talk is cheap

Let you yes be yes and your no be no.

Let your yes be seen in your doing

Let your no be not-doing

If you say yes, but do-not-do, it is no

So, forget all your talk.

Tell me by what you do

          Padraig O’ Tuama  (readings from the book of exile, p. 8)

If I speak in the tongues of humans and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  (I Corinthians 13:1)

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.  (Matthew 7:15,16a)

Words! Words! Words!

I'm so sick of words!.....

                                         Alan Lerner (My Fair Lady)

_________________________

he was young and intense

vibrating with righteousness

“the reason the church is dying

is because it does not know what it believes!

“the reason the church is dying

is because it has made the requirements for membership

too lax!  It doesn’t demand enough”

I know Jesus said ”small is the gate and narrow the way”

but was he talking about

a theology of merit?

was he making faith a matter of

believing the right things?

Knowing the ins and outs of substitutionary atonement

Saying the right magic forumula?

“Jesus is Lord?”

Following the rules?

It is not that knowledge about God is not important

It is not that having that commitment to Jesus and his way

Is not important

It is not that how we live

Is not important

but the way is narrow

because it is so hard to love

It is so hard to love our enemies

Turn the other check

To give generously, even sacrificially

To forgive

It is so hard to empty ourselves

And becomes servants

It is so hard to take up our crosses

And follow

When Jesus said “I am the way”

He did not mean merely that believing in him was the way

He meant living like him was the way

The way to life

The way to joy

The way to hope

The way to drag the Kingdom

Kicking and screaming

Into reality

We people of faith talk a lot

We mutter creeds

And go through rituals

We eat gluten free bread and sip grape juice

We sing second rate music

All the while seeking and abusing power

Shaming the poor

Grasping for wealth

Jesus wants us to love him

The Sacred wants to claim us as Sacred Children

So let us forget our talk

And show our love by what we do

Let us feed the hungry

Clothe the naked

House the homeless

Welcome the stranger

Comfort the afflicted

(and perhaps afflict the comfortable)

Talk is cheap

Let us walk in the way of radical love