a
Bros tsistes - Wo clergy VA Mis COM”

—

alk of ovr \Weorks . .
a on ae You “Fulah TL
ASsuwme_You o\rcaduy Waa titia i eresen Yak
A ue WG, , Wana, oVss — haw Ween
pagan A Dituajemy, famouse werk A Nout, ween,
SPecebcall, — Proyey for _You « |
yr Yuu, Kilkee wae - tke aye 4 Us ~ fee
(Mi

Ve SOW WA been assay he 4" aes
Cots workers whi leaur Aide Smutws to
Don Gur Curtis wa \Bcbuecthr as Uayass, Weboute
dargains sous . Whese euse =| at ~ \Unues i
OWT COW SWWUarties we ~ ceSaute ly “tls -\a@s
Pomisveans wn low ke Comt | lows
(zed | doa, -

Ord whe ar boat deel Quan 4

Mtn Io bun LE You Yon Us h
ee yume. \bt ic Wr grees

s VAA
aC CAVA WA he >

mm PSSM he) Wad — wr spi
yu for ER, represent Hg fies
o& TL Mba AL Dh AL Corpus
A bow), Uber ur cath GE move
COW ers,

Se wl pw wus Vb deem,

we a ah ys hk orth +

auitieemesananee 2

ST ath Cul % Picea. tos sa
% YOv) penp\ we Ne Adus QGlucad .

Yeauze

pulses Wak © Ways Yor ¥ 1
“00 fur - i: Vee rtlless it B ee ro

as Wappeud 6 WW oy mH

Cn, Acks + Lies ~ 4 NYT.

aetesiictemer tenement IT WAS
NEARLY A FULL HALF-PAGE. | A YOUNG MAN

7 oe — °
DRESSED IN A BLACK #£€ SHIRT AND VEST,
WITH SILVER AND WOQDEN..CRUCIFIXES DAN~
GLING FROM HIS NECK AND A DENSE TANGLE OF
CURLS CASCADING AROUND HIS SHOULDERS AND
DOWN_OVER HIS_FACE: \ HEAD TILTED BACK,

\ AD TILTED eA
EYES CLOSED, AN EXPRESSION OF DULL PAIN.
"MICHAEL McDermott, ") SAID THE TIMES,
"COULD AT FIRST GLANCE BE MISTAKEN FOR
ONE OF THE LEGIONS OF YOUNG_ROCKERS WHO

SS
HAVE MADE A MANTRA OUT OF SEX, DRUGS AND
a ee ha

THE MEANINGLESSNESS OF LIFE.”

So wHy WAS I READING THE ARTICLE?
BECAUSE THE HEADLINE ANNOUNCED, \’ROCK
FINDS RELIGION AGAIN, ") AND NO WORKING

D WO
PREACHER WOULD RESIST Tuar. | Now I
CONFESS: I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF MR.
NcDeRworT. | BuT IT WASN'T FAR INTO THE
ARTICLE THAT I FOUND MYSELF APPRECIATING

=" Alban ile, wes Per Wht pyvecess f4
HIM. HIS CURRENT—POPULAR-AEBUM TS

CALLED "GETHSEMANE," AND IN ONE OF THE

NUMBERS HE SINGS LYRICS LIKE THIS:

"I'M FRIGHTENED BY THE WAY I
FEEL,

I'M LOSING FAITH IN EVERYTHING
AND

EVERYONE BUT YOU."

THE ARTICLE REPORTED A RENEWED
INTEREST IN SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGIOUS
THEMES IN TODAY'S ROCK MUSIC. \IN THE
INTERVIEW MR. MCDERMOTT, WHO IS NO
LONGER TRADITIONALLY RELIGIOUS, BUT ONCE
THOUGHT ABOUT BECOMING A PRIEST, SAID:

"CHRIST IS A VERY POWERFUL IMAGE TO
GROW UP arrn, \ Here's THIS GUY NAILED TO

A CROSS HANGING ON YOUR WALL. | HOW CAN

YOU NOT BE AFFECTED BY THAT?" —
THE Tan pi xix LE WAS A
REVIEW oF ne ‘NEW SCH DicAR Pi ON out

THE ure (0 fdsus WHICH \aRE” CAUSING

Pe

QUITE A sTaR. ONE OF THEM IS WRITTEN BY
JOHN Dominic CROSSAN, a/Pror SSOR AT
I Ai A iam,
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY. sient |v aia OF TIME
DOES NOT LIKE WHAT PROFESSOR CROSSAN
\_SAYS ABOUT JESUS.

ONE OF THE ENDURING REALITIES OF

LIFE IS THAT JESUS CONTINUES TO FASCI-
[il —_— ep

NATE, INTRIGUE, DISTURB, GET UNDER

ks «uh PEOPLE'S SKIN, REGARDLESS OF WHAT ELSE
(be gt : IS HAPPENING THEOLOGICALLY OR ECCLESIAS-
We ih (jA_ \~ TreaLty! | ASKED WHO IN THE PAST THEY
nae Ne" 2
Chew ah MOULD MOST LIKE TO MEET, AN AMAZING
A O ihe NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAY "JESUS," WHETHER OR
C a = a NOT THEY ARE TRADITIONAL CHURCHGOERS.
t-
ye AL IT HAS HAPPENED IN EVERY AGE; THE PERSON
“ ke : OF JESUS HAS RETAINED ITS COMPELLING
a

iv FASCINATION.
a S\
yw AND, EVERY AGE THINKS OF HIM DIF-
ee
FERENTLY. | THAT IS THE THESIS OF A FINE
BOOK BY YALE SCHOLAR, JAROSLAV PELIKAN,

=.

JESUS THROUGH THE Cenrurzes. | IN THE

4

Eamapy GREEK ERA, JESUS IS PORTRAYED AS A
MIGHTY WARRIOR BATTLING THE ARMIES OF
has
Satan. | AFTER CONSTANTINE, JESUS WAS
a
CONCEIVED AS A KING, RULING FROM HIS
ee
THRONE. | In THE MIppLE AGES, HE WAS A
nee
PERFECTLY OBEDIENT MONASTIC, HUMBLE,
cHasre. | PELIKAN OBSERVES THAT IF YOU
COULD LIFT JESUS OUT OF THE ART AND

LITERATURE THERE WOULDN'T BE MUCH LEFT

oF WES IVILIZATIO insert TM
F WESTERN CIVILIZATION. ag Puy roe! FOCUS S
— —
How DO YOU THINK OF Him? (GENTLE Chieds - “i

ne ~ Bl
TEACHER, fronpassronate HEALER, | FRIEND OF reer sae
CHILDREN, leaunzne A STORM, (VIGOROUSLY Li,
ie MR ae Agate

- one \-
DEBATING HIS OPPONENTS, \DRIVING MONEY ON yee SP
oe ~ ———.---_—__— a
CHANGERS FROM THE TEMPLE, | WHIP IN HAND,| 4 5%
— (< Pp \ am
THE CRUCIFIED, BRUISED, BLOODY, STRONG \ nt:
\ - 5
AND COURAGEOUS? | MOST OF US HAVE BEEN | (On we” 4
INFLUENCED BY ART MORE THAN WE REALIZE, | ‘2 eat
| J or
I BELIEVE. | THERE ARE, OF COURSE, NO As W?
- — —— ail ee,
ow *h
AUTHENTIC PICTURES OF HIM, NOT EVEN A Ay
= ff
RELIABLE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION. SO IN 4

OUR MIND’S EYE, FOR MOST OF US, THERE IS

A JESUS CREATED BY THE POPULAR ART. . .

SALMON, WHOSE HEAD OF CHRIST LOOKS OUT

FROM THE WALLS OF THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES

AND SUNDAY SCHOOL ROOMS.

IN THE FIRST CHURCH I SERVED,

rl

SALMON'S CHRIST WAS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE

ORGANIST, CAREFULLY WATCHING HER. . .

| inl

WHILE BEHIND THE PULPIT WAS AN ILLUMI-
\
NATED JESUS A SURROUNDED BY A GROUP OF
ea COUN
LAUGHING CHILDREN AND LEAPING LAMBS.
PART OF THE LITURGY WAS WHEN THE USHER,
wee 2 ——
JUST BEFORE I APPEARED THROUGH THE
LITTLE DOORS, APPROACHED THE CHANCEL AND
REVERENTLY SNAPPED ON THE LIGHT BEHIND
JESUS AND THE CHILDREN, A KIND OF LOW-
EE
CHURCH VERSION OF A GENUFLECTION, I

eae

ALWAYS THOUGHT. | SALMON’ CHRIST IS NOT,

OBVIOUSLY, AN ATTEMPT TO PAINT A PICTURE

—_—

THAT HAS ANY RESEMBLANCE TO JESUS OF
aE

NAZARETH, WHO AFTER ALL WAS A PEASANT, A

JEW, AND WHO WOULD HAVE LOOKED ARABIC.

wre

SALMON PAINTED HIM AS A TWENTIETH CEN-
TURY ENGLISHMAN, |WITH SOFT BROWN HAIR,
NEATLY TRIMMED WAVY BEARD, DREAMY EYES,
AND A LOVELY WHITE ROBE.

AYBE FOR YOU IT IS /ANOTHER ONE OF
THE ese PICTURES: JESUS WALKING
WITH LITTLE CHILDREN AND THE LAMBS -
AGAIN, EVERYBODY IS/NEAT, CLEAN, GLOWING
WITH GOOD HEALTH AND CLEARLY ANGLO-
SAXON; OR JESUS PRAYING IN THE GARDEN.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, OF COURSE,
WITH ANY OF THEM. IN FACT, THERE’S A
LOT RIGHT ABOUT ANY ART THAT POINTS TO
DEEP AND COMPELLING TRUTH, PARTICULARLY
THE TRUTH IN JESUS. UNLESS, OF COURSE,
THE PICTURE OR THE MENTAL CONCEPTION,
THE ASSUMPTIONS BEGIN TO BE THE REALITY
FOR US.
¥ THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY, THE SCHOLARLY PART,

7

THAT HAS SAID,

"LET'S TRY TO DISCOVER THE REALITY:
TRY TO LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE JESUS WHO
LIveD 2,000 YEARS AGO AS WE can. | MAYBE
WE CAN ADD CLARITY AND UNDERSTANDING TO

Ee oo: 2

RELIGIOUS FAITH.\ MAYBE WE'LL LEARN
SOMETHING USEFUL." — aN
So IN. PLACES-tIKE-McCoRMICK THEO- of
anene-suclanl as THE UNIVERSITY OF
Cuxeaeo DIVINITY SCHOOL’, HIGHLY SKILLED,
DEVOTED SCHOLARS, SUBMIT WHAT DATA WE
HAVE ABOUT JESUS TO THE SAME RIGOROUS,
OBJECTIVE EXAMINATION AS ANY OTHER
HISTORICAL FIGURE WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND.
THAT ACTIVITY ITSELF OFFENDS SOME
PEOPLE; OTHERS THINK IT IS IMPORTANT.
WHEN SCHOLARSHIP ADDRESSES THE
PERSON OF JESUS, THE FIRST OBSERVATION
IS THAT THERE SIMPLY IS NOT MUCH HARD
DATA TO GO ON. THERE IS NO RECORD OF

WHAT/HE DID, FOR INSTANCE, BETWEEN HIS

é

4 8

BIRTH AND THE AGE OF TWELVE. AND THEN
THERE IS A GAP OF ANOTHER EIGHTEEN YEARS
UNTIL THE STORY STARTS WHEN HE IS
THIRTY. FURTHERMORE, NOBODY AT THE TIME
BOTHERED TO WRITE ANYTHING DOWN. IT WAS
A FULL GENERATION AFTER HE LIVED THAT A
SMALL ACCOUNT APPEARED, WRITTEN BY A MAN
WHOSE NAME WAS MarRK. DURING THE NEXT
FORTY OR FIFTY YEARS SEVERAL OTHER
ACCOUNTS OF HIS MINISTRY APPEARED -
MATTHEW, LUKE, JOHN AMONG THEM, EACH A
LITTLE DIFFERENT, EACH UNIQUE, EACH WITH

A PARTICULAR READERSHIP IN MIND.
sv
_———5% For YEARS AND YEARS SCHOLARS SIT

one

IN LIBRARIES AND VISIT MUSEUMS AND GO ON
ARCHEOLOGICAL DIGS,\ AND TODAY IN FRONT
= a 7’

OF COMPUTERS; | STUDYING, LABORIOUSLY

ee.

RECONSTRUCTING CRUMBLING PAPYRUS COPIES,

COMPARING TEXTS, \RESEARCHING, DIGGING,

eV =

ANALYZING. . . TO TRY TO LEARN WHO HE

—_ ee en

WAS. | ALBERT SCHWEITZER WROTE A SCHOLAR-

9

ov
potin Vye

LY BOOK WHICH GAVE THE PROJECT A TITLE,

THE QUEST OF THE HISTORICAL JESUS.

AND TODAY THE QUEST IS CONTINUED BY
“-_. —-: -
JOHN DomIntc CROSSAN WHO TEACHES AT
DEPAUL. | Crossay_nas WRITTEN A MAJOR

WORK, THE HISTORICAL JESUS, AND A SMALL-

ER VOLUME, JESUS, A REVOLUTIONARY BIOG-
Y MARKY 4 SE leme ¢

RAPHY, BOTH OF WHICH WERE CRITICIZED B
TIME~ MAGAZINE -LASTESWEEK.

WE ARE = STILL, IN FACT, ASKING A

by Sere

QUESTION THAT PEOPLE WERE ASKING 2,000

YEARS AGO. "WHO IS —, WHO IS This
|

—

Jesus?" | SOMEHOW WE SEEM TO KNOW THAT

THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION HAS SOME-
THING TO DO WITH WHO WE ARE. 9 0 <s
I SHOULD LIKB\US r9foes _THE QUEST,

‘
TO ASK BOTH OF THOSE “QU cous} /vo Is

b

HE? WHO aM I? A

10

THE STORY _BEGINS, THE WAY MARK

PRESENTS 3%,,\WHEN JESUS OF NAZARETH

WALKS INTO T RS OF THE JORDAN

RIVER AND IS BAPTIZED. /IT IS A GOOD DAY
TO THINK ABOUT THAT - T APTISM THE
Lorp. AFTER THE NATIVITY HAS CAPTIVATED
OUR ATTENTION, |AFTER THE ANGELS, SHEP-

HERDS AND WISEMEN,

AFT THE TREES ARE

GONE. AND OUR WONDE L ELECTRIC SHEEP

UNPLUGGED AND SYORED UNTIL NEXT YEAR,

TO MAKE. | MARK
STARTS THINGS OUT IN AN ADULT MODE WITH
A THIRTY-YEAR-OLD CHANGING HIS VOCATION

AND DISCOVERING THE PASSIONATE PURPOSE

OF HIS LIFE.| MARK IS A REMINDER THAT

—--

CHRISTIANITY IS ABOUT REPENTANCE, TURN-
ING AROUND, CHANGING; \IT IS ABOUT DECID-

ING TO BE SOMETHING AND DO_SOMETHING.

IT IS ABOUT SACRIFICE AND SOMETIMES

Ciel

11

SUFFERING AND DYING./ AND IT IS ABOUT
RESURRECTION AND JOY AND CONFIDENCE.

SO ONE DAY HE FINDS HIMSELF STAND-
ING IN A_CROWD OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME

OUT OF TOWN INTO THE WILDERNESS - FOR
poem sasaseeuatstice

aS

THE SAME REASON I SUPPOSE PEOPLE CONTIN-

UE TO GET OUT OF BED, GET DRESSED UP AND

—

TRAVEL TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNING.

—

THESE PEOPLE HAVE COME TO HEAR A MAN
TALK ABOUT GoD AND GOD'S KINGDOM, AND

ONE OF THE ONES WHO RESPONDS ~- WHO

———

DECIDES ON THE SPOT TO REPENT, TO TURN

AROUND, TO SEEK AND ACCEPT GOD'S NEW
LIFE - IS THIS JESUS OF NAZARETH. | ano
FOR HIM THAT DAY, THE WAY MARK TELLS THE
ale ee eS
STORY, WAS THE OCCASION WHEN HE GOT AN
CCAS.
ANSWER TQ THE QUESTION HE WAS ASKING
_"",
AND, IN A SENSE, ALL OF US ASK, unio AM
=... eer or * =: —3
I AND WHAT IS MY ie aanerT"_)
MARK SAYS HE HAD A VISION THAT DAY

PET ng,

- IT WAS AS IF THE VERY HEAVENS OPENED,

err ye

12

AS IF THE VERY SPIRIT OF GOD DESCENDED ON

*
af ———~ HIM, AND HE HEARD A VOICE, THE WAY MARK
ys
ably Ws cour TELLS THE STORY, THE VOICE WAS FOR HIM
ike puiet ONLY: | ano THE VOICE SAID, ou ARE MY
Le \w~ SON, THE BELOVED:\ WITH You I AM WELL

eens
PLEASED." )

SO THE FIRST THING MARK TELLS US
st ae

ABOUT JESUS IS THAT HE IS Gop's son, Clri\d r

Gop'S BELOVED - AND - THAT FOR HIM TO

CHANGE HIS LIFE, \To DISCOVER THE FOCUS
OF HIS LIFE, TO BEGIN TO LIVE OUT WHAT-

EVER BEING THE SON OF GOD MEANS, HE

NEEDED FIRST TO HEAR THAT VOICE - TO

eS Ss

HEAR GOD SAY, ("WITH YOU I AM WELL

PLEASED." } AND IN ADDITION TO TELLING US

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT A LIFE LIVED

=— ,

2,000 YEARS AGO, THIS STORY NOW IS

INVITING US rN, | AND IF YOU ARE LISTENING

~~ — +

CAREFULLY YOU ARE ALREADY ASKING QUES-
TIONS ABOUT YOUR OWN LIFE.\ “OFCOURSE; gb

7

VF THERE" WILL BE ~ STRENUOUS CHALLENGES

—_—_—-

he 13

aneap. \ OF COURSE, THERE WILL BE SACRI-

For \hsn,
FICES AND COMMITMENT AND THREE YEARS IN

—_

THE FUTURE THERE WILL COME A DAY WHEN HE

MUST SUMMON THE COURAGE TO DIE WITH
INTEGRITY AND STRENGTH - ALONE. \ BUT FOR

=, —

NOW, HE NEEDS TO HEAR WHO HE IS, Gop's

SON - THAT HE IS BELOVED: \ THaT Gop Is

-_

PLEASED WITH HIM.

a

THERE IS NOTHING ANY OF US NEEDS

=

MORE URGENTLY THAN THAT. \ We YEARN, SOME

OF US ALL OUR LIVES, TO KNOW THAT WE ARE

om a

BELOVED - THAT SOMEONE IS WELL PLEASED

ome a

WITH US.

PHYSICIANS KNOW THAT HUMAN INFANTS
WHO ARE BELOVED BY SOMEONE THRIVE.
INFANTS WHO ARE NOT LOVED HAVE DIFFICUL-
TY THRIVING. PSYCHIATRISTS KNOW THAT
HEALTHY EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT DEPENDS ON
THAT WORD BEING SAID SOMEHOW BY SOMEONE:
"You ARE MY SON, MY DAUGHTER, THE BE-

LOVED, "\THAT HUMAN BEINGS THRIVE BEST

<<

14

WHEN IT IS SAID BY A MOTHER AND A FATHER:

THAT IF ONE OR THE OTHER OR BOTH ARE NOT

| we

PRESENT TO SAY IT, \THE CHILD WILL SUFFER
AND WILL NEED SOMEONE TO SAY IT FOR
WHOEVER IS MISSING.

x

STUART SMALLEY, THE SATURDAY NIGHT

=_

LIVE CHARACTER WHO SPENDS MOST OF HIS

ee

TIME TRYING TO LEARN HOW TO LQVE HIMSELF

IN A VARIETY OF TWELVE STEP PROGRAMS AND

ee

WHO BEGINS EACH ROUTINE BY GAZING ADOR-

—__ ——

INGLY INTO A MIRROR AND SAYING: "I'm

sid

GOOD ENOUGH. I'M SMART ENOUGH AND,

= rE

DOGGONE IT, PEOPLE LIKE ME. . ."\HAD A
———. “

PRE-CHRISTMAS CRISIS TRYING TO DECIDE

WHETHER OR NOT TO VISIT HIS DYSFUNCTION-
—_ emer :
AL FAMILY FOR THE HOLIDAYS. | THE THOUGHT

OF HIS ADDICTIVE, CONTROLLING PARENTS,

eee

SO INTO DENIAL, HAD SENT HIM INTO ONE OF

HIS "SHAME spreats.” | HE BEGAN TO OVER-

or
oe

EAT WHICH CAUSED HIM TO HATE HIMSELF. \ He

nh

DECIDED FINALLY TO GO HOME, NOT ONLY

i:

15

ye Sef
_ A yh as
“yw f
wr ee
5
os
we ye”
\e
Wh

BECAUSE HE HAD ALREADY PAID FOR A NON-

REFUNDABLE TICKET, \BUT THE FACT WAS HIS

PARENTS WERE THE ONLY PERSONS IN THE
WORLD HE COULD COUNT ON TO LOVE HIM.

a

BELOVED, WITH YOU I AM WELL PLEASED," »

=

IF NO ONE EVER SAYS, “YOU ARE Me
HUMAN BEINGS ARE INCLINED TO SPEND THEIR
LIVES TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE TO SAY IT,

=

OR SOMETHING TO DO ~- SOME SUCCESS BIG
ar oa =~ -=

ENOUGH TO EARN THE RIGHT TO BE LOVED:

TO BE PLEASING TO SOMEONE. \ AND POLICE

= sr

AND PAROLE OFFICERS KNOW THAT WHEN IT
DOESN'T HAPPEN AT ALL, \WHEN NO ONE EVER

re ? ame: “
TELLS YOU YOU ARE BELOVED, _PRECIOUS,

—s
VALUABLE; WHEN YOU ARE TOLD THE OPPO-
SITE,\ THAT YOU AREN'T WORTH ANYTHING,
THAT YOU ARE UGLY, STUPID, BAD, UNLOVA-
mn

BLE, PLEASING TO NO ONE - YOU WILL BEGIN
TO BELIEVE IT, AND TO LIVE OUT THE DISMAL
AND OFTEN TIMES TRAGICALLY VIOLENT

IMPLICATIONS OF LIFE WITH NO VALUE, NO

16

= “La Gwe Ura whe C.Greem

PURPOSE, NO MEANING. | «Lis “LL bexh Un be tr

AMERICAN AUTHOR, TONI MORRISON WON \
A NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE. | IN HER \ UR wa
BeLoven,

NOVEL ENTITLED, SIGNIFICANTLY, |
AN OLD WOMAN _IS THE SPIRITUAL GUIDE, THE
HEART AND SOUL OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITY IN CINCINNATI AFTER THE CIVIL
WAR. \HER NAME IS BABY SuGGs.

LISTEN TO TONI MORRISON WRITE
MEMORABLY ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE
BELOVED, TO BE PLEASING TO Gop. \ THe

ee

SCENE IS A CLEARING IN THE WOODS WHERE
BABY SUGGS WENT ON A HOT SATURDAY AFTER-
NOON FOLLOWED BY THE MEN AND WOMEN AND
CHILDREN, | FREE FROM SLAVERY, \BUT_LEARN-
ING ABOUT THE VIRULENT, DEMEANING RACISM
WHICH FOLLOWED.

"BABY SUGGS BOWED HER HEAD AND
PRAYED SILENTLY. \ THe COMPANY WATCHED

—_

HER FROM THE TREES. | THEY KNEW SHE WAS

_

READY WHEN SHE PUT HER STICK DOWN. THEN

17

SHE SHOUTED, 'LET THE CHILDREN COME!’ AND
THEY RAN FROM THE TREES TOWARD HER.

"'LET YOUR MOTHERS HEAR YOU LAUGH, '

TOUR OTHE!

SHE TOLD THEM, AND THE WOODS RANG. THE
ADULTS LOOKED ON AND COULD NOT HELP
SMILING.

"THEN 'LET THE GROWN MEN COME,’ SHE

on titune

SHOUTED. THEY STEPPED OUT ONE BY ONE
FROM AMONG THE RINGING TREES.

"'LET YOUR WIVES AND YOUR CHILDREN
SEE YOU DANCE,’ SHE TOLD THEM, AND
GROUNDLIFE SHUDDERED UNDER THEIR FEET.

"FINALLY SHE CALLED THE WOMEN TO
HER: 'Cry,' SHE TOLD THEM. 'FOR THE
LIVING AND THE DEAD. JUST CRY.’ AND
WITHOUT COVERING THEIR EYES THE WOMEN
LET LOOSE.

"IT STARTED THAT WAY: LAUGHING
CHILDREN, DANCING MEN, CRYING WOMEN AND
THEN IT GOT MIXED UP. WOMEN STOPPED

CRYING AND DANCED; MEN SAT DOWN AND

18

CRIED; CHILDREN DANCED, WOMEN LAUGHED,
CHILDREN CRIED UNTIL, EXHAUSTED AND
RIVEN, ALL AND EACH LAY ABOUT THE CLEAR-
ING DAMP AND GASPING FOR BREATH. IN THE
SILENCE THAT FOLLOWED, BABY SUGGS, HOLY,
OFFERED UP TO THEM HER GREAT BIG HEART.
"SHE DID NOT TELL THEM TO CLEAN UP
THEIR LIVES OR TO GO AND SIN NO MORE.
SHE DID NOT TELL THEM THEY WERE THE
BLESSED OF THE EARTH, ITS INHERITING
MEEK OR ITS GLORYBOUND PURE.
"SHE TOLD THEM THAT THE ONLY GRACE THEY
COULD HAVE WAS THE GRACE THEY COULD
IMAGINE. THAT IF THEY COULD NOT SEE IT,
THEY WOULD NOT HAVE IT.
""HERE, ' SHE SAID, "IN THIS HERE PLACE,
WE FLESH; FLESH THAT WEEPS, LAUGHS;
FLESH THAT DANCES ON BARE FEET IN GRASS.
Love 1T. LOvE IT HARD. YONDER THEY DO
NOT LOVE YOUR FLESH. THEY DESPISE IT.

THEY DON’T LOVE YOUR EYES; THEY’D JUST

19

AS SOON PICK EM OUT. NO MORE DO THEY
LOVE THE SKIN ON YOUR BACK. YONDER THEY
FLAY IT. AND QO MY PEOPLE THEY DO NOT
LOVE YOUR HANDS. THOSE THEY ONLY USE,
TIE, BIND, CHOP OFF AND LEAVE EMPTY.
LovE YOUR HANDS! LOVE THEM. RAISE THEM
UP AND KISS THEM. TOUCH OTHERS WITH
THEM, PAT THEM TOGETHER, STROKE THEM ON
YOUR FACE 'CAUSE THEY DON’T LOVE THAT
EITHER. YOU GOT TO LOVE IT, vou!” ep.
87, 88] .
\

THE ONLY GRACE YOU CAN HAVE IS THE
GRACE YOU CAN IMAGINE. ’
"You ARE MY SON, THE BELOVED; WITH You I
AM WELL PLEASED."

JESUS NEEDED TO HEAR THOSE WORDS...
AND SO DO YOU AND I.

OF COURSE, THERE IS MORE TO GosPEL
THAN THAT; THERE IS REPENTANCE AND
DECISION AND CONVERSION AND COMMITMENT

AND SACRIFICE, BUT )FIRST, BEFORE ANYTHiAic

\whwo Samy. “you CC at davai. on -
Wy, \yalouk — War an % Ce

La phar |

Qo

INSERT—=#3-PAGE 5°

WHEN THE BOMB EXPLODED LAST

—— WF

WEDNESDAY MORNING IN OKLAHOMA City, I

eS = —

KNEW THAT WE WOULD BE HERE -t AS CLERGY,~--

— me = -

IN THE AFTERMATH, [THE ONES TO WHOM THE

-_ ore es

INEVITABLE QUESTIONS OF "WHY? \ WHY WOULD

A LOVING GOD DO THIS, OR ALLOW THIS?"

= «

-_- .

ARE ASKED:| THE ONES TO WHOM PEOPLE LOOK

-_ *

FOR THE WORD OF LIFE, A WORD, IF NOT OF

—

EXPLANATION, AT LEAST OF COMFORT AND

HOPE. | As I SAW THAT MOST HEART-BREAKING

—

PHOTOGRAPH I HAVE EVER SEEN -- OF THE

=

FIREMAN CRADLING THE MORTALLY WOUNDED

BODY OF LITTLE BAYLEE ALMON (JMB--- NOTE:

—_

HER FIRST BIRTHDAY OCCURRED THE DAY
eo

ke PP a2\

FLASHES
BEFORE THE BOMBING) TWO IMAGES RiWSHED

INTO MY MIND: THE PIETA, THE LIFELESS

BODY OF JESUS CRADLED BY HIS MOTHER: | AND THEN

—

THE CHILDREN, THE ..4 ee eee YOU

—

AND I ARE PRIVILEGED -- AND CALLED -- TO

TAK R
CRADLE DURING THEIR ey WE THP A
FEW DROPS OF WATER SYMBOLIZING THE WATER x place A

—— ~e
ALS pA» / : —
INTO WHICH Jesus WALE*/pRY AND’ AS WE SAY uc.

—

WORDS WHICH ATTEMPT TO GATHER UP

=—_ ae

SOMETHING OF THE MEANING AND LOVE AND
POWER OF THAT OCCASION AND ALSO THE
—— .

L
WHOLE GOSPEL -- FT BAPTIZE@& YOU IN THE

= _

NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SP it

Ae

AnbD I CONCLUDED THAT NOT ONLY IS

=

THAT THE WORD I NEED TO HEAR -- IT MIGHT

—

@~ $92.

BE THE ONLY COHERENT WORD YOU AND I HAVE

TO SAY IN THE MIDST OF THIS CRISIS.

Mii —

It 1s, I PROCLAIM TO You SAMING

TRUTH -4 FOR THOSE INFANTS -f FOR THE\
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.... <. "YOU ARE
THU

A CHILD OF GoD, SEALED BY H&S SPIRIT IN
BRPTION, ,AND YOU BELONG TO JESUS CHRIST
FOREVER. © \

As you AND I ADMINISTER Teer Tht 7
SACRAMENT WE INVITE PEOPLE -- OURSELVES

= ee —e—— a

INCLUDED - TO REMEMBER THE PROMISE OF -(Saok

~_

OUR OWN BAPTISM. (BACK=FO=PAGE=5) _tg=Pra

-

270

THING ELSE, THERE IS GRACE; THERE IS A

LOVING\GOD WHO SAYS - /
"You ARE MY DAUGHTER - you; ‘ARE MY SON -

MY BELOVED * WITH You I aM WELL

ase? ,

IT IS WHAT ‘BAPTISM MEANS - AN

ATTEMPT cme. maruat 38 SAY A

SAVING TRUTH. ™You z EA CHILD OF GoD,

PLEASED."

SEALED BY THE SPIR KIN APTISM." AND
IT IS AN OCCAS{ON, AS W Aen CHIL-

DREN, FO ACH OF US LN MEMBER THE

- WATER WAS
ea

PLACED ON us} AS IT WAS ON JESUS’ HEAD.

—a_Te

AND THE TRUTH ABOUT US WAS SAID - AS WE

oa
BELIEVE IT WAS SAID TO HIM THAT DAY LONG
AGO. \ IT IS TRUTH THAT CAN GIVE YOU NEW
LIFE.\ YOU ARE Gop's SON -\Gon’s DAUGH-
TER. } tr IS TRUTH THAT CAN SAVE YOUR
SOUL - YOU ARE Gop’ S BELOVED. \ It Is

— tere ‘

TRUTH THAT CAN FILL YOUR SPIRIT WITH Joy

ev ‘oe

AND COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE) THERE IS,

41

,

es
al. VU $

ve UV \ye\ Dag Ae

Circe Avrora

AS THE GOSPEL OF MARK SAYS IN THE FIRST
SENTENCE. . . SOME VERY GOOD NEWS. \WrTH
You, GOD IS WELL PLEASED.
AMEN.
*

GOD OF GRACE, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LOVE REVEALED IN JESUS - AND FOR ALL THE
WAYS ACROSS THE YEARS YOU HAVE LOVED US.
HELP US, IN ALL WE DO, TO LIVE IN YOUR

LOVE, IN JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN.