Heart thread - 4/17/2008

Yes, it's been a while - possibly a good sign.

As the human family returns Bishop Krister Stendahl to God, let us give thanks for his life and witness, his scholarship and compassion. We pray for Jane R and all who mourn his loss, especially his wife Brita and their family.

I ask your prayers for my friend Audrey and her sister.

I want to give thanks for all those who dig for the truth and those who bear witness to it, in whatever form. At the moment I am thinking of those who unflinchingly uncover the atrocities humans commit - particularly the crimes of our own government - in order to re-establish accountability and, we must hope, restructure things to make such crimes more difficult and less likely in the future.

I give thanks tonight for Azariah Southworth, host of a Christian TV show, who has had the courage and grace to come out of the closet.

Said Southworth: "This has been a long time coming. I’m in a place where I’m at peace with my faith, friends, family and more importantly myself. I know this will end my career in Christian television, but I must now live my life openly and honestly with everyone. This is my reason for doing this. I know I will be cut off from many within the Christian community, and if so, then they didn’t get the point of the life of Christ. I believe by me living my life honestly and authentically now, I am able to be a better person and a better Christian. We all know there are so many other gay people in the Christian industry; they’re just all scared. I was scared, but now I’m no longer afraid."

[Emphasis mine] - h/t to Towleroad for that story. I pray for those who struggle to reconcile their identity and their faith and give thanks for all who succeed and bear witness.

This day we have given thanks for the birthday of Diane Roth of Faith in Community. Blessings on Pastor Diane.

Today the Bishop of Rome denounced pedophilia in the Church. More than a day late (and who knows how many millions of dollars short?) but nonetheless a step in the right direction. Let us pray for those who have been abused by persons in power, within the Church especially, that they may find healing and peace. May the Church (of every stripe) also find healing as it strives to prevent abuse of any kind (including spiritual).

While Papa Razzi (my favorite name for him) is in the United States, I pray that he will be loud and clear in his denunciation of immoral wars, and specifically the invasion and occupation of Iraq. This is no time to make nice with the monster in the Oval Office.

I also give thanks today that my two little peach trees seem to have set lots of fruit. Hooray for spring! Wopila, Tunkasila! Wopila, Ina Maka! Lila waste yelo.
--the BB