Seeking Authentic Voice

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22.34-40) I am an Episcopal priest living in Dearborn, MI where 46% of the population are Arabic speaking people from Lebanon, Yemin, Iraq, Egypt, and Palestine. Arabic speaking Christians comprise 5% of that population in this community. As a result my neighborhood looks very different from many other neighborhoods in the USA. Walking the street I will see a young caucasian woman out for a run. Or I’ll see a man out walking his dog, stopping by the church that I serve to let his d

On the last Sunday after the Epiphany I offered the congregation two pieces of paper, one with the question, "This Lent I hope to cultivate..." and the other with the question, "This Lent I hope to let go of...". Then after the service we folded the papers into origami butterflies. I then wrapped each butterfly in tissue paper and hung them on our dried branches as cocoons. We'll open the cocoons for Easter and rehang the butterflies. On Pentecost we'll let them go, perhaps burning them and sending them up into the air?  I didn't read what people wrote, but as I folded some of the paper squares into butterflies I did see some of the responses, it was interesting to note how many said they hope to let go of "anger" in this season of Lent.  Anger. Anger was not my response, but I understand the desire to let go of anger. We live in an angry world today, so much anger all around us.  How do I let go of anger? Will I let go o