“see acts 16: a couple of stanzas for the 2010 seminary graduates that I know and love aka give me a hundred preachers who fear nothing...

“see acts 16: a couple of stanzas for the 2010 seminary graduates that I know and love aka give me a hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God and I will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of god on earth- at least a dozen more this year”

Look:

the demons knew first.

The demons knew first like they always do, and so they became dedicated to stopping you.

The demons knew first and they spread rumors about who you were and what you can do. But maybe not even you knew it first, so Racism conspired with Patriarchy, and they both got together with Despair to keep you firmly out of the proclaiming life.

And as the three of them made the blood sacrifices to Empire, you began to hear some whisperings from other folks. From your family, or from people whose vote outweighed your family's vote, sometime outweighed your own vote and eventually and finally outweighed the demon's vote.

And here you are. And we cheer for you as you graduate, and the drum line plays riotous applause and deep thumping dancing base drums that shake the gates of hell, and make the demons prepare to face you in trembling armor: because now we all know.

And pretty soon, my friends and siblings, pretty soon: everybody will know.

And look: the demons knew first, and they were scared, but now they are terrified.

And it's no wonder we feel like singing.

two for easter two

Yesterday was "Easter Two", according to the Revised Common Lectionary. I know this refers to the number of Sundays in the season, but I prefer to think of it as a kind of sequel, as in "Easter II: The Legend Continues", or "Easter II: Electric Bugaloo."

Anyway, here are the promised two:

a poem about me and jesus

some days we box
some days we dance
some days we just cry together.

And:

As many of you know, I carried around a sledgehammer all through Lent. It was to remind me about all the things that needed to be smashed, and to give me a chance to reflect on power and violence. It did all those things, and a few more. I even got to use it to pound a stake into the ground, one time. On Easter, I put it down.

A couple days later, I was reading the daily lectionary reading, and realized this: sledgehammers are good for breaking down walls. Really good. That might even be what they're designed for. However. The Risen Christ: walks through walls.

Shazam.