An Elder Pilgrim's Reflections

Kerak Castle, al Kerak, Jordan "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake  in the heart of the sea." (from psalm 46 ) I am writing this reflection the day after the violent attack on Paul Pelosi which, although is shocking to me, is not surprising. It feels as though the foundation of the sane society I grew up with is changing and shaking as it becomes more violent, racist, and divided. Kerak Castle is a mighty fortress atop a firm foundation in al Kerak, Jordan Built in 1149 CE by Crusaders, captured by Muslims in 1189, it changed hands over the centuries and used in World War I. It's location, dominating the surrounding area and protected by deep ravines, made it an ideal defense. Damaged by a recent earthquake, the ravines, part of its strength, could now cause its destruction.  The mighty fortress with the firm foundation, could now collapse. As I reflect on t...

"He also told this parable  to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous  and regarded others with contempt:  ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray,  one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector."   (from Luke 18 9-14  ) This very familiar parable is not about the good guy and the bad guy.  It's based on the center of Jesus' teachings, The Great Commandment: "You shall love the Lord you  God with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." (Lk. 10:27)  To understand this, let's be clear about Pharisees.  They were a Jewish resistance movement emphasizing obedience to the law of Moses in order to make God’s benefits visible and accessible for all who were Jewish.  Pharisees lived meagerly and shunned excess and so were not legalistic, rigid, and elitist. Instead, they paid attention to the oral tradition interpreting the spirit of the Torah, so they played an essential role in ensur...

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”  The Lord replied, “If you had faith  the size of a mustard seed,  you could say to this mulberry tree,  ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you' (from Luke 17:5-10 ) I can empathize with the apostles who asked Jesus, "Increase our faith!" as people suffering from Hurricane Ian. As I watched people wading through floods, surveying damage, and enduring without power, they probably wondered how much faith was needed to make it through their experience. The apostles had seen the works that Jesus had done and the determination he had to live as the Holy one of God. As apostles, they knew their mission was to carry on Jesus' work and that they needed more faith to build God's kingdom as he was. And so, they asked for more faith. So, Jesus uses the images of a mustard seed and a mulberry tree to help them understand they are asking for the wrong thing. Jesus understands it's not about having 25...

In the parable of the Ten Lepers, Jesus said to one who returned praising him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:11-19) As I visualize this story, I see Jesus going through a place similar to the southern border towns of Texas. There are two boarders here. The first is physical: the Rio Grande which separates a safe place from unsafe places.   The other is a vague area of cultural and social life differing from the physical. The people in this area are the outsiders representing unsafe places. These people, like the lepers, are crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” because they are suffering mental isolation and poverty.   Jesus, who is more interested in healing than physical and cultural borders, tells them: “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”   They are healed, one returns praising Jesus who says, “Your faith has made you well. What I see here is that Jesus has changed the meaning of a border.  He chan...