Tag Archives: Christ

Who Is Jesus? A Liturgy

07 Wednesday Sep 2022

Posted by in UCC Statement of Faith

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Call to Worship (Based on John 1)
One: In the beginning was the Word.
Many: The Word was with God and the Word was God.
One: The Word abided in the beginning with God.
Many: Through the Word, all things came into being.
One: Life and light came into being with the Word.
Many: This Life and Light shone in the shadows.
One: In celebrating the Word, the Christ, we see the Divine Light.
Many: Let us celebrate the Word, the Christ, as we bask in Divine Light.

Invocation
Illuminating God, Divine Light who entered our world as a human, we celebrate your son, Jesus the Christ.  Through his nurturing presence, our neighbors have seen you clearer. Through Jesus’ radical love, we have learned to boldly care for one another.  Through his death and resurrection, we have seen new life ahead of us.  Stretch our souls as we challenge ourselves to be like Jesus each day.  Amen.

Prayer of Reconciliation and Reflection
Holy God, Harmonizing Healer,

We say we embrace the walk of Jesus, but we trek another way.  We say we live in a world of resurrection, but we shun the possibility of new life.  We close ourselves from the grace that Christ afforded us, and we refuse to share mercy with our neighbors.  Allow the way of Jesus the Christ to be our way.  Create in us the compassion of the Christ as we go about our daily lives.  Amen.

The Great Healer, Jesus the Christ, fills our hearts with hope and love.  May we celebrate Divine Grace on our messy and magnificent journeys, knowing that, through the love, life, and light of Jesus, we see the blessings of God’s mercy.

Reflection on Giving
Like a flame spreading from one candle to the next, we, too, are encouraged to share the Light of Christ with our neighbors and church. Through our gifts of treasures, talents, and time, we follow the footsteps of Jesus the Christ.  May the Light of Christ be experienced by all through the gifts we give throughout this week.

Blessing of the Gifts
Gracious God, Divine Light of the World, with these offerings, may our neighbors experience your love.  With these gifts, may the world know your love and continue to pass your brilliant hope to all.  Amen.

Benediction
May the Road of Christ welcome your authentic beings.
May the Light of Christ illuminate your journeys.
May the Energy of Christ soothe your pensive minds.
May the Grace of Christ connect you greater with a neighbor.
May the Words of Christ invigorate your hearts.
May the Love of Christ send you into the world to spread Divine Kindness from corner to corner of this world.  Amen.

(c) 2022 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use and stream with attribution.

Faithful Badassery

29 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by in Life, Music, Pop

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

faithful-badasseryAccording to Google, the word “badass” is defined as “a tough, uncompromising, or intimidating person” and “a formidably impressive person.”

I have avoided using the word as it hints at some vulgarity.  When you are a leader in the community and church, you look to separate yourself from bad words as to keep a clean image in the eyes of others.

And yet, that’s not exactly what Jesus did…

From experience I can tell you that being a good girl goes only so far.  While being a good girl most of the time is fine, only being a good girl results in people walking all over you and God’s call going mostly unanswered.

Being a good girl keeps a person in two dimension mode, forgetting that adventures are beyond her comfort zone, and that God is sometimes drawing us to those new places.

As time goes on in life and we experience how the world really works.  Life and its brokenness begin to bang up our good girl souls.  The good girl begins to be replaced with something a bit more edgy.  Unfortunately, this loss of innocence happens with all of us.  What we are called to realize is that our scars and screams actually work to God’s and our benefit. You know when the remnants of the good girl need to shine and when the good girl needs to have a seat while the faithful badass takes her place.

The faithful badass is powered by the Holy Spirit.  Just like the lyrics to Pink’s song “Raise Your Glass” we must “raise our glass when we are wrong in all the right ways.”  We stand with the faithful badasses in every age as they walked with God.  We see the faithful badass in the Bible when Vashti says no to Ahasuerus, when Esther stands up for the Jewish people, and when Ruth decides to stay with her mother-in-law in her deepest grief.  We see this faithful badassery when Hagar does everything she can to survive with her son Ishmael, when Tamar fools Judah into giving her offspring, when the daughters of Zelophehad fight for their inheritance, and when Jephthah’s daughter negotiates time to fully live before her slaughter.  And we see many faithful badasses in the women who have lived since the life of Jesus – from Thecla who refused to get married and, instead, evangelized the good news to Joan of Arc who managed to lead in ways young women were not allowed to lead during her time.

Faithful badassery comes from our savior Jesus the Christ when he healed on the Sabbath, ate with the undesirables and turned the tables over when people were unjustly marketing goods in the Temple.

This faithful badassery has been woven throughout all spaces and times.  When I see caregivers spending each pellet of energy ensuring their loved ones are well, I see this faithful badassery.  When I see people of color or women marching because they do not feel that others believe their lives or bodies matter, I see faithful badassery.  When I see men and women speaking out against fraud or sexual assault, risking their own reputation in the use of their voices, I see faithful badassery.

All faithful badassery comes directly from the Holy Spirit.  Without this Spirit of God, we could not exit our comfort zones, risk the death of our bodies or souls, or radically care for one another.

As a leader in the Christian faith, I believe we should claim faithful badassery as part of who we are because it absolutely was a part of who Jesus was and who the Christ is that resides with us today.  It was a part of the lives of God’s children throughout history and it will be a part of the faithful until the end of time.

So when we place our feet on the ground each morning, will we ask ourselves “How will I be a faithful badass today?”

The Church in Perimenopause

22 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by in Church Life, Current Events, Pop, Pop Culture, Religion

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By Ed Uthman from Houston, TX, USA (Human Egg Uploaded by CFCF) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

I constantly read articles on the current status of the Church. Many believe that the Church (or at least Mainline Protestantism) is dying. Others are waiting for its resurrection or see it’s resuscitation happening in front of us. Everyone has an opinion on at what point of the life cycle Mainline Protestantism or all of Christianity exists.

I believe the church is entering its state of perimenopause.

Being a woman who is around middle age and experiencing the slow onset of symptoms, I’ll admit that I may be projecting some of my exciting life onto the current state of Christianity. But the more I read symptoms, the more I believe the Church is in perimenopause – the full-fledged middle-aged transitional period of ups and downs. And, yes, this means that if the Church is the Bride of Christ, then Christ’s bride is going through “the change.”

We’re hot and cold. Do you ever notice how some weeks church attendance is low and other Sundays attendance is up? How come some events are well attended and others are not? The hot flashes of Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve services give us hope and passion that maybe we will have connected with a larger audience, and then the following Sundays church attendance has cooled down to its normal state (or slightly lower). Nothing is truly consistent. Perimenopause is a time of riding the ebb and flow of hormonal waves. As leaders of churches, we ride the swings of highs and lows. Bring along a fan and a jacket because we won’t know what we’ll need that Sunday.

Fertility exists in a different state. We like to think of fertility being a numbers game – more children, more young families, bigger attendance, etc. But fertility isn’t what it was in our 20’s or 30’s, and fertility in churches isn’t what it was in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Fertility in the second-act church includes more quality time with our smaller congregations, heightened online presence and outside of the box thinking. As middle-aged women, we do not intend to stop creating even when physical birth is not an option. Likewise, the Church shouldn’t give up on its process of creation and birthing new programs.

Just like perimenopause, the life of the Church is not over. Instead, the Church has now reached middle age. The Church is not dying – – far from it. When those of us who are women realize that this change is upon us, we often think our lives are over, that we’re “dried up.” Nonsense! A reimagined act two is about to begin. What does that new stage of our life look like? How will we be vital with our physical bodies or our church body looking different? We are all still so full of life, and whether we read this as middle aged women, as church leaders or as congregations. Now is the time to find those new techniques in vitality which will remind us that we’re still very much alive and ready to listen for where God is calling us in this era of our lives.

Whether it’s the story of the resurrection, the fertility stories of Sarah or Elizabeth or our 45-year-old friend’s new hobbies or life activities, let’s remember that life isn’t over for us as middle-aged individuals or as churches finding our second wind.

Quote

Wanting to Leave Christianity? Been There, Done That.

02 Thursday May 2013

Posted by in Pop

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” – Ghandi

I remember where I was in my faith back in my early 20’s.  I went from being a dedicated Christian to someone who completely drifted away from church.  I could no longer believe because Christians had done enough to mar my view of Christianity.

Sure, I still believed in God.  Jesus was somewhere in there.  But I didn’t trust Christians.

Christians were the ones who cared more about who they saw in church rather than welcoming a stranger.  Christians were the ones who could profess Jesus and faith in one second and tear you down in the next.

Even after coming back to Christianity in my mid to later 20’s, I still have experienced unChrist-like Christians.  It’s a miracle that I still come back to this faith when I hear the hatred, shame and bigotry in the name of God and Jesus.  With the hate that goes on in the name of our faith, it’s a miracle there are still Christians in our world.

People wonder why youth are leaving the church?  There are a number of reasons why.  I believe trust is a piece of the puzzle.  Church is supposed to be a safe-space for people to be their truest selves.  When Christians can’t be the person God made them to be, faults included, then they drift away from the church.

Why would people come to church if they were told God hated their gay friends?  Or that they are sinful because they’re living with their boyfriend/girlfriend?  Or that their type of music isn’t good enough for the church?  Or they messed up something during the worship service?

I experienced it first-hand throughout my entire life.  And I know I’m not the only one who has experienced this.

Yet I keep coming back.  I come back to the church.  I keep affirming my place in Christianity.  Some days are so very hard to be a Christian in our world.  But then I just remember how damaged people are and how much hurt they are experiencing.  And I still need to be there for them.

Unfortunately, their hurt is contagious.  More people are becoming part of the “nones” because Christianity is the faith of the hypocrites.

For many of us, we still keep on trying to believe and be part of the church even when we are denied grace and love from our fellow Christians.  We know that the true faith of Christ isn’t reflected in everyone who calls themselves Christian.

For my fellow Christians out there – we must continuously ask ourselves some questions so that we are not causing this pain in others’ lives.  Are our actions keeping people from experiencing the love and grace of God?  Are we harder on each other than God would be on us?  If we are, then it’s time for us to embrace grace.  Otherwise, more and more people will become part of the Church Alumni Association (as John Shelby Spong would call it).

In Christ’s Love – A Letter From a Ally

11 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by in Current Events, Life, Movies, Pop, Pop Culture

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Last night, I tweeted this:

“I’m a straight ally pastor who is here for you dealing w/#TheStrugglesOfBeingGay. God loves you just as you are! :)”

I received a few responses from people on Twitter.  I think they needed to hear that there are people of faith who support and love them.

How could I not tweet this?  Jesus the Christ loved everyone.  Am I not called to do the same thing?

But that’s not the only reason.

I have experienced the unconditional, steadfast love of God through my gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered friends.  They have been open to sharing Christ’s radical love.  And this has led me to becoming a straight ally.

Since college, I continuously have new LGBT friends coming into my life.  I’ve met them through friends, work and school.  Some of my dearest friends have come out to me since we’ve met, and others have come out years prior to our meeting.

This is what I would say to those of  you who are my LGBT friends in a friendship letter of love:

I think you are all so very brave to truly be the person God has made you.  And I am blessed by all of you in my life.

When I’ve been down, you have listened to me.  When I’ve been sick, you have brought me food.  You have prayed with me in times of trouble.  We’ve laughed together, and we’ve cried together.  You have encouraged me in my calling and been a huge part of my faith journey.

You are witnesses to the steadfast presence of Christ in our friendships and in this world.  You’ve extended hands of  hospitality and truly cared about me just as I am.

To my friends who identify as gay, lesbian, transgendered, bisexual, queer, asexual, questioning and fellow straight allies… thank you.

This is a letter of love back to you.  Our orientations and gender identities may be different, and I don’t know the true capacity of strife you’ve experienced in  your lives.  But I am proud to stand next to you and say we are all children of God, and we are all made in God’s image.  We all want joy in our lives, and we all want to be loved just as we are.

Thank you for inviting me to your weddings to see new covenants being made.  Thank you for breaking bread with me.  Thank you for allowing me to be a visitor in your homes.  My life is better because you are in it.

Love, Michelle

Now, to my friends who are still in the camp of “traditional” marriage (a.k.a. marriage between one man and one woman): I recognize that you will not all will agree with me.  Many just  aren’t there when it comes to expanding marriage, yet you treat LGBT people with respect.  I try to be sensitive about voicing my views to people who aren’t quite at the same place I am about gay marriage and various gay rights.  Experiencing new people and new situations takes a certain comfort level.  I highly encourage you to continue conversations with LGBT friends, and maybe your views on love, life and God will change.

And then there are people who are relentless about keeping love in a box: those who use the Bible against their fellow sisters and brothers.  I realize that standing quietly by and allowing seriously bigoted views to float through our atmosphere does not make sense anymore.  Allowing bullying and slanderous words should no longer be in our society.

I’ve heard from some people think that loving a person requires trying to change someone into becoming straight, and that being gay is not good enough.  So here’s what I’d like to say to these friends.  Here’s my letter to those who have closed themselves off from having unconditional loving relationships with their LGBT sisters and brothers:

I have to ask you a couple questions: How would you like it if someone wanted to change something about you that you could not change?  How would you enjoy living in a world where people didn’t love you for who you are.

You see, my LGBT friends are moral.  Extremely moral and kind.  They know Christ in ways that many bigoted people seem to miss.  They know Christ in ways that I have even neglected sometimes.  All they want is to have the same chances at love as you do.  And I’m sorry that those of you who are my close-minded friends have missed out on such love and beauty in your lives.

I also do not want my LGBT friends hurting anymore.  I want them to feel the same dignity you and I feel.  I want them to feel no shame.  I want them to experience the overflowing love of God.  And that is why I write to you today.

My prayers are that God helps you see people and the human condition in new ways – mostly so that you will have an enriched life full of overflowing love.

Love, Michelle

After watching Lincoln this weekend, I had to write this.  It came to mind that, generation after generation, some people feel the need to oppress others to keep their status of life more valid.  What happens when slaves are freed – will they get to vote?  What happens when they vote – will women get to vote?  Justice is a slippery slope.  But that’s the good and decent slippery slope that needs to happen.  Through logic, I see how those who defended slavery and stood against voting rights for minorities and women were on the wrong side of justice.  Those who stood against interracial marriage were on the wrong side of justice.  In 50 years, people will wonder why so many in the early 21st century stood on the wrong side of justice.  Just like those defending injustice decades ago, they used God and the Bible as their reasoning (yet continued to eat bacon-wrapped shrimp).

For Martin Luther King, Jr. said “The arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice.”

Join me on this side of the arc of justice.  If you haven’t had the chance to get to know LGBT people around you, I highly suggest it.  They will bless your lives in new ways.  Listen to their stories.  Hear the struggles they’ve endured.  Know that God will be presence as you listen to each.

I feel that writing this is a bit of a risk.  But, in this life, I feel the necessity to share God’s overflowing love.  That’s the love that brings connection and understanding.  And how wonderful of a world it would be if we could experience this in one another!

I thank all of you who have open my eyes to new types of love.  Let’s keep love outside of the box today, this Valentine’s Day and throughout the year.

Jesus, the Heretic?

03 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by in Current Events, Life, Pop

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This post is based on my sermon from February 3, 2013 delivered at St. Paul United Church of Christ, Old Blue Rock Rd, Cincinnati, OH.

A few years ago, I saw a very thought provoking T-shirt.  It said “Heretic in good company.”  Underneath the title was a list of names, including St. Joan of Arc, Galileo and Martin Luther.  In the midst of the names was one name that stood out: Jesus of Nazareth.  Yes, that Jesus.

Woah, Michelle, did you just refer to Jesus a heretic?

Before I continue to further get myself into trouble by referring to Jesus as a heretic, let’s consider what heretic means.

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines heretic as “1. A dissenter from established religious dogma and 2. One who dissents from an accepted belief or doctrine.”

In his book Tribes, Seth Godin defines heretic as “ones who challenge the status quo, who get out of their tribes, who create movement.”  He continues that a heretic can mean “a person who holds unorthodox opinions in any field (not merely religion).”

So, was Jesus a heretic?

When we look at the text today, we see Jesus challenging those in his hometown.  Verse 14 says that he was filled with the spirit when he entered the synagogues.  Once he starts referring to those in the margins positively – the widow and the leper, they started turning against Jesus.

This was just the beginning.  In chapters four through six alone, Jesus heals Simon’s mother on the Sabbath, he touched a man with leprosy which made Jesus unclean as well, he ate and drank with the people on the margins, and he healed in a synagogue on the Sabbath.

That’s just who Jesus was.

Jesus reframed rules for something greater.  He broke the rules so that he could be more inclusive to the Gentile, the widow and the leper.  He broke the rules so that people could feel loved.  He broke the rules so people could live a normal life, be accepted by their community, take care of themselves and family.

This is the Jesus I try to model my life after.

I’ve been told that our job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.  And sometimes that means saying something in a very different and edgy sort of way.

This could mean that I support people who don’t fit an “traditional” love or life.  This means advocating for the poor, the widow, women, children – – even when people won’t agree with me.  This means volunteering to help those who are hungry, and yes, even call my representatives to be a voice to those who have no voice.  It’s doing justice and loving kindness as I walk humbly with my God.

So is being a heretic a bad thing?  Being a heretic is nothing new.  There have been heretics throughout the centuries.  Because the person with stated orthodox theology was more popular or powerful or had better connections, the less popular theologian was deemed a heretic and banished.  Sometimes, it was over little differences or larger differences –  like not believing in original sin or not believing that God and Christ were of the same essence.

Was Jesus a heretic?  Let’s look at the various definitions:

Was Jesus a dissenter from established religious dogma?  Was he One who dissents from an accepted belief or doctrine?  If he healed on the Sabbath, then he dissented from established dogma and accepted beliefs.

Was Jesus one who challenged the status quo?  By advocating for the Gentile, he was.

Did Jesus hold unorthodox opinions?  If he was willing to pick food on the Sabbath, then yes.

Jesus hung out with women, ate with all sorts of people and challenged those in authority.  Jesus started movement.  Just like Martin Luther, a significant heretic who lit the fire of our type of Protestantism, Jesus was the one who sparked the flame that started the Jesus movement, or, as many of us know it, the early Christian church.

I celebrate Jesus as a heretic because being a heretic means a person is willing to listen for the voice of the still-speaking God.  Sometimes, it’s going beyond preconceived beliefs of the church or Scripture to embrace the greatest thing Jesus embraced: love.  It’s putting love and faith above legalism and rules.

Sometimes, we’ll hear that voice of God ourselves.  And we’ll follow that voice even though it’s unorthodox or means that we have to change the way we have always done it.

It also means that we have to be willing to get thrown of the cliff, like Jesus almost was in today’s reading.  Or even crucified as we see later in Luke’s gospel.

It’s not easy standing up for what you believe.  I can’t even imagine it was easy for Jesus – being disliked by so many people for saying what you believe.

It’s not easy for any of us to feel the dislike for our beliefs.  Whether it’s from our best friend or stranger, we hate being called a heretic or false prophet as we try to follow the God that’s speaking to our hearts.

Unfortunately, when people are challenged in their faith, they aren’t willing to take the time for conversations, to say politely how much they disagree with you.  They are just willing to call names and close relationships.

We need to have a very thick skin to follow Jesus.  Because we are willing to fully open ourselves up to the divine – we also have to be open to all of the good and bad that can come from following the faith of Jesus.

As we follow Jesus, learn more about faith and connecting to God, we will see elements of our faith in new and unorthodox ways.  Eventually, someone will make a comment about faith or religion that’s tough to hear.   Or someone will associate their faith with politics in a way that you haven’t heard before.  And it may be uncomfortable and against what you believe.

How can we make that uncomfortable feeling go away?  There is no easy way, but one effective way is through dialogue.  We need to say the edgy things that we believe to start conversations that need to begin.  We need to find out why someone believes what they believe instead of calling them names and closing our ears to them.

Maybe they are saying something I need to hear.  Maybe there’s something they need to hear from me.  And sometimes, I will say something here that you may not agree with.  I always invite you to have a conversation with me after a sermon.  I can’t expect you to agree with me 100% of the time, and conversations will create an atmosphere of dialogue and love even when we think very differently.

So, was Jesus a heretic?  Whether we believe that he was or just a guy who spoke in edgy ways, he made people think and got people moving.  Are we heretics?  As we continue to hear the still-speaking God as Jesus embraced and Joan of Arc, Galileo and Martin Luther followed, we may be deemed a heretic.  But we are in good company as the God of justice, the Christ of mercy and the spirit of passion walk along side of us, calling us to serve a hurting world in their name.

An appeal to Christians in 2013

01 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by in Pop

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dear Fellow Christians,

After giving it much thought, I think the message of the Good News is being threatened.

Many people are leaving churches and turning their backs on Christianity.  Why?  Because people who speak on behalf of Jesus the Christ are dismissing the most important part of Christ’s message: Love.

About twenty years ago, I was rejecting Christianity myself.  When I was in college, I had experiences that led me to believe that Christianity was the religion of hypocrisy.  In the name of Christ, some were misusing their power to control and manipulate others.  When visiting churches, people were more concerned about their dress or hobnobbing with friends than greeting others with Christ’s love.

I could not see the presence of God in church or surrounding many Christians.

Fortunately, by my mid-twenties, I began to find the light in the Body of Christ.  I found my way back to church and began to see the presence of God in new and exciting ways.  There were times I still found doubt in the goodness of Christianity, especially when my beliefs weren’t “good enough” for people.  But I knew that spreading the message of Christ’s radical love was more important for me to focus on than negative remarks heading my way.

But not everyone is there.

Many people think that Christianity is the religion of rules and perfect morality.  People think we care more about getting into heaven instead of making heaven here on earth.  The message of Christ’s radical, enduring love has fallen short because Christians misuse the name of Jesus the Christ to correct and control other people.

And why not?  Mahatma Gandhi once stated “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.  Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”  This is a perfect example of the reputation Christianity now has in the world.

Thinking back to 2012, I remember stories like the exclusion of my friend’s church from a softball league because he identified as bisexual.  Rev. James Darnell Semmelroth was the pastor of the church but did not participate in the games.  Even though the pastor wasn’t playing, some churches didn’t want to associate with the church in any capacity.

While I am a straight ally, I understand that not everyone is at the place where they agree with gay marriage, ordination, etc.  But for the love of LOVE, can’t we put aside our theological differences and eat together, laugh together, even play softball together?  Love means crossing boundaries to embrace a person as a child of God, whether or not you agree with them.  Jesus ate and associated with all people.  He set “rules” aside as he healed people on the Sabbath.  To Jesus, love and relationships trump dogmas and fears.  By associating with people unlike ourselves, we hear personal narratives and learn to understand each other deeply.

We hear how Westboro Baptist Church wants to protest all sorts of funerals because we’re such a sin-ridden country.  In 2012, we heard various clergy blaming LGBT persons/allies for Hurricane Sandy and atheists for the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.  Do they realize how their hateful words ripples into our world?  Do they realize their loud voices are drowning so many voices of love and compassion?  Do they really think this is the message of the all-inclusive Christ?

Yes, maybe I’m being judgmental.  But I’ll be honest… stories like these may be why many people are turning their back on Christianity.  Many of the messages linked to Christianity are not ones of love.  The Good News can not be heard.  Because of this, many people find no use for Christianity anymore.  And I can understand why they’ve reached that conclusion.

So for 2013, I challenge all of us Christians to break the boundaries of love.  Let us love radically.  If there is someone who you feel like judging, try to talk with them and understand their story.  If there is someone who you fear, pray and understand why you may fear them.  You do not have to agree with them.  But in your love and escaping your comfort zone, you are being a witness to the greatest love of all time: the unconditional love of God that we Christians see in Christ.  Let our voices be louder than those of judgment and hate.

I realize that no matter how hard I try, this doesn’t mean I’m not going to mess up or misrepresent Christ now and again.  I wouldn’t try to misrepresent Christ’s love on purpose, but I think as humans we all tend to make errors now and again.  Sometimes these errors come out of misunderstanding or fear.  As a person of the Christian faith, my goal is to continuously find ways to focus on the radical love of Christ.  Allowing this steadfast love to trample any fears and to clear misunderstandings will bring us closer as humans.

All I can do as a Christian is keep on trying.

If Jesus, the one who knew God greater than any of us, was able to love outside of the box, then maybe we should give it a try.  Because if we call ourselves Christians and do not love, what kind of witness are we to our faith?

Instead of hearing messages of judgment and hate, what if people saw Christians feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, advocating for the voiceless?  What if we told people who have been discriminated against, bullied, beaten, blamed and shamed that God loves you just as you are?  What if we started a campaign to bring the louder voice of loving Christianity to the world?  What if people realized that this is the true Good News of Christianity worth sharing?  The worst that can happen is that by January 1, 2014, people will see Christianity being the religion of Christ’s radical love more clearly.  If you have any ideas, post below.  Let’s go for it!