11-21-25

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
November 21, 2025
What do you do as a person of faith when you experience something that is really quite offensive, yet you realize that for one reason or another, others could not see it? And still others were simply too nice to say something. How do you go from being really ticked off to a place where you can speak calmly and in a way that people can hopefully hear what you need to say? We’ve all, at one time or another, reacted in the moment with a diatribe that was sort of a word salad. In the end, no one felt better. Actually, people probably felt worse, defensive, and more affixed to their way of thinking. As I am writing this, I am trying to take some deep breaths and ask myself a couple of questions: Why was that so troubling? Were there things that bothered me that were probably more about my baggage? And were there a couple of specific things that were truly offensive and can I find a way of clearly and with some sense of composure communicate why those certain things were offensive? Being angry might be what is felt in a single moment of time, but if a person truly desires to see change, the anger needs to become the fuel that produces passion for the purpose of speaking truth intelligibly. By the way, this is Bruce processing something in written form.

Jesus did not call us to be quiet or passive. The Spirit within him, which is the same Spirit you have given to us, Holy One of the Universe, calls us to be bold, while also knowing our audience; to speak truth, but to do so in such a way that it can be heard; to stand for what is right, while making sure it’s not self-righteousness. At the end of the day, it’s not about us, but about the Reign of your love coming into this world more fully. Amen.