March 31, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Ferdinand and Isabella banish Jews

On this day, March 31, 1492, in the city of Granada, Ferdinand and Isabella signed an edict banishing any Jew from the Kingdoms of Aragon and Castile who were unwilling to receive baptism.

“You know well or ought to know, that whereas we have been informed that in these our kingdoms there were some wicked Christians who Judaized and apostatized from our holy Catholic faith, the great cause of which was interaction between the Jews and these Christians…we ordered the separation of the said Jews in all the cities, towns and villages of our kingdoms and lordships and [commanded] that they be given Jewish quarters and separate places where they should live, hoping that by their separation the situation would remedy itself.”

Separation not having worked, the monarchs gave the Jews until July 31st to sell their goods and leave the country. They were forbidden to carry gold or silver out of the kingdom. Worse, although signed in March, the edict was not publicly announced until the end of April, so the Jews actually had only three months to convert their property to trade goods.  “Christians” took advantage of the situation and paid ridiculously low prices for Jewish possessions — a donkey bought a house; a piece of cloth or linen purchased an entire vineyard. In July 1492, the exodus began. Spain’s economy paid for its mistreatment of the Jews: many had been skilled craftsmen. Sultan Bajazet of Turkey warmly welcomed those who escaped to his country. “How can you call Ferdinand of Aragon a wise king–the same Ferdinand who impoverished his own land and enriched ours?” he asked. He employed the Jew in making weapons to fight against Europe.” (Ferdinand and Isabella’s Edict Against Jews, Christianity.com)

“For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah. After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.” Acts 9:19-25

Christians have a history of persecuting others, especially the Jews – and Jews have a history of persecuting the Christians. It has been a relationship that has seen many twists and turns – and unfortunately continues to this day. Christian rhetoric and hatred towards Jews developed in the early years of Christianity reinforced by the belief that Jews had killed Jesus. The persecution of Christians in modern times has increased in India according to International Christian Concern. Open Doors, a Christian missionary organization estimates 100 million Christians face persecution, particularly in Muslim majority countries like Pakistan. One day we will find a way to be welcoming, to be ecumenical, and to understand what Jesus meant when he said love one another. Killing in the name of G-d is not acceptable – is not acceptable.

This week please collect a tube of toothpaste each day for Trinity’s Table and bring them into church on Sunday April 2.

Pastor Dave

March 30, 2017
Lenten Devotions – The Doors of Generosity

The Doors of Generosity
“I am sure that you come across opportunities to be generous almost every day, and if you fail to respond to those opportunities, who knows what rivers will not flow, what great ministries will never come to birth, what mighty things will not get done? God has opened the door of generosity to you; don’t fail to open up the doors of generosity to others. – Selwyn Hughes (1928-2006)

Daily we receive from God in great abundance. It comes to us as pure gift, apart from what do or what we might sense we deserve. This is God’s heart – to give everyday all that is needed and even more. Since we receive and continue to receive, we are set in a position to reflect God, the giver of all good gifts, to the world around us. As we give to God it speaks for other to see that God is good, generous and provides beyond our hopes or expectations. Thanking God is appropriate and what we do. It is a regular part of daily life for a Christian.” (Lenten Devotional Stewardship Principles, We walk together as stewards in God’s church, ELCA, 2012, March 13)

“If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. For man has closed himself up till he sees all things thro’ narrow chinks of his cavern.” (William Blake (1757-1827), The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, circa 1790)

What are the doors of our perception? I would say that we see through glasses thick with the lenses of experiences we think are formative. But what do we really perceive if we choose only to gaze upon the trees that adorn our own yard or country church graveyard? We may think we are generous when we give ten dollars to the woman who asks us for some money to ride the bus – and pat ourselves on the back as we ride home in our Mercedes.

G-d opens doors of opportunities to each one of us throughout our lives – many, many doors. I believe in fact that the doors of opportunities act similarly to a revolving door – again, and again, and again we have opportunities to be generous opened to us. If we choose to ignore them, we may see little difference as we maneuver from building to building, shop to shop, church to church. But when we finally choose to walk through one, using Selwyn Hughes’ own words, “…who knows what rivers will…flow, what great ministries will…come to birth, what mighty things will…get done?”

This week please collect a tube of toothpaste each day for Trinity’s Table and bring them into church on Sunday April 2.

Pastor Dave