The power of forgiveness. Phone rings. ‘THE CALL.’ Right in the midst of early Monday Morning Musingly deep contemplation on quantum theory. Theory suggests, ‘time flows both ways, thus the future might be influencing the present and past.’ Pastoral, “Hello.” Tinged with all the empathy an early morning can muster. Back of my mind, ‘who is sick.’ Even worse, ‘who died.” Caller, “I hope I didn’t wake you.” Of course not, we clergy are called to remain awake for just such ‘knocks at midnight.’ (Luke 11:5) “Nah, I’m good.” Braced for the worst, I ask, “what’s happening?” Caller, ‘just wanted to know your opinion about the slap at the Academy Awards?’ ARE YOU KIDDING ME!
Morning had already arrived at the station far too early. Went back to bed. Four hours later, retested morning awakening. A ‘mulligan,’ if you will. System still feels off. Took a hard gaze out the magic window. Kind of stare when something ya lookin for, just ain’t there. Like forgiveness and peace? Amen. No signs of life. Nary a bird song to be heard. Am I Musing on a Monday Morning, the day earth stood still? Outdoor colors, glazed over with a dull hue. March, what’s the story? Really appreciate your visit. Even grateful. Yet, it feels like you’ve overstayed your welcome. ‘In like a lion, out like a lamb?’ Is THE CALL, announcement of the first morning of a new normal? The future declaring, boundaries, norms, customs, mores, habits, now a thing of the past. Or is this the death grip of an old normal lingering? Are all these things of our past, the byproduct of a future yet to be? If so, ‘take me now!’ In the words of the great prophet, Redd Fox, ‘Elizabeth, I’m coming to join you honey.”
Speaking of Redd Foxx. Bill of Orlando, had another visit this week. Excitedly told wife, “I was lookin out the window, into the darkness, round 5:00 AM the other mornin and saw ‘A FOX!’” Reply, “you ought to be ashamed of yourself.” To restore dignity, showed her the camera phone pictures. ‘A real fox, meant I.’ Without hesitation, “what you doin by the window with a camera phone at 5:00 in da mornin? You ought to be ashamed of yourself!” ‘I get no respect.’ Where’s Rodney Dangerfield when you need him? Speaking of respect. If you can’t cancel a nation’s ambitions, or a comic’s last joke, is assault permissible? Too much drama, whether Kyiv, or the Oscars. Now both Ukraine, whose president is a former comedian, and Chris Rock, under bombardment. Comedic Lives Matter. ‘Thirty days has September, April, June and November, all the rest have thirty-one, ceptin February.’ What rhymes with twenty-eight or twenty-nine? Maybe March lingers, because the future has too much of the past to grapple with? 9:00 AM, through my magic window, still no signs of life. ‘A disturbance in the force?’
Had chili for dinner. NEVER AGAIN! Came back at me in my dreams, like a WMD. Weird dreams all night. Even dreamed I lent my car to a favorite seminary professor. Lol… Imagine that. Years ago, if professor had asked, “loan me your car.” Might have answered,” in your dreams.” Then it happened, in my dreams. God has a funny sense of humor. Wonder if unbelief is an Academy Award, slap at God for what we perceive as an ill-timed joke? “I believe, help me in my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) Jokes on me, cause I woke up before car was returned. What will I drive today? Does that make sense? Neither does a war in Ukraine or ‘Academy’ occasioned slaps?
God, your thoughts? ‘Why you askin?’ (Isaiah 55:8) Think on this. Barely seventy-seven years, since war to end all wars. Wait a minute, wait a minute! “How often should I forgive my brother, seven times?“ No, ‘seventy times seven,’ or in some translations seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:21) There’s something going on here. ‘A disturbance in the force,’ or just undigested chili? No Future Without Forgiveness, RIP Archbishop Tutu. In the seventy-seven years, since WWII, has the world sought forgiveness as a predicate for future peace? Instead, have weapon stockpiles become an effective alternative to forgiveness? Despite bellies wrinkled from hunger, defense spending out of control. Could reading the bible, or if time is tight, just Luke 23:34, lower our taxes? “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” Forgiveness, for Putin or Will, or early morning initiator of THE CALL. Residing somewhere in our future, which may shape our past and present, it is written, ‘I forgive you, in the name of Jesus Christ.’ “No Future, Without Forgiveness.’
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