Any human can do hurtful, harmful things.
Any human.
Any human can perform cruel, evil acts.
Any human.
Any human can break a law.
Any human.
But …
no human is illegal.
No human.
No human is garbage.
No human.
And …
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
All humans.
All humans are unique.
All humans.
All humans are precious.
All humans.
All humans deserve respect.
All humans.
All humans deserve dignity.
All humans.
All humans deserve love.
All humans.
Filed under Human Rights, Current Events, Antiracism, United Nations
(on the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising
and as the Pentagon renames the USNS Harvey Milk)
When fear calls us to forget,
when bigotry seeks to rewrite and erase,
we remember, God.
We will remember.
We remember Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera,
and all your beloved children
who participated in the Stonewall Uprising,
demanding dignity, respect, and justice.
We will remember.
We remember your beloved child Harvey Milk.
Even as the Pentagon removes his name from a U.S. naval vessel.
We remember his service in the U.S. Navy.
We remember his service in San Francisco.
We remember efforts to recruit us,
to recruit us for the fight to preserve democracy
from those who are trying to constitutionalize bigotry.
We remember his challenge and inspiration.
”you have to give them hope.
Hope for a better world,
hope for a better tomorrow,
hope for a better place to come to
if the pressures at home are too great.
Hope that all will be all right.”
We give thanks for the hope Harvey Milk gave,
the hope he still gives,
and we will remember.
We remember individuals and organizations
who have worked through the years
for the recognition, rights and inclusion of
the LGBTQIA2S+ community
within society and the church.
We will remember.
We remember with thanks those
engaged in this work and ministry
who we knew, and perhaps worked with:
who we know and work with now:
(say names aloud or silently in your heart).
We will remember.
We remember with thanks those
engaged in this work and ministry
whose names we did not know,
whose names we do not know,
and yet who touched our lives
and made life better, more whole, more just.
You know their names, God.
You made and love each one.
And we will remember.
We remember and confess
that some organizations
and individuals (myself among them)
have been too careful, timid, and fearful
through the years.
We accepted the status quo
and failed to challenge the oppression
endured by your beloved LGBTQIA2S+ children.
Forgive us. Renew us. Inspire us.
Help us find our voices.
Help us locate our places in the struggle.
We will remember.
And by your grace, may we do better.
We pray in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
words in italics are a paraphrase of Harvey Milk’s words in “That’s What America Is” a speech delivered by San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, June 25, 1978 (Gay Freedom Day); words in quotation marks are from “You’ve Got to Have Hope” by Harvey Milk delivered on June 24, 1977; note that like many public speakers (and preachers) Harvey Milk presented the same ideas in numerous speeches; words in bold italics are stage directions for your prayer
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Human Rights, Prayer
Faced with the fury of
storm and tornado,
our words seem inadequate –
like ash in our throats
as our hearts ache,
Stil, we pray, O God,
Again, we pray, O God.
Acknowledging
the poverty of our words
the depth of our dread,
the strength of our concern
and the power of your love binding us together,
we pray
for people and places who have
endured storms and tornado.
Particularly we pray for
Kentucky and its people and
Missouri and its people,
the places where death and devastation
are reportedly the highest.
We pray as well,
for places and people
affected by this storm system
whose stories did not make the news cylee,
yet who stand in need.
Make your presence and care
known all buffeted by storms and blasted by tornadoes
Comfort all who grieve
the death of family, loved ones, or friends.
Comfort all who mourn
the death of dreams,
the loss of pets,
the destruction of property.
Work healing
in all who are injured in any way.
Ease anxieties.
Calm fears.
Provide strength to cope
and courage to hope.
Protect and guide first responders
and medical personnel.
Support efforts to recover and rebuild.
Inspire responses to provide appropriate aid.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
This one came out in response to the recent storms and tornadoes. In many situations and circumstances, our prayers seem inadequate. Yet still we pray …
Filed under Current Events, Prayer, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
“Now Gimli, you do magic,” Lucy directed.
I sat on a chair atop an elevated slab of concrete at the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo. Lucy and her grandmother (Tricia) sat on a bench facing me.
I did not think quickly enough to say that magic is Gandalf’s gig, not Gimli’s. I did recall my one magic trick guaranteed to impress everyone.
“Watch me pull a bald head from a hat,” I said.
Slowly and dramatically I removed my hat to reveal … a bald head.
When Lucy asked for another trick, wishful thinking took over.
“Watch me pull a head with hair from a hat.” Major failure as the revealed pate was once again bald.
“My head has hair,” laughed Lucy kindly as she came to stand beside me.
“Let’s see if this works,” I mused. I placed the hat on her head. “Abracadabra,” I intoned. I removed the hat and revealed a mass of hair.
“My turn,” declared Lucy. I went to sit with Tricia.
“Pocus-pocus,” Lucy chanted. I’m not sure what was supposed to happen. And in the end it does not matter.
The magic and wonder of the day lay not in any tricks we did or did not perform.
The magic and wonder lay in the imagination and love of a child.
The imagination …
… that transformed any elevated space into a stage where one could dance with abandon or direct a magic show …
… that realized the ramp to the observation deck at the monkey exhibit provided an entry point to a ship of some sort and we needed to help each other on board …
… that envisioned a chair as throne …
… and that made music with abandon on a suspended wooden xylophone.
The love …
… demonstrated by utter comfort and absolute confidence in her grandmother’s arms …
… shown in kindness to other visitors …
,,, and expressed in appreciation for the creatures with whom we share God’s creation.
As I give thanks for Lucy’s imagination and love, I hope I can recover some of that myself. For it is a joyful, joy-inspiring, joyous way to live.
The image is from Lucy’s coat sleeve.
Filed under Albuquerque, Family, New Mexico
Old photographs
Dust accumulated
through years of storage brings
coughing and sneezing,
itching and wheezing.
Faded images stir
vibrant memories of
people and places,
life and love shared.
Sorrow and joy,
joy and sorrow
mingle with the dust.
And the question lingers:
why are there tears?
17 September 2024
Germantown, Louisville, Kentucky
Filed under Family, Friends, Louisville, Poem, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
God who makes and loves every person,
we pray for our Haitian family members,
particularly those who live in and around Springfield, Ohio.
We thank you for their presence with us.
We are grateful for the gifts they bring.
Protect your Haitian children and all children
from falsehoods motivated by fear and anger
and perpetrated for political gain.
Protect your children and our communities
from the acts of hate such lies may spawn.
Touch our hearts that we might
tell the truth,
challenge lies,
disrupt stereotypes,
overcome fear,
practice welcome,
and embrace all in love.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Prayer
Inspire us, God,
to do one thing.
One thing for justice.
One thing for peace.
One thing for love.
Inspire us, God
by doing one thing
to do more.
More for justice.
More for peace.
More for love.
This day.
Every day.
Through Jesus, we pray.
Amen.
inspired by the Guns to Garden panel, James Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage
Filed under Current Events, Gun Violence, Prayer
I remember, God.
I remember sitting in church
on Neville Island—
hard wooden pews,
my parents, brother, sister all together.
I remember singing:
“Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty!
God in three persons,
Blessed Trinity!”
And I did not understand.
I remember, God.
I remember sitting in many churches,
sometimes in pews,
sometimes in chairs behind the pulpit.
I remember singing.
“Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty!
God in three persons,
Blessed Trinity!”
And understanding flickered dimly.
I remember, God.
I remember choosing hymns
for congregations of fewer than ten people
for congregations of hundreds.
I remember asking people to sing.
“Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty!
God in three persons,
Blessed Trinity!”
And through the years,
with repeated singing,
I give thanks, Triune God,
that some understanding began to grow.
You are One.
You are Three.
You are Three.
You are One.
You exist in eternal relationship,
forever bound together in love.
And the human creature,
created in your image,
is created for relationships—
created to love …
to love you,
to love one another,
to love creation,
to love ourself.
Lead me, God,
to understand more fully this mystery.
And more importantly, God,
lead me to live this mystery:
living love each day
as you, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spiri
live love.
“Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty!
God in three persons,
Blessed Trinity!”
Amen.
Walking. Aunt Pat’s.
Playlist based on Love & Hope in the Age of Coronavirus by Ester.
My Love Is Your Love – Whitney Houston
Holy – Jamila Woods
All These Things That I’ve Done – The Killers
Flashed Junk Mind – Milky Chance
Put Your Records On – Corinna Bailey Rae
Calling All Angels – Train
Cecilia and the Satellite – Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
Bold As Love – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
I’ll Follow the Sun – The Beatles
Lovely Day – Bill Withers
I Know Him So Well – Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson
Anything at All – Over the Rhine
Nowhere to Go – Snow the Product
Eachother – Grace Potter feat. Jackson Browne, Marcus King & Lucius
I Believe That We Will Win – Pitbull
May This Be Love – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Walking. Gym in the Apartment.
The first song was added in response to a post by Alonzo.
The middle section is half of a playlist, Love & Hope in the Age of Coronavirus by Ester.
The final song was given to me by Sean.
Backlash Blues – Nina Simone
Sunday Best – Surfaces
Biking – Frank Ocean
Ends of the Earth – Lord Huron
Angel from Montgomery – John Prine & Bonnie Raitt
42 – Mumford & Sons
Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Blackbird – Brad Mehldau
Where the Light Is – Surfaces
How Can I Keep from Singing – Eva Cassidy
Anything at All – Over the Rhine
Lean on Me – Bill Withers
“40” – U2
Bold as Love – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
When Life Is Good Again – Dolly Parton
Trying to Keep It Together – Norah Jones
Do What You Can – Bon Jovi
Sal Tlay Ka Siti – Book of Mormon
Filed under Family, Friends, Louisville, Music, playlist
Along the Graybeard Trail 