he somehow overcame thanks to his remarkable parents and his own drive. I also appreciated the deep satisfaction he now enjoys being with his wife, Tara, his children from two marriages, and his grandchildren.

Suzuki has mused that the environmental movement has failed in some respects, although he isn't giving up, and I share that outlook. As humans we continue to foul our own nest and desecrate Creation. Why can't we learn and change our foolish ways? 

Over the years Suzuki has inspired a host of critics including those who are mean-spirited enough to mock him as he reaches this auspicious birthday and use the derisive term "saint David". This "saint" is matter of fact in saying that he doesn't believe in an afterlife, that basically when we're composted it's over. He did write a book called The Sacred Balance which incorporates what he has learned from Indigenous cultures around the world, including the people of Haida Gwaii. 

I should add here that I've had a conversation with David Suzuki. Okay, a decade ago I I was surprisingly face to face with him in a Toronto hotel lobby and when I wished him a happy 80th he said thank you. I'm declaring this a meaningful chat and sticking with it. 

 

Pope Leo, Peacemaker

 What would make an aging couple burst into laughter at seven o'clock in the morning while listening to CBC Radio yesterday? Why, it was the President of the United States, Donald Trump declaring that he is not a fan of Pope Leo. Oh, really? 

The American-born pontiff, leader of about 1.4 billion Roman Catholics has been increasingly outspoken in opposition to the Iran War which Trump initiated along with Israel.  According to a Vatican news release

During a recent Prayer Vigil for Peace in the world, Leo appealed to leaders of nations to stop and sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, "not at the table where rearmament is planned and deadly actions are decided!" He also insists that the Church will always advance in calling for peace "even when rejecting the logic of war may lead to misunderstanding and scorn," and will always instill "obedience to God rather than any human authority."

This led to Trump dismissing Pope Leo as weak and catering to the Radical Left, aka anyone who speaks truth to his power and generally appeals to the message of Jesus who is the Prince of Peace. Far from being perturbed Leo responded to a reporter's question about the presidents comments offering:

“I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the Church is here to do. We are not politicians. We don’t deal with foreign policy with the same perspective he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker.”

Norah O’Donnell – a senior correspondent for CBS News and a contributing correspondent for “60 Minutes” – interviews (from left to right) Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey; Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington, D.C.; and Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago for a segment titled “Pope Leo’s Church” that aired on April 12. (Screen capture from “60 Minutes”)

On Sunday evening the CBS program 60 Minutes sat down with three RC Cardinals who all supported Pope Leo's views. When interviewer  Norah O’Donnell asked if the United States’ war with Iran is a just war, Cardinal McElroy responded, “No, in the Catholic teaching this is not a just war. The Catholic faith teaches us there are certain prerequisites for a just war. You can’t go for a variety of different aims. You have to have a focused aim, which is to restore justice and restore peace. That’s it.”

I was impressed by all three but I have no doubt that Trump considers these Cardinals "nasty, very nasty."

This wickedness on the part of the President isn't funny but it is absurd. It should cause every Christian to weep and it's also scary. He may not be the Anti-Christ, but he is anti-Christ in so many ways.

Shortly after nyah-nyahing Leo Trump posted an image of himself as Jesus healing a white guy in the midst of a bunch of other white folk looking on in wonder. Perhaps President Trump and Secretary of War Hegseth will mount an "excursion" against the Vatican. The American military is in the vicinity, so...

Vision Quests Fulfilled for Jeremy Hansen

 

Artemis 2 astronaut Jeremy Hansen took this picture of a totem pole during a vision quest with the Turtle Lodge. The lodge is situated on the Indigenous lands of Sagkeeng First Nation (also known as Fort Alexander), Manitoba, Canada, on the southern tip of Lake Winnipeg. (Image credit: Jeremy Hansen/Canadian Space Agency/Twitter)

...the term “vision quest” describes a spiritual journey in various Indigenous cultures in which participants, often adolescents, are said to receive sacred knowledge and strength from the spirit world. 

Friday evening we joined millions of people -- hundreds of millions? -- in watching the splashdown of the capsule containing the four astronauts of the Artemis II mission to the moon. I can't figure out why humanity needs to be engaged in this endeavour at a time when our Earthship home is in peril but we all have our opinions. These four proved themselves to be brave and likeable individuals, including Jeremy Hansen, the first Canadian to the moon. And full marks to the crew for travelling more than 1.1 million kilometres and sticking the landing, about a mile from the target. 

                                              Jeremy Hansen (far right) with Artemis II crew members 

You may have heard that three years ago Jeremy undertook a four-day Vision Quest as part of his personal preparation for the Artemis mission. He did so in Canada, at Turtle Lodge in Manitoba, an experience described this way: 

Turtle Lodge is an international centre for Indigenous education based upon the goal of Mino-Pi-Mati-Si-Win, translated as "a good and peaceful way of life" on the organization's website. The lodge follows universal values (more specifically, seven sacred laws and the eight paths of life) from the Anishinaabe peoples of the region.

The vision quest, often undertaken as a traditional rite of passage for young people shifting to adulthood, asks participants to fast for four days in the wilderness under the supervision of Indigenous elders. 

Anishinaabe artist Henry Guimond from Sagkeeng First Nation created CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen’s personal mission patch for the historic Artemis II mission. (Instagram / Canadian Space Agency)

I'm impressed that Hansen chose to do this, to get his heart, mind, and spirit right before slipping the surly bonds of Earth, borrowing from the High Flight poem. And to show respect for Indigenous tradition was both wise and classy. He chose to include images of the seven sacred laws on his mission patch, including Grandmother Moon. 

There are Judeo/Christian equivalents of the Vision Quest, or Dream Quest, or Dream Fast as it also called. Think of Moses and his encounter with Yahweh, the great "I am" in the wilderness. Elijah was enveloped in the mountaintop storm before hearing the still voice of God. Jesus spent his forty days in the rugged terrain  of Judea before his ministry commenced, an experience reflected in the season of Lent.

For a few years while we lived in Sudbury, Ontario, we concluded Confirmation, a rite of passage for our teens with a trip to Dreamers Rock on Manitoulin Island. This is a traditional Dream Quest location overlooking Georgian Bay where access is now restricted, understandably so. I've never had the opportunity to ask any of those young people (now middle aged!) what they recall or if the climb made a lasting impression.

Thank you Jeremy Hansen for representing Canada so well and respecting the Seven Teachings:  Wisdom, Bravery, Humility, Love, Respect. Honesty, Truth. 

                                              Early postcard image of Dreamers Rock 

Thomas, Doubt, and Believing

                                      The Incredulity of Thomas -- Caravaggio 1601

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." 

Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

John 20: 24-28 NRSVue 

These things did Thomas count as real:

The warmth of blood, the chill of steel,
The grain of wood, the heft of stone,
The last frail twitch of flesh and bone.

The vision of his skeptic mind
Was keen enough to make him blind
To any unexpected act
Too large for his small world of fact.

His reasoned certainties denied
That one could live when one had died,
Until his fingers read like Braille
The marking of the spear and nail.009

May we, O God, by grace believe
And thus the risen Christ receive,
Whose raw, imprinted palms reached out

And beckoned Thomas from his doubt

 “These Things Did Thomas Count as Real” by Thomas H. Troeger (1983)

This is the Second Sunday of Easter and the lectionary, the liturgical schedule of scripture readings, offers up the story of Thomas in John's gospel. You may know that Thomas wasn't around when the Resurrected Christ first appeared to the disciples so he understandably chose not to believe he was alive without evidence. A week later Jesus showed up again and as we read Thomas declared his faith. 

I have noted before that during my years in pastoral ministry I appreciated this reading almost as much as the beginning of Chapter 20 which is about the discovery of the empty tomb. Preaching about it required me to address my own reservations and doubts as a Christian. I knew as well that many in the much smaller congregation on this Sunday had their doubts as well because they told me so. Lots of others had chosen to vote permanently with their feet, even those who had been enthusiastic in their faith. 

                                                             Doubting Thomas -- Rembrandt

There are lots of reasonable reasons to doubt including the reality of suffering in our world. I saw that close at hand and I got why people had trouble believing in a loving God. It's really important to be honest about this aspect of doubt. 

These days I'm rattled by the wickedness of religious people, particularly the faux Christians  who claim to follow Jesus and yet are filled with hatred. They despise believers who don't align with their beliefs and chose cruelty over love. It's as though the teachings of Jesus about compassion and care for the stranger don't exist for them. There are days when I'm profoundly discouraged and at times angry. If I'm honest I am embarrassed as well. I don't want to be part of the same species, let alone the same faith  How can so many Christians have become bloodthirsty warmongers who bow down before a false saviour -- I'm looking at you, Donald. 

Somehow though I can't give up on Jesus as God Incarnate, or the saving love of the Cross, and the power of the Resurrection. I consider myself a moderately intelligent person and I strongly support a scientific worldview (no anti-vaxxer here) and I enjoy a civil exchange of thoughts. 

Somehow Jesus continues to be the One for me and now that I'm into the home stretch of this life I'll likely stay the course, not out of fear but devotion. 

And I suppose I should be extending love to the Christians who espouse such anti-Christian views. Maybe I'll just put this on my "to do" list. 

I like this description of Caravaggio's painting and I apologize for not giving credit to the writer -- I couldn't find her/his/their name. 

Doubt, Curiosity, and the Ethics of Looking

The painting offers a generous view of doubt. Thomas is not shamed; he is educated. Christ guides his hand rather than withdrawing. The companions do not judge; they learn by watching closely. Caravaggio thereby advocates an ethics of looking where skepticism is not the enemy of faith but its path. The hand that tests becomes the hand that will bless and the hand that will be martyred; the eyes that peer will someday preach. In a culture often tempted to humiliate hesitation, the image dignifies honest inquiry.

                                     Doubting Thomas -- Michael Smither Mural