Going to the Source

Dear Donald.  I know you listen to your religious counselors who love to quote the judgmental proclamations of select portions of the bible. I prefer to stick with the source.  Jesus’ first recorded sermon in his home town was short and sweet.  He claimed to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind… a new year of the Lord’s favor.  You make promises too.  Jesus’ actions reflected his words as he healed the sick, fed the hungry, cared for the stranger.  Your actions appear on the surface to take health care from the sick, food from the poorest humans and build walls to keep the stranger out.  You have proclaimed the year of favor for the rich and powerful. Like Charlie Brown preparing to kick that football Lucy is holding, we are expected to trust that you really do care for us.  That’s the difference between following a generous, loving and forgiving God and a God of vengeance, hatred and alienation.  The more innocent among us ask why you hate foreigners and people of color.  Why do you listen to religious voices of intolerance, misogyny, hell fire and damnation?  It really does appear that you love Fear the way many of us love God. Instead of caring for one another and the stranger at our border, we must fear them, demonize them and lock them out of our paradise.  May God forgive you and me for succumbing to those fears rather than trusting God’s love. 011219