Getting Back to the Source(s)

Monday, May 26, 2025

Happy Monday, my friends! Recently, I saw a social media post from a conservative Roman Catholic news organization that announced that Pope Leo XIV had removed a controversial, supposedly “liberal”  cleric and replaced him with a more conservative cleric. The headline and article struck me as odd given the statements from the new pope, so I googled the people involved and learned that the situation was not what it seemed. Yes, the outgoing cleric had gotten himself in some trouble when in an interview in 2023 he had tried to speak from his own opinion rather than his position as the leader of a major Catholic academic institution. However, he had not been removed from his post in 2023 or now. In fact, he celebrated his 80th birthday a few days before Easter and had used the occasion to submit his resignation to Pope Francis, who died shortly thereafter. Pope Leo accepted the resignation and immediately appointed a new leader who, yes, is seen as more conservative, but who is a leading scholar in the same field and who is highly qualified for the position. Like many headlines and statements, this one seemed to be clickbait.

I’ve never liked the idea of accepting what others tell me at face value. I always want to investigate further, look at the original sources, read from experts in the field, and consider thoughtful analysis. My friend, Bishop Tim Wolfe, constantly reminds his clergy (including me) that as pastors we are called to dig into scripture and find truth and meaning which isn’t hidden, but would have been in the original context of scripture and in how people of the time would have understood our sacred texts. A few weeks ago, I preached on Philippians 1 and in my preparation found several articles discussing the people who founded and inhabited Philippi (largely Roman military veterans) and how Paul used several illusions and jargon when addressing the Philippians that aren’t found anywhere else in the Bible. Paul understood the context and employed specific language that held meaning for his audience, but which might be lost on other people in other cities and in other times. Taking the time to learn more about what we read and the potential nuance involved is as important as drawing our own conclusions about the news, analysis, acceptance, and outrage which swirl around us via 24-hour news, social media, and every other influence competing for our attention.

Now perhaps more than at any other time in our lives, I encourage you, friends, to read and listen to many sources, read the language of legislation and scripture, examine situations from multiple angles, and harbor a healthy skepticism about the media we consume.

When have you seen headlines and statements which make you skeptical? Where do you get your information?

Let us pray: Wise God, you’ve bestowed wisdom on your people, whether we use it or not. Help us lean into that wisdom and make good decisions not only about the information and media we consume, but about how we interpret and convey that information to others. Empower us to neither be propagandists nor mere followers, but faithful stewards of news and facts. We ask this through your son who was called the Word. Amen.

Blessings on your weeks, my friends! Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

Faithfully,

Ben

The Freedom to Love

Sunday, May 25, 2025

The Rev. Iva Joyce-Miesse (she/her)

Associate Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church (Columbus, OH)

Board Member, LOVEboldly

Queer Christian

“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm…and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. For you were called to freedom…only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another” (Galatians 5:1,13 NRSV).

So, which is it, Paul? Are we free or are we slaves? What am I missing here? We spend a lot of time talking about freedom these days. Freedom is to be both wildly defended and more obtained. Collectively, we place a high value on freedom, but sometimes it seems we misuse and denigrate the term. Secularly, it often implies a high degree of self-oriented individuality; “freedom” in our daily use of the word tends to consider self before considering other.

Still, it’s easy to get behind Paul’s initial call to freedom, isn’t it? We are unfettered, liberated and unyoked from the slavery that is the burden of sin and death. Claim this freedom! We are redeemed and set free! There is great rejoicing at the foot of the cross and at the threshold of the empty tomb.

But, what are we to do with this freedom? What are we freed and liberated to do then? We are freed and liberated to live our lives in the Spirit. We are freed from self-indulgence and self-centeredness. We are liberated from our self-destruction. We are freed to liberally and effusively live the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In the greatest of cosmic ironies, we are liberated to be yoked and bound. We are free in Christ to do good things. We are free to be agents of reconciliation and love. We are free to place ourselves squarely in the breaches where we perceive the loss of another’s dignity, injustices and a lack of respect. We are freed...to love those who do not love us. We are even liberated to the ultimate freedom of loving our enemies.

We are free...to be yoked and bound, tethered and tied, chained and fettered...singularly...to LOVE.

Reflection

What is my personal definition of freedom?

What aspects of that definition do I need to reframe to align with the accountability that Paul calls us to in this passage?

Action

Journal about your own definition of freedom.

Just Out of Reach

Monday, May 19, 2025

Happy Monday, my friends! My backyard plays home and refuge to a collection of squirrels, birds, rabbits, and the occasional deer. Whenever I take Scout outside, he goes running after the rabbits even though they’ve figured out how far he can get on his leash and sit just outside that range. They toy with him until he gives up and turns his attention to the birds. While I wonder what he would do if he was able to catch up to a rabbit—I think he’d try to play with them rather than eat them—the fact is that they are just out of reach.

Having something out-of-reach is an experience shared by all living beings, humans being neither unique nor particularly successful in taming this desire. We all have things we want but which are just out of our reach. Sometimes it’s because of money or because we’re saving for something else. Sometimes we tell ourselves that we can’t have it because it isn’t good for us or because we won’t like the consequences. Sometimes what we want does just doesn’t exist or isn’t available to us for one reason or another. Those times suck, sure, but what’s even worse is being so close and still not being able to have what we want. It hurts all the more when what we’re discussing are our equal rights. Queer people continue to watch our rights be debated by each successive administration, congress, and court.

What do you want that feels just out-of-reach? How do you feel when someone else seems to be keeping something away from you?

Let us pray: Gracious God, in those moments when the challenges before us loom, when the path ahead seems impossible and our own strength feels insufficient, grant us courage to take the next step even when we can’t see the whole way. Grant us also the unwavering trust that your loving hand is still reaching for ours. Remind us that with you, nothing is truly beyond our reach. Amen.

Blessings on your weeks, my friends. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

Faithfully,

Ben