Under Cover of Scandal

Matthew 26:5 – But they said, “Not during the festival, lest there arise a tumult among the people.”

This is not Donald’s style. He likes to create some random scandal that he knows the news media will jump to and then try to slip in the evil under the cover of the resulting tumult. Like the timing of the DOJ moving to drop the Flynn case. It hasn’t happened yet, because the judge still needs to rule on it. However, that they are even trying this shows that they are confident that the rule of law will only apply to others from now on. Of course, the added bonus for Donald is that he can claim non-involvement. Those of us paying attention know that he’s involved, but there is some amount of believable cover for those who wish to delude themselves.

Elsewhere, Jesus talks about the deeds that we are ashamed of are done in the dark. This is what the elders and chiefpriests want – to do their deeds in the dark. Yet, Jesus also said that things done in the dark will be revealed. The light will be shone on them. Let’s shine that light and create the tumult that the Republicans fear. 

There needs to be a tumult among the people. Not about the small scandals, but about the big things. Opening the economy, the preferential treatment given to states that have Republican governors, the dismissal of death, and the slow starvation of those who will be left without jobs and without unemployment and without protections. This has been their dream for decades if not centuries. What “Caiaphas” has done and is doing needs to be resisted at every turn. I fear that things will get worse before they get better. 

Now, more than ever, we need to make our voices heard. Write to your local papers, call your congresspeople – even if they are mere toadies, give to organizations that are helping, do what you can for your neighbors, the possibilities are endless. The administration and the minions supporting it don’t want any pushback. Remember the resistance in France during WWII acted in large and small ways. So, let’s push back in every way available to us.

Above all, let’s work to keep our hearts open to love and joy, love of life and of others, even those who are causing active harm. The more love in the world, the better.

B

Resisting Caiaphas

Today I want to share with you some sources of resistance and hope on the part of Americans.

Christian Century has a feature every month called “Century Marks,” in which they cull short stories from many sources into two pages. In this month’s magazine, there are included the following: (Unfortunately, this is subscriber only content not on the web.)

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 8: “44 shoppers at Krogers stores in Atlanta and 29 Winn-Dixie stores in New Orleans had their purchases paid for them during senior hour one Wednesday” by Tyler Perry. One man, upon learning this, donated the purchase price to the local food bank.

From CNN, April 10: “An anonymous donor gave all 549 households in Earlham, Iowa, three $50 gift cards toward food.” He wanted to inject money into the economy. This, by the way, is what the federal government should be doing…

From Mashable, April 2: “Actor John Krasinski started the Twitter hashtag #SomeGoodNews and a YouTube channel by the same name.” Go check it out when you need some hope and uplifting.

Finally, this morning I was reminded of DailyKos Good News Roundup. Check them out as well.

People are out there helping others and resisting the crap that the government is throwing at us. There is hope!

Let’s all do what we can to contribute.

B

Caiaphas

Matthew 26:3-4 – Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

Last week I shared my temporary hopelessness. For me, talking and feeling hopeless are not signs of a more serious problem. However, that is not the case for everyone. So, for anyone who may need these:

National Institute of Mental Health Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.

My feelings of hopelessness last week were partially due to these verses. We are up against Caiaphas and his conspiracies and corruptions. The only difference is what “Caiaphas” is planning. Caiaphas was planning to arrest and kill Jesus. “Caiaphas” is so focused on his poll numbers, he has botched the response to the coronavirus threat into a pandemic, and is planning on opening up the country long before we’re ready. This will naturally lead to more deaths and more chaos, more pain and more suffering. It’s understandable that people might feel hopeless, sad, frustrated, scared, angry and afraid.

While understandable, it’s important that we take care of our mental health. I have found that one way to feel less hopeless, sad, frustrated, scared, angry, or afraid, is to do something positive, to resist “Caiaphas’” takeover of America.

For a separate project, I’m reading about the French Resistance in WWII. In many ways, their situation mirrors our own: “Caiaphas” wants to be the dictator that Hitler was; the Neo-Nazis, the militia doing his bidding, the oppression of minority populations (Jews, Black people, Latinx people), especially immigrants. While it is hard to resist effectively in big ways because of the White Supremacist takeover of the Republican party, people are resisting. The people of France resisted in both small and large ways. Mostly small, mostly clandestine. It was their acts of resistance and their extensive networks that created hope for themselves and others. Reading their stories gives me hope for us. Their courage and their fortitude in fighting for their life. Not just surviving, but for the meaningful lives they lived that were removed when the Nazis showed up.

In the face of Donald’s oh so obvious desire to be a fascist dictator, we are faced with similar choices as the French people during WWII. We can acquiesce and collaborate, but that way lies sorrow, death of our souls and our bodies, and hopelessness. Or we can reject collaboration and work to save as many lives as we can as well as to defeat “Caiaphas” at the polls in November. Choosing to make things better, choosing to restore meaning to life for all is the way of hope. 

Let’s ask ourselves how we can make things better today.

B