Sunday Morning in 21^st Century ‘Merica

I wake from a dream

The staccato of automatic weapons

Red blood flowing

Mixing with free verse

Words

Spinning around

Mixing with blood

Screams

Fear

Hate.

Opposites intertwined

Yet repulsing

At the same time

Is it a Dystopian fantasy

Or, reality?

I turn on the kettle

And TV as

The media starts to prognosticate

Politicians start their platforms

And the preachers go to their pulpits…

“I want to make America great again

Back to Christian roots

Make more money

Sell more guns

Kick out those that don’t fit

Fear everyone who is different

Hate the enemies

Back to the Bible”

I sit up as the programming stops…

Automatic weapon heard

Many hurt and killed

Chaos and panic.

“See we need more guns

And more fear and panic

They were a different lifestyle

And have been judgee

Not to make a tragedy political but….

We need more guns

To be safe…”

My mind wanders

As tears come to my eyes.

How can this be happening again?

It must stop it

Is so senseless.

I see rivers of blood flowing

Children screaming

Mothers crying

Loved one lying dead

Bodies all around.

Getting darker and darker.

Another Sunday,

Blood Sunday.

As I pick up a pen

And write I see

Arms stretched with nails

In the hands and

More Crimson blood

Flows from a sword

In a side.

I write the words that

Through the blur

Come to my mind

In an imperfect flood

Of words and verse.

“Put your sword down

Turn the other cheek

Love your enemies

Give your riches to the poor

Blessed are poor, weak, sick

And peacemakers

Of the greatest of these are love

The fruits are peace, patience, kindness..

Do not worry

Do not fear.

I don’t care if you are white

Or black

Or gay

Or straight

Are male

Or female

Or both.

Muslim

Hindu

Buddhist

Even Atheist.

From from Africa

Europe or America.

I love everyone

All created equal

Not one greater than the other

All as one”

I stop, pause

And start to feel better.

Hope can untangle.

The TV is still on and I hear

“I’ll make America great

Wipe out enemies off the earth

We need more guns

Not less

More money for the rich

From those that don’t.

It’s not our fault they are

Sick and poor.

Be fearful.

I’ll make America great

And Christian again”.

In disbelief I turn the TV off

As somewhere another

Staccato of an automatic

Is heard

Followed by screams

And hate

And fear.

I walk away to start

Another Sunday in

Twenty-first Century

‘Merica.

Easter Sunday morn

Christ has conquered all

Walking out the tomb 

A miracle to change the world

Light conquered death

Love conquered fear.

Two thousand years later

From the pulpits we hear 

Not, this Christ who rose

But, pseudo politicians pastors

Or pseudo pastor politicians 

Preaching love and grace?

Alas, that is not expounded 

But, fear of those who are foreign

Hate of those who are different

Sounding like Sadducees of old

Solving problems with violence and death

Terrorism with words

Bastardization of all that Holy.

Did Easter really happen?

Have we left Christ on the cross?

March 27th 2016

I have just finished reading The Fixer by Bernard Malamud.    Briefly this book is the story of a Jew in the Russia of the Tsars in 1911.    He was accused of a crime he did not commit being the victim because of his religion persecuted by "Christians" in the name of the "Christian State".  I got me thinking about how is different from where we are in the US in 2016 almost exactly 100 years later?   The answer is NO.   We persecute, judge, hate against those we are different from.   The exact opposite to the response Christ would have us do.   We never learn and the image that keep coming back to my mind is that of putting Christ back on the Cross rather than accepting the gift or grace and love He has given us.

As today we celebrate the birth of Jesus, God coming to the earth it got me thinking.....

When we first moved to America 17 years ago we felt we were called to do it.  We can both very clearly remember the celebration at Spring Harvest where it happened.   I think it's taken 17 years to really see why.   Yes, in these years we've done a lot of things and been involved in a lot of things and been involved in a lot of relationships that I pray have made a difference.   We've been in the right place to support friends and family in difficult times and to save a lot of animals lives.   However,...

America.   

I see a mission field so big.    Bigger than the most "backward", atheistic society.  Why?   I am struggling to  put it in to words.   What I see is a Country that has been blessed in so many ways.  I also see a Country so misguided in it's self importance and idolatry about it's self and the sad thing I see a Country where this misguidance is from the Church, from those that should be setting a better example.   What do I mean by this.   I mean (and there are a few examples), but,  the one I really, really cannot come to terms with it all, is the Gospel of fear and hate we see.   It could be disagreeing politically, coming from the wrong part of the world, having a different lifestyle, looking different, fearing the unknown.   How far from the Gospel is this?   "Love your enemies" "Do not fear" "Trust".   Where are these?   The foundations of Holiness are just not to be seen.  It must be a joyless life living in this constant fear of the unknown.  Yeah, of course there are times everyone is fearful, but, living this way, been taught this way by the church, and by politicians who claim to be Christians is just wrong.   It's all about me.  About how much I have, about how I am better, about how everyone else is stupid or wrong.  Newsflash!!   Jesus doesn't care about countries or borders.   He cares about everyone.  Period.   He cares that the poor, hungry, downtrodden are lifted up and loved.   I do think that religion and politics can be separate.   I do however find it absolutely criminal that when politicians who preach and publicly shout out their faith to do not practice it.    I have news for them.   The world is bigger than America.   The world that Christ loves is bigger than America.   The world the Christ came to save is bigger than America.   He sees no boundaries.   He sees no borders.   He sees no ethnicity.   He does see the hurt.  He does see those sitting back not helping those in need.   He does see the hateful fear.   He said that we are "all one in Him".  Every time we refuse a refuge we are refusing Him, or bomb a city we killing Him.  Putting Him back on the cross rather than letting Him off it to save us and save EVERYONE.  It is up to Him alone to judge.  Whilst on earth we are called to love.   Love EVERYONE!!

As a side note.   I would never have thought in a million miles that I'd end up going to an Episcopalian Church.    Yet I do and love it and feel at home there.   Why?   They get it.  Do I agree with everything doctrinaly?    No.   (I have discovered this is impossible).   What I have found there is a leadership and Church who want to love Jesus and show the world that love in an nonjudgmental fashion.   I was about to lose hope that I would find this in Texas.

So, on this day, as I wrap up my disjointed thoughts, the day we celebrate the birth of the Saviour let's think about what the coming really means, not, what we have made it become.

Matthew 6:25-34.

-Richard

Oreo – The Poem

I miss coming home

To your wagging tail

And excitement

Because I was back.

I miss our late night walks

You sniffing around

Looking through the railings

Watching people who go past.

I miss the funny things you did

Like walk into the vase,

Trip over the boxed

And play soccer for food.

Am I sad that you’re gone?

Yes I am

I wish you were still here

To share my life.

But, as I look back

And the joy you gave

I realize how lucky I am

To have been blessed by you.

  

  

  

 

8^th August 2011, Antioch, California, United States of America.

Loneliness X

I can feel your pain

Throughout the miles

The confusion you feel

Expressed through your words.

It all seems so dark

No end to the road

And words of comfort

Just seem to ring

Like a hollow bell.

I don’t know what to say

Or, even how to help

I guess all I can do

Is to listen and read

So that you know

That you’re not alone.

  

5^th August 2001, Antioch, California, United States of America.