Brief Thoughts from Bren

Clarence wouldn’t want us to get all silly about his birth, life, or his death. But celebrations are important to community. Celebrations help communities thrive and, truth is, we wouldn’t be here without him. So, I hope he doesn’t mind the tip of the hat we give him from time to time.

This year June 19 fell on a Sunday and the Gospel reading was about five loaves and two fish. So, at Koinonia’s Gathered Worship, we were able to celebrate that Juneteenth is now a national holiday and we were able to think about multiplication. “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” It is good to celebrate but we have much, much further to go. Fannie Lou Hamer said, “Nobody is free until everybody is free.” Is there anything in that parable about bread and fish that can help us go further?

What is normal? Certainly not this violence against one another. Please, God, no. Please let this not be our “normal.” We must not grow weary of doing good. We must not be silent. We must fight to create a better world. A safer world. For everyone.

No doubt, Easter is to be a momentous occasion for Christians — it is our greatest feast day. But it seems its beauty is heightened all the more by living that week — from Palm Sunday to Easter Morning. I wish everyone of you could experience this week with us. That not being practical, perhaps give some thought to experiencing it with us from afar? Together let’s give ourselves to the full range of emotions of that week.

People flocked to the Desert Fathers and Mothers for spiritual guidance. Their advice—called sayings—was initially passed down orally. At least 1,200 of these sayings were eventually written down. So, here are a few that have caught my attention as I have read through them again recently. I hope they teach, guide, inspire, and give you a wealth of thinking to do. They have a way of working on and for us.