2019. Tension brewed like a bubbling witch’s cauldron on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. A handful of Black Hebrew Israelites yelled at a bunch of high school students who meandered over after participating in the March for Life earlier that day. The students took the bait, responding to taunts with words and gestures of […]
Our Confidence is in the Shalom-Maker
by on January 14, 2019 1 Comment
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. In the early days of the New Year I stumbled upon Psalm 46. I was thinking about how God disarms our violence, and I landed on this psalm on this January morning. But here the song—for it is a song that celebrates the […]
Do My Ancestors Matter?
by on December 10, 2018 Leave a Comment
The road to Bethlehem began in the northern town of Nazareth, a tiny backwater town in the Galilee region known for heavy accents and backward thinking. José hoisted the last of the luggage before helping his betrothed María, now with child, onto the animal. Together they set out on the long journey to fulfill the […]
Remember Your Exodus
by on November 12, 2018 10 Comments
“…you shall love the alien as yourself; remember that you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” Lev. 19:34 Remember when we were slaves in Egypt, our men working in the brickyards under relentless quotas and merciless taskmasters? Remember the death edict that stole our sons and the risks we took to save as many as […]
Peace Is Not Dead Yet
by on October 8, 2018 4 Comments
Bethlehem isn’t far from Jerusalem. It’s maybe just a 10-minute drive. Our taxi was waved through the checkpoint. As we took the worn asphalt road toward Star Street, Claude asked our driver what he thought of Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority that controls parts of the West Bank. He turned toward the […]
