partsofspeaking

Words are inconsequential when something like the Virginia Tech shootings happens, so I won't address that. Those young people and professors will never, ever get past it. We should not either. Thank goodness for Nikki Giovanni, who said as much yesterday at the memorial service. I'm so sick of people saying, "Get on with your life" after unspeakable tragedies. That does nothing but make more guilt and serve our emotional attention deficit disorder. What I do want to address is the oddity of a date. During the week of April 19-20, the following have happened. Hitler's birthday April 20. Holocaust Remembrance Day April 15 Ruby Ridge April 19 Columbine April 19 Waco Burning April 19 Oklahoma City Bombing April 19 Virginia Tech April 16 Why? At least some of these were related to, perhaps even committed because of, the first two. I will not speculate; it almost seems like some center of gravity for evil exists at this time. But that's too mystical; I o...

I have atttempted, mostly unsuccessfully, to observe the passion week and will celebrate the Resurrection tomorrow. I've been sick and overbusy, but have tried to see the passion anew. We become far too familiar with it. Jesus died for (because of, in place of the punishment for) our sins. Maybe we should also say, Jesus died as our sins. "He became sin for us who knew no sin." There are several New Testament references to this facet of the cross. As I heard a Christian radio host say this morning, we should face holy week in silence, and if we really want to understand the emotion of the cross, we should read the Old Testament, especially Isaiah 53 and some of the psalms. As our sins, Jesus bore all our shame. It hit me this morning that Christ was naked on the cross. Truly naked. The Romans didn't care, and some of the Jews would have perhaps taken an evil pleasure in how violated this made their enemy. And how hard this would have been for his followe...