Cromey Online

The writings of author, therapist, and priest Robert Warren Cromey.

Sunday, January 22, 2017

ACLU- watchdog of rights


If Trump’s proposals shatter core American values of equality, religious freedom and a commitment to the rule of law, pluralism and democracy, he’ll have to get past us. Thus says the American Civil Liberties Union. I agree with the ACLU and am a member and contributor. I hope you will join and support them too. (ACLU.com)

Sunday, January 08, 2017

EPIPHANY AND TRUMP

The Epiphany 2017

I read in the newspaper that Christmas sales were up again this year. Or were they down. I forget.

Why do we have the shopping frenzy to buy gifts and presents? Well, you can blame it all on the Three Kings. They brought gifts to the holy family and now we give gifts to our beloved families, friends and even to our rotten relatives.

We have just heard the ancient story of the three kings who travelled many miles through the desert to visit Jesus, Mary and Joseph. They were following a star.  The kings brought Jesus gifts, Gold, Frankincense and myrrh.

They were not Jews. They were Gentiles. The writer of Matthew wanted to tell his readers that the Jesus was not just for the Jews but also for all people.

St. Matthew showed us that the message of Jesus was for all people.

What was the message of Jesus? Shall I give you a quiz?
We are to be truly human. To be truly human is to love, forgive, care for the poor, the homeless, the sick and those facing injustice.

I want to tell you a story about another man who travelled afar in the desert.

In the 1960s TV show Branded, Chuck Connors plays a classic Western figure, Jason McCord--courageous, loyal, yet aloof and alone.  In the first episode, he meets a dying man in the desert and saves his life by giving him water and even carrying him on his own horse--only to find himself held up at gunpoint at an oasis, as the duplicitous Colbee takes McCord's horse and leaves him to walk across the desert, very likely to die in the attempt.  Colbeen explains that he has to do this because he has a wife and two daughters, and so he has to live--and to get to town in time for his daughter's birthday!  McCord survives, and meets up with the Colbee family in town.  A friend urges him to anger and confrontation.  McCord really is angry, and he walks toward Colbee resolutely, as Colbee's two little daughters play around him with their hoops.  McCord, looking at the family, then has a second thought; he turns around and walks away.  As he does, he says over his shoulder, with a wry smile, "Happy Birthday, Janie."

Here is one way to handle anger and move to forgiveness, a basic teaching of Jesus.

Some members of this parish are happy that Donald Trump will be our new president.

Some of us are angry and upset that he is our president elect.

We are a community who call ourselves followers of Jesus.
We are on a life-long quest to learn how to forgive.

Creative Christians will move on, past our upsets, or our self-righteous glee, and into a new life.


We continue to insist:

 That the people living in the tents outside our church have adequate housing.

That all people have adequate food to eat. We try through the Julian pantry.

That legal and illegal immigrants find justice and residency.

That all Americans have adequate medical care.

That there is continual witness for peace in the world.

I have noted over my many years that both Democrats and Republicans do not care much for these basic rights and needs.

We need to stop squawking about the election and get on with the gifts we have been given in following Jesus.