When I think of Jesus on the cross speaking to his Father saying, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” I hear one who speaks as a visitor whose home is another place.

Not everyone has an ear to hear, a heart to receive, a mind prepared with wonder, a life of expansive experiences.

Today if you will hear his voice…writes the author of Hebrews and in doing so scripture teaches us the perennial reality of God’s voice, ever speaking, longing, for those with ears to hear. God spoke and creation burst forth into existence. The sheer wonder of creation, of life, particularly of human life, should strike a reasoning soul with awe.

The untested heart is capable of immeasurable wickedness.

The world doesn’t work without forgiveness and spiritual growth requires the creation of a new self through self transcendence.

The conflicting imagery of Ephesians 6 is meant to impact us with the great disparity between a Roman Soldier and the Lord Jesus Christ so that we might open our eyes to the ways of peace, to tikkun olam (healing the world).

Supporting racism is incompatible with Christian faith, it is to position oneself in opposition to the grace we all share. Prophetic denunciation is a spiritual activity that is feared by most persons.

The keepers of mediocrity attempt to tame God’s wild children. You can be wild and moral, wild and draw close to the Holy One. To all of God’s wild children I say you are the essential personality in a world of mediocrity.

Racism is a parasite on the soul that infects it with intolerable violence. Racism is a disqualifying position for anyone claiming to be a Christian.

There is an admirable practice in Filipino culture that requires protecting anyone subjected to shame whether in a private or public setting. The Filipino cultural instinct is to immediately speak positively about a person subjected to a shaming comment (even if they have to stretch the truth).To shame another is offensive but to use a harmless prevarication to protect them is honorable. The U.S. needs this value to become engrained in their cultural life.

Early Morning Meditations on Belief and Scripture