Seeking Authentic Voice

 A reflection on the readings for Lent 4C: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 In a small town where life has been the same for 100 years, a war is about to break out between the tranquility of tradition and the fear of change. A power struggle ensues between acts of compassion and hospitality and a fierce adherence to protocol.   The shock of something   new, the excitement of letting go of what have become meaningless rules for life, the dangers of denying people joy and the consequences of intolerance are aroused by a chocolatier’s delectable sweets in the movie CHOCOLAT. At the heart of the story in CHOCOLAT is a gypsy-like woman named Vianne born with special powers. Vianne arrives as a mysterious outsider to the French village of Lansquenet where she opens a chocolate shop featuring tantalizing candy and beverages that can, in addition to being delicious, cure lost hopes and awaken long deprived emotions. Vianne's effect, and the impact of her chocolate, is immediate an...

Chocolate. This time of year one of my favorite beverages is mocha - a coffee with chocolate concoction that is slightly reminiscent of a hot cocoa from childhood, but kicked up a bit with a couple of shots of espresso coffee, some steamed milk and a dollop of whip cream. In the really cold of winter I drink at least one of these each week, usually made at home with my stove top espresso maker, some hot cocoa mix, a little cream. Occasionally I'll spend the big bucks to get one at THE coffee store, but honestly the homemade brew is just as good, and a lot less expensive. On a really cold morning I find a mocha to be very satisfying. Later in the day I will often have a cup of tea, Earl Grey (of course) with a splash of skim milk and several pieces of dark chocolate. Dessert is often a small scoop of chocolate ice cream or chocolate cake or a brownie. I consume a lot of chocolate. I do my best to consume Fair Trade chocolate as often as possible. With so much disparity in th...