Friends, with today’s liturgy, we begin a series of three that speak to the mysteries of our faith—Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, and Corpus Christi, or the Body of Christ.  Let’s take each one separately, give as simple an example as possible and see where we are:

1. Pentecost—from the Greek means “50” and for our purposes here, 50 days have passed since Easter, and Jesus is preparing to physically leave his band of apostles and disciples.  In order that they could remain strong in their faith, he promised to send them, and us, his Spirit, which we are celebrating today.
2. That easily moves us into Trinity Sunday as we remember that our loving God is composed of 3 persons—Creator, Savior/Revealer and Spirit. 
3.  Then we have Corpus Christi, or the Body of Christ—a Sunday that should take us from the “Table of Welcome” (where everyone is indeed welcome!) into our world where; if we have “eyes to see, and ears to hear, our God will be presented in many, many ways—in all who we meet and engage with, and in all of creation—really! 

   Now, with these simple explanations, I believe it would be true to say that each week holds a mystery that our heads can’t fully explain, and that we do better to come at each one with our hearts.

   For this week then, I will simply comment on Pentecost.  Beginning with the 1^st reading from Acts, we hear about, “a violent wind” and “tongues of fire” to explain the “unexplainable.” The mystery continues in that “they began to speak in other languages.”  We might be thinking and asking, “why would Jesus’ band need to be speaking in “other languages?” The simple answer to me would be that they could be better understood by all the others present that day, thus completing their mission of “sharing the Good News to all.”  Additionally, Jerusalem was a place that drew many different people, cultures, and with different languages. 

   And I can’t help but reflect once again on our Bishop Barron’s stance of not making himself available to us until we, essentially, “speak his language!” This new message, and lifestyle, The Way, as Jesus’ first followers were often spoken of, wouldn’t have traveled too far, it seems to me, if these first ones had this mindset. 

   We are also reminded in Paul’s 1^st Letter to the Corinthians, that we, each of us, are “given the manifestations of the Spirit for the common good.”  In other words, “the story” shouldn’t be about the Bishop’s particular mindset, but about what the people are asking for and indeed needing, to grow closer to God. I have had some of you tell me, “if it weren’t for this parish, I wouldn’t be going to church!”  And after all, there is something called, “the sensus fidelium” or “the universal consent in matters of faith and morals from the bishops to the last of the faithful.”  In my mind, this needs to be taken into consideration from these bishops who feel they have the totality of the truth!

   When we visited with the canon lawyer, Father Will Thompson, we asked him if Bishop Barron accepted Vatican II, and he said that he did.  I for one have to question that, when he, along with the majority of bishops in this country are spending so much time on pre-Vatican II theology with their National Eucharistic Celebration this summer running counter to Pope Francis’ synodality process that speaks well to Vatican II theology. 

   Our final reading today from John’s gospel gives hope to the “fearful” band, locked in the Upper Room, as well as permission, inspired by the Spirit, to do what is needed, “for the common good,”  which in my mind would include those who see things differently.  Our brother Jesus first brings “peace” and then assures the fearful band that if, “they forgive, or retain,” in matters of faith, it is in fact, done! 

   So often, “Church fathers” say, “it can’t be done,” to any change that is called for, and is needed. And the truth of the matter, is that they don’t want to change—ultimately, it wouldn’t be good for them!  Pentecost is about being “grownups” in our faith—thinking a new story about what it is to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.  It’s about getting out of our teeny-tiny boxes/boats—whatever, about truly unleashing the Spirit’s power/fire, of love in our world—a love so needed now—today! 

   I think on this Pentecost weekend, it is significant to remember that this past week, the United Methodist church has taken a most historic vote to be accepting of LGBTQ+ pastors and others within their congregations.  Bishop Karen Oliveto, the first openly gay bishop within the congregation, made quite a statement when asked by PBS Newscaster, Geoff Bennett what she thought was the reason, that her congregation has split over the issue of LGBTQ+ issues, and she basically said that it was about who they were taught that God is.  Bishop Karen said, “we are learning now, who God is, and how that is different from what writers/teachers, [etc.] have said God is,”  [through time].  In other words, God is bigger, better, more inclusive, open, accepting than we have made God to be! 

   The month of May, besides ending the Easter Season this year, is also the month that we remember our sister, Mary of Nazareth, another one whom Church fathers have belittled by conveniently placing her out of sight with an agenda that is basically theirs, instead of someone to listen to in her Canticle of Faith (the Magnificat) —a strong woman who was cognizant of the gift that she received in bearing the Christ for our world—a woman who continually shared in her time, “do whatever he tells you!”  Mary challenges us today too, to see her son in our everyday lives, to choose love over law whenever given that chance!     My friends, I said earlier that Pentecost calls us “to be grown-up in our faith” –to always look beyond the confines of organized religion, to see the path our brother Jesus took, to not be “afraid” to include more, as he did, to “stretch the cloth” to fit the message, and perhaps, in some cases, create a new pattern, a new cloth with built-in strength that can encompass his message yes, but with the ability to grow too, especially when the old pattern, worn material doesn’t work anymore.  I see Pope Francis doing this, and we must, at the least, support him for taking this fork in the road. Amen? Amen!

   My friends, today is an ending of sorts, while at the same time, a beginning! How so? The holy season of Easter ends with today’s liturgy—a time that speaks of mystery, of end times, and so much more.

   This past Thursday we experienced, “The Ascension,” or we might say, the returning of our brother Jesus to a more “heavenly” state.  This action is not something we can entirely understand with our human minds, and for the apostles/disciples who were present, it was probably like, “he was there one minute, and gone the next.”  It is like many other astounding things that happen in life, an eclipse of the sun, a birth of a child, a creature from the animal kin-dom being born, the blossoming of every living thing this time of year!  For the one experiencing the phenomenon, it is hard to adequately put into words, just what we experienced!  And with Friday night’s light show, I can now add, the Northen Lights!  So it was with these 1^st followers of Jesus—they expressed it to the best of their ability. 

   In the beginning of my homily, I said this Sunday is an ending, as well as a beginning.  The ending for these followers of Jesus was the tangible time when he was physically close, within reach, and they felt at peace, knowing that he was near.  With all of us, today’s readings show us Jesus preparing his rag-tag band for the time when he would no longer be physically with them.  Through our minds’ eyes, but more so, through our hearts, we can appreciate their real fear, as Jesus prepares to leave them.  

   When we have a strong, good, and merciful leader, we naturally want to hold onto the assurance they bring us.  In our own personal lives, we know what it is like to have a good spouse, a dear friend, a capable mentor—but how will it be without them—we just don’t know, nor did these first apostles. 

   Jesus promises these fearful, but good friends, that he won’t ultimately “leave” them, but send his Spirit, to make them strong, and able to go out into the world, and with their renewed faith and love, do as he said, “even greater things than I did!” 

   With the readings specifically for this last Sunday of Easter from John, both in his Gospel and in his 1^st Letter, we see how in fact the apostles and disciples, both then, and now—in us, will do these, “great things.”  In John’s 1^st Letter he says, “if you love one another, God [lives] in [you], and God’s love is brought to perfection.”  We cannot forget that this “love” began with our loving God, for each one of us!

   God, in Jesus is simply asking that we, in modern parlance, “pay it forward!”  So friends, we get back to that simple to say, double commandment—“to love God and our neighbor as ourselves”—but oh, so hard to do at times! Jesus asks us, in any situation, to do the “most loving thing.” 

   Episcopal bishop, Michael Curry has addressed this issue by asking himself, and us, “How do we truly know that any action is the most loving thing to do?” His answer for himself and us is that “we must check again and again!”  In other words, it is not a “one-time decision.” As we learn more, understand more fully, we should be reassessing our decisions.  And for me, an additional check point would be if I have peace, for the most part, about what I am deciding to do.

   With this in mind, I find it curious that many of the hierarchical men (bishops) within our Church are spending so much time and energy trying to get “the faithful,” back to reverencing the “Divine Presence in the Body and Blood of Jesus” on the altar, when Jesus has already “sent us forth” to reverence “his body and blood in all who we meet in our world! 

   Pope Francis is attempting mightily to do that through the synodality process, while these same bishops, mentioned above, are conducting an alternate process alongside, that to my eyes isn’t willing to see the face, body, and blood of Jesus in all they meet, unless they present in a certain, acceptable fashion, to them—ourselves here at All Are One, a prime example!  What we do here each Sunday, at this table, which by the way, is not an “altar of sacrifice,” but a table of welcome, was always intended to “send us forth,” send us out to include—not to exclude, to place love before law—to in fact, live as Jesus did. 

   These past few days, I had the opportunity to read both our diocesan paper, The Courier, and the National Catholic Reporter (NCR).  To read both, side by side, is to make one think that you are living in an alternate universe, where one rules one place, and one in another!  In fairness to the diocesan paper, there is mention made of two sessions that were held preparing for the Synod in October in Rome, but in comparing the two issues, the Synod, and the Eucharistic Conference, it is clear which holds a higher place. 

   In addition to this slight mention of the upcoming Synod, The Courier has, article after article of local diocesan Eucharistic celebrations preparing folks for the big national celebration this summer, listing such aspects of “interest” as “eucharistic adoration” and lists of speakers proclaiming reverence for the Eucharist, in its very narrowest sense.  Missing from their agendas is any mention of all the places and people –the body and blood of Christ in our world that is presently being abused, at times by themselves, in the LGBTQ community, in women, to name just two.   

   Now the NCR lists probably more social justice issues then we care to even read about, challenging us all, “to reverence” these “bodies” that “bleed” physically, emotionally, and spiritually in our world.  And don’t get me wrong, I do value that “Jesus is made present” on our “table of welcome” each time we gather, but our “reverence, concern and love” was never meant to stay here!  In other words, the “reverencing” of these elements at Mass, or adoration, mean nothing unless we carry that reverence into every wonderful and new presentation of life and love we encounter in our world!

   Once again, this week, I viewed Ari Wallach’s presentation on PBS’ NOVA, entitled, A Brief History of Future Tomorrows.  He stated that we humans, “tend to be negative when we look forward.”  I for one can see that assessment as true within myself on certain days.  But he goes on to say that we have not only, “the opportunity” to make things better in our world, but “the imperative” to do so! 

   The hour-long presentation showed new concepts being tested to construct better buildings, better methods of travel—all that are safer-climate-concerned additions to our world, ideas that assure that the wealth of our world is equally shared. He said that if this kind of world is to be—”we have to think it first –we have to think and re-think everything—think and write a bigger and better story about being human.”  He talked about “smart” versus “wisdom,” asking, “how can I do this better?” 

   And friends, to me this is no different than, “walking in faith,” having a better idea perhaps about, “how to be Church,” “listening,” truly listening as Francis is encouraging us to do—because we don’t yet know what Church-belief-faith will call us to in the future, but I am quite sure that adoring the “Divine Presence on the altar,” with no concrete agenda for recognizing and ministering to the “divine presence” in our world will not ultimately bring more into our Church. 

   In conclusion then, Ari Wallach stresses in a holistic way that our world can be better than now if we each do our part, if we keep “checking” again and again as Bishop Curry says, and “listen, listen” as Pope Francis suggests.  Additionally, and finally, as we read in today’s gospel from John, let us strive, “to be one,” the name of our parish community, as Jesus prayed the night before he died—a better world, a better Church calls us to change, to openness, not to hunkering down.  Amen? Amen! Alleluia!

My friends, I thought it appropriate on this day that marks the day that I was born lots of years ago, to remember at the beginning of this homily, some other important dates that go hand in hand with this beginning date. 

   As a young girl of almost 8, I received my first, holy communion on the day before my birthday, May 4, 1958, never realizing that 50 years later, on May 4, 2008, I would be ordained a priest with the Roman Catholic Women Priests (RCWP) here in Winona. If I had been born male 58 years earlier, even the male bishop in town would have celebrated with my family and friends here and it wouldn’t have come over 30 years later than when most men are ordained.  Such was not the case of course, but we celebrated anyway, members of the new All Are One Catholic community being “born” here in Winona. 

   I humbly speak of my ordination because this event is ultimately not about me, but about all of you and many who have gone on to their heavenly reward, along with all others who share in this ministry.  On May 10^th, this next Friday, we will officially commemorate the 16 years of being a Vatican II parish and community, striving in the memory of Jesus of Nazareth, to be our best. 

   Of course, as you all know, I, along with each of you who participate here, has been excommunicated by the official, hierarchical Church, but we know too that our loving God, who began all this, doesn’t excommunicate us, so, “we are good,” as they say. 

   You are all aware of Bishop Tom Gumbleton of Detroit having recently died.  A friend of his said, after his passing, “When push came to shove, Tom always chose the Gospel over the institution”[!] So, we are in good company my friends! 

   And this leads us then into our Scriptures for today, the 6^th Sunday of Easter, which, by the way, should always be our process and journey—from life to the Scriptures—from the Scriptures to our lives. 

   We are winding down on the Easter Season and as I have been saying throughout, “Love has been the theme!”  In fact, we have heard this one topic addressed so much as to be redundant!   We might actually be thinking, “all right, already, I got it!” But, as we were reminded last week, the challenge to love, is not just something that we “talk” about, but something we must in fact, “do,” and therein lies the rub, as loving truly, day in and day out, is not always easy. 

   The Scriptures for this week I find very encouraging and challenging at the same time, as we hear from Peter, seemingly leading new followers of Jesus, the Christ, and from John, both in his First Letter and in his gospel. 

   Peter shows us the true stance that a “leader” within our Church should take.  He tells Cornelius, a Gentile, who is wanting to worship him, in a sense, “to get up, as he (Peter) is a human being too,” –not to be worshipped, but as one on the journey with him!  Peter goes on to say –“all are acceptable,” [who do what is right!]

   This sentiment is what I have always held onto in my priesthood and in the naming of our parish.  Taking Jesus’ words in his priestly prayer the night before he died, “That all would be one, (John 17) I have always invited anyone who wants to pray with us, to know that they are welcome here. 

   Because I consider all of us as equal, simply with different tasks, I sit among you, not apart, or on a pedestal during times when I am not presiding.  Additionally, with Peter’s command to Cornelius to see him as “not above or special,” but “equal,” is why I invite all at our Masses to say the consecration prayers with me—I have the privilege of presiding/leading, but we all are celebrants here. 

   Also, in the beautiful gospel of John today, we hear our brother Jesus say, “I call you friends,” a stance that I have always considered most important in this parish we have shared for 16 years—I am not above any of you –I consider each of you, “a friend” and hopefully you consider me, “a friend” as well.  That is why I can say that it is with great humility that I serve here as your pastor.  In my dealings with many of those in our hierarchical Church, over the years, I feel they have forgotten that this should be their stance too. 

   I have mentioned Katty Kay and Claire Shipman’s 2023 book, The Power Code, and their basic message that, “power over” doesn’t work nearly as well in our present-day world as, “power to” all others.  They show through many individuals—mostly women, (who have been denied power) trying to find their way in business, politics, Church, and State, that having power—sharing in it—was always meant to be that way, not greedily held onto by half of the population.  Most interesting to me was to discover from their research that men, when they could get on board with this concept, found their lives too, much better, more fulfilling, more stress-free, more peace-filled in fact, in finding equal space for women at the table! 

   So friends, this brings us back then to this homily’s beginning where I stated that this Sunday’s Scriptures are again about, “love.”  We see how the task, “to love” is fine-tuned by Jesus in John’s Gospel, and by John himself in his First Letter. 

   Jesus reminds us that, God loved us first, in him, and therefore, Jesus chose us, and loved us, so that we, “could live on in [his] love,” becoming our best. But what does that actually mean?  How do we respond then to our world?  A few things come to my mind from the Scriptures of the past, and our present-day lives.

• Jesus simply says—“keep my commandments,” and then , you will live on (we might say, act upon) my love. For our purposes here, I think we could attempt to, love God and our neighbors as ourselves! 
• Jesus in today’s gospel also says, “I would lay down my life for you.”  Repeating that in our own lives is something we all are called to ponder, and as life goes, will probably have cause to act upon as we serve in this world as parents, spouses, friends, lovers, and more. 
• Think what our world would truly be like if “love” rather than “law” alone was always applied.  Certainly the strife in the Middle East would be a case in point.  This past week on PBS, a program was presented on Palestinian and Israeli young people coming together to share music.  Several, on both sides were reluctant coming into it, fearing that because of their differing views on the war between their respective peoples, they would be unable to basically get along.  Their experience in spending time together, attempting to, “become a choir,” proved that in listening to each other, they could be more understanding of one another.  For our purpose here, perhaps that is what “love” gets us to, so to speak.
• One final example –you will recall that I spoke of Ari Wallach, in a previous homily about a piece that has been shared also on PBS where he speaks about “what humans may be in the future.”  I have watched two of the segments of this series and in each one he speaks about, how, in many ways, life right now in our world, isn’t all that we might like it to be, what with poverty, inequality among people/races/genders, and so on.  So given that, I was struck by his final statement where he basically said—we have the power to change.  His exact words were, “the injustices in our world today have no place in our tomorrows”[!] From that comment alone, one could gather that the challenge to us, of this Easter Season along with our entire Christian lives will not be necessarily easy, but it will be right. 

    So my friends, as a Vatican II parish community of 16 years that has and will continue to be about inclusivity, and welcome to all, let us be grateful, as we celebrate,  for the responsibility of being who we are, here in Winona, Minnesota, today, in the memory of Jesus of Nazareth, willing to attempt this elusive thing we call love.   Amen? Amen! Alleluia!

   Friends, we are winding down on the Sundays of Easter with one more before we move on to the Ascension and Pentecost, and the overall theme and message has been, “to love” –that has not changed, and in fact, it has only grown in importance.  The clear message through today’s readings is that basically, “we have to walk-the-talk!”

   John, in the second reading today from his 1^st letter says, “Love” [can’t just be] “words,” [but must show itself in] “actions.”  The first followers of Jesus, the Christ, sometimes known as the followers of “The Way” were challenged to do just this by Barnabas, a follower of Paul, who advocated for him in today’s 1^st reading from Acts.  Understandably, these human followers of Jesus were afraid of Paul who formerly as Saul, had persecuted Jesus followers, also later called “Christians.”  If these so-called followers of Jesus were true to their words, they must show it in their actions, and at least try to give Paul a chance. 

   I had a personal experience of this dynamic this past week that challenged me to “walk-the-talk,” of which I am very grateful.  A friend and I were having a disagreement, and were delineating our particular points through emails for a few days.  Finally, my friend suggested that we have a phone chat to resolve our issues, or at least see if there was any place for agreement.

   I immediately knew that my friend was right, and I suggested that we Facetime, if she was willing, of which she was, to further help in our hearing one another.  As we began, I suggested a couple of things that we probably agreed on, to get us started.  One was that we are both strong women, and that if an issue arises between us, it would probably be “an engagement,” and secondly, that we probably each liked each other, and because of that were more able to hurt each other. 

   My friend agreed with me on these points, and then we asked the Spirit to “help us hear each other.” I am happy to report that “we did hear each other” and that it was a healing conversation.

   Friends, I do believe that our baptisms and our belief in our brother Jesus call us to this kind of intimacy in attempting to love as he did—otherwise, it is just a sham. 

   Another good friend of mine calls this kind of behavior, where we say one thing, and never, or seldom, act upon it, “crazy-making!” We can’t say things like, “I love God,” but refuse to even try to love my neighbor.  Or a statement that I have heard from some Evangelical ministers, “I wouldn’t want him as my pastor, but he would make a good president.”  The part that makes this “crazy-making” in my mind is that someone who I would call a good and worthy pastor would be someone that I would think would make a good president too! 

   I say this because we want people of strong characters and strong morals that include caring for the least among us in both Church and State instead of individuals who will go to any lengths to care for themselves and control, rather than lead, those who follow them—right?

   Looking toward another issue out there for our consideration is the discussion going on in the highest court in our land—“what is criminal?”  Apparently, those most learned among us where law is concerned, don’t know, or won’t say, as the majority it is thought, will defer to a lower court to decide!  Crazy-making!

   And finally, a very thorny issue at present are the demonstrations going on at many college campuses over the fighting in the Middle East between the Palestinians and the Israelis over the Gaza Strip, and specifically over the United States assisting Israel militarily in this fight. 

   Some of these demonstrations have become violent and all I can say is that if the demonstrations by students, which they have a right to do, would remain peaceful and peace-filled, they would be so much more effective—you can’t become what you say you are fighting or better yet, working against. These demonstrations, in some places, we have learned, are very complicated with some of the demonstrators not being students, entering the fray with hate-filled speech and actions. As in all such cases where people disagree, many innocents are hurt.

   Words from the Dalai Lama XIV today seem appropriate: “Peace does not mean the absence of conflicts; differences will always be there.  Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge, and through humane ways.’’  Such was the case with my friend and me in the earlier example.  

   John, in today’s gospel writes of Jesus words about God’s love for each of us, comparing this same God’s desire for relationship with us in the symbolism of “the vine and the branches.”  As we witness spring bursting all around us in the small buds on trees waiting to open, and become leaves, fruit, whatever it might be; we can shift our thinking to ourselves as branches on the vine of life and love of our God. 

   Our God is just waiting for us to burst open too, to feel the warmth of that love, not unlike the sun in our skies, warming and sustaining our beautiful earth, becoming our best selves, for ourselves, but also for others by “walking-the-talk,”  Easter is simply about this—love received, and love given! Amen? Amen! Alleluia!

Friends, our parish met yesterday for our monthly Saturday Mass at 4:30 P.M. with 12 “apostles” present. The remainder of the monthly masses are on Sundays at 10 A.M. Below is this weekend’s homily that the Spirit and I worked on this week: Pastor Kathy

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My friends, our readings today let us know that our forebears in the faith, women and men alike, carried on after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ultimate return to his, more heavenly existence, in a stance of much strength—faith and power, in Jesus’ name through the power of his Spirit. 

   We know that this “new life” of faith wasn’t always easy as so many still didn’t believe, or chose not to believe what these first apostles and disciples had come to accept— “a stone rejected” by the religious powers who had become [the] “cornerstone,” of their lives—a cornerstone meant to “show the way” for all who would allow it. 

   And friends, as we ponder these mysteries, we should realize that we are called to the same—to hear the stories of faith and allow ourselves to “break out of our safe boxes,” and cry with strength in the Spirit, “alleluia,” in our hearts at least, if not out loud with our voices. 

   Our human tendency is to move toward the least common denominator in our actions that may speak to our faith, but more so, keep us part of the group and safe.  Peter and the others, in the early days and weeks after Jesus’ physical leaving, are constantly getting into trouble, even being jailed at times because they will not be silent about the truth of Jesus’ life—something that the authorities wanted to squelch. 

   In our own lives too, the same is true.  We can and should constantly speak to the injustices that we see and experience in our world, in State and Church, even if we, like Jesus, have to stand alone.  Unfortunately, the “least common (safe) denominator” that if we agree with, keeps us “part of the family,” so to speak, is alive and well,

in our Church, in this country, for the most part.  The National Council of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) are working toward a summer Eucharistic Council to uplift the Body and Blood of Christ, on the altar, because it seems, they feel this will bring folks who have left, back to the Catholic church. And while advocating for that, these same bishops, except for possibly, a few, are ignoring Pope Francis’ attempts toward more diversity in our beloved Church, in this year’s culmination of a two-year process in a Synod on Synodality. 

   The focus, as I see it, in the NCCB’s actions toward uplifting the Eucharist on the altar, is to move back prior to the Second Vatican Council when all things concerning God were shrouded in mystery, and God was really untouchable. 

   Pope Francis’ synodality process, as I see it, is about uplifting the “eucharist,” we all, each one of us, find in our daily lives—in ourselves, in others, in places, cultures, differing genders, expressions of love, Spirit-inspired new ways and living—tending toward justice for all and so much more. 

   The NCCB is addressing what we already know—what is safe, not what may include more and more people.  Robert and I took time this past week to sit down with the canon lawyer, Father Will Thompson, for the Winona/Rochester, Minnesota Catholic diocese, so that he could spell out what, from the bishop’s viewpoint, our parish, All Are One needs to do to once again be in “good standing” with the hierarchical church.

   Actually, this is what we thought was going to happen, (him spelling out a list of things to do) but it turned out to be a bit different. He deferred to us as he said he basically didn’t know a lot of the back story. Thus, we shared how one of our board members had asked if we had ever invited the bishop to come and visit with us, perhaps have a meal getting to know each other better. We shared that over the past year we have tried to set up a visit with the bishop only to finally learn that he wasn’t willing to see us unless we recanted our choices.  Therefore, we shared that we were finally told through a secretary that we should talk with the canon lawyer about what was actually required in “recanting.” In actuality, we knew what was required but wanted to get the steps all legally correct and it seemed that this was the next step to being able to talk with the bishop. 

   We found Father Will to be very kind, understanding, and even compassionate, yet, in the end, tied to the laws that we were breaking. But, of course, as Robert reminded me, he has to do that, it is his job. It did make me sad though to think that even while, “he heard us, and on some level might have agreed, he couldn’t do anything but what he did—basically be, “the long arm of the law.”

   To our way of thinking, trying to corral people into believing one way, devoid of the Spirit, who we have been told, “is continually renewing the face of the earth,” speaking of a God big enough, and creative enough to see the good in calling women, as well as men to ordained ministry, seeing the good in all ways that true love is expressed, and so much more, is purely, “semantics” and a waste of the precious life and God-given gifts each of us possesses!

   But we went simply to record and be clear that we know what is being asked of us and why, if we don’t comply, our bishop, supposedly, our “shepherd,” will never meet with us.  And I believe, it is no coincidence that this Sunday is “Good Shepherd Sunday.” John tells us that “good shepherds” puts themselves on the line for their sheep, will leave the safe 99, in search of the one who may be standing alone.  So much for the good shepherd. 

   Jesus’ message, my friends, has always been about listening from our hearts, not about constructing rules and regulations to control the Spirit.  Jesus’ ultimate command was to love God and others as ourselves.  We can’t say that we love God if we aren’t open to listening and perhaps hearing another call from the Spirit of our God. Christianity is a “messy” business—what else can I say? But I believe when we really try, to follow Jesus, even if we get “crucified,” we will know peace. 

   Present-day prophet, Sr. Joan Chittister has said it like this: “To move from childish spirituality to adult spirituality, we must not be afraid to question any dogma, any sermon, any edict, writings, admonition—not to deny it, but to wrestle it to the ground. Then we can be sure that neither magic nor authoritarianism will ever substitute for our search for God.”  Amen? Amen! Alleluia!