In all 4 different “gospels according to” the women were the only disciples who witness to the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth — the legal, public execution of a threat to the totalitarian regime of Rome. Women who couldn’t be trusted to testify in court in those days, testified to the truth — the cruel terror of armed enforcers methodically torturing to death a former immigrant whose only threats were words, nonviolent resistance, healing, inclusive love, and a vision for an abundant life for everyone’s good. Jesus’ last words for his killer were: “I’m not mad at you, dude.” (My translation of Luke 23:24 “Father forgive them; they don’t know what they do.”)

In all 4 different “gospels according to” the women were the first witnesses to the resurrection of the Cosmic Christ. They testified that the light shines in darkness, the abundant love and distributive justice of God is greater than pyramids of selfish cruelty, compassion and mercy for the least of these trump domination and violence by the rich and powerful. Without women’s witness of preaching, we’d be left with the lying witness of those grasping power (“they stole his body”, “the guards fell asleep”, “it was a radical conspiracy by outside agitators”).

At the start of the second volume of Luke, Christ broadens the role of witness beyond the women to ya’ll — “ya’ll shall be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). (Although we now know the world is not flat, and men sought to silence the women, the meaning remains). We can’t control whether we are a witness; we can choose what kind of witness and whose witness we will be.

Where do you see compassionate, loving people taking a risk to be a witness? How does the mere presence of a camera and the truth of the images it can distribute pose such a threat that lethal force is justified with impunity. Did Iran block the Internet because they got tired of saying “what you witnessed isn’t what happened”? In 2020 when Ruth Ben-Ghiat wrote that throughout history “strong men” “silence and slander witnesses to the truth”, did you think she meant in our neighborhood?

From the Hofbräuhaus Beer Hall in Munich, Germany we drove to the Dachau concentration camp in 1975 (30 years after its liberation day). The 13-mile separation contained a chasm of context. The Dachau gate that past prisoners and current visitors enter reads “Arbeit Macht Frei” (work will set you free). In German, Arbeit (work) is a 3-letter distance from Wharheit (truth) but a chasm of context from Jesus saying “Wahrheit Macht Frei” (the truth will set you free) in John 8:32.

The lie that work will liberate you conned prisoners into hoping harsh labor would buy their freedom. Hope allowed the advanced German civilization to squeeze the last drop of profit from those deemed less than human — immigrants, priests, homosexuals, dissidents, social democrats, and Jews. As Red told Andy in the prison yard of Shawshank, “Hope is a dangerous thing.”

I recall “standing cells” where retributive vengeance forced many to stand for days as punishment. Standing cells were a cost cutting measure where space could be limited and cruelty was the point. (Imagine the opposite: volunteering to stand for days for restorative justice and against retributive vengeance).

Confidence men (conmen for short) rely on the confidence and hope other people place in them to have the secrets to solve their problems. It is the lie of false hope and the threat of deprivation that squeeze the last drop in exchange for freedom from fear or promised riches. Six years after building Dachau, the same words “Arbeit macht Frei” were placed over the Auschwitz camp entrance in Poland. By then the goal was no longer economic exploitation, but a system of extermination.

When has hope been a dangerous thing for you? Where do you find hope that does not disappoint? In what ways do you agree with Jesus — the truth will set you free?

Today is the annual darkest day in northern hemisphere history. We the people wondered if everything would just get darker without hope. It takes a few days for us to notice that the light begins to return, which may be why the Christ Mass is celebrated a few days after Dec. 21.

“Light One Candle” is a 1982 song by Peter Yarrow (the short one). He said it was an exploration of his own Jewish heritage, a response to the 1982 Israel-Lebanon War, and a reminder to listeners to speak up for peace. 166 years before Jesus, when the emperor outlawed Jewish spiritual practices, the Maccabee rebels took back the Holy Temple and relit the flame of the Menorah. They had oil for one day; the oil and the light lasted eight days..

As I watched an old Peter, Paul, & Mary Hanukkah/Christmas Concert this morning I was moved more than I am each year by this song. We need each person’s candle lit for economic justice and shalom peace to shine through our love and our tears in each dark day ahead.

What candle are you lighting to dispel darkness? How do you keep your flame ablaze?

PS… As you dust off your album or watch the song on YouTube, here are the lyrics.

“Light One Candle” by Peter Yarrow

Light one candle for the Maccabee children – Give thanks that their light didn’t die! Light one candle for the pain they endured – When their right to exist was denied! Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice – Justice and freedom demand! Light one candle for the wisdom to know – When the peacemaker’s time is at hand!

Don’t let the light go out! – It’s lasted for so many years! Don’t let the light go out! – Let it shine through our love and our tears.

Light one candle for the strength we all need – To never become our own foe! Light one candle for those who are suff’ring – Pain we learned so long ago! Light one candle for all we believe in – Let anger not tear us apart! Light one candle to bind us together – With peace as the song in our heart!

What is the memory that’s valued so highly –  That we keep it alive in that flame? What’s the commitment to those who have died – When we cry out they’ve not died in vain, We have come this far, always believing – That justice will somehow prevail! This is the burning. This is the promise, – This why we will not fail!

Don’t let the light go out! – It’s lasted for so many years! Don’t let the light go out! -Let it shine through our love and our tears. Don’t let the light go out!

Abraham Lincoln’s best-known speech is the Gettysburg Address. My favorite is his second inaugural address. It was March 4, 1865, one month before Lee’s surrender to Grant and Lincoln’s assassination. The country was exhausted after the bitter divisions and bloodshed.  623,000 Americans died fighting each other — one out of eleven of service age. The American death toll would surpass World War 1, 2, Korea, and Vietnam combined. 

Behind him was the new iron dome of the Capital building and 26 year old John Wilkes Booth.  In front of him was Frederick Douglas, the articulate African-American abolitionist leader and reformer. The speech is 703 words, 25 sentences, 4 paragraphs. 505 words are of one syllable. It lasted 6-7 minutes and those delayed by rain and mud missed it. 

He began the first half of the speech citing the one four years ago — before the war. He can’t predict the end of the war after so many predictions that “absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation.”

About the war: “ALL dreaded it, ALL sought to avert it, both sides deprecated” (expressed disapproval of) war. Yet there were differences shown by antithesis: 

first inaugural——-insurgent agents 

devoted to save the union without war——-seeking to destroy it without war

accept war rather than let it perish——–make war rather than let it survive

After alliteration in each sentence: directed, dreaded, delivered, devoted, destroy, dissolve, divide, deprecated; the last one changes to AND THE WAR CAME. And the war came; war is beyond our control to manage it.

June 29, 2008 was my fifth healing sermon after I returned from my nine-month disability (gestation?) to the same church as a changed pastor. It was the Sunday before the 4^th of July. I used the book I’d read by Ronald J. White to preach about “Lincoln’s Greatest Speech”. The reason was how the speech ended more than how it began. I’ll share the ending tomorrow.

In case you’re still reading, here’s the first half of the text of Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address….

At this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential office, there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement, somewhat in detail, of a course to be pursued, seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention, and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself; and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.

On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it‑‑all sought to avert it. While the inaugeral [sic] address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war‑‑seeking to dissole [sic] the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came.

During 50 years of intensive Bible study, I have purchased and read hundreds of commentaries to help me interpret scripture. I rely on translations by scholars who know more Hebrew and Greek than I do. I consult men’s and women’s researched insights into the historic context to correct modern misinterpretations. I edit quotes to improve carefully crafted sermons for life today.

I am selective about which commentaries I read. I don’t use christian nationalist commentaries that alter the Bible to spew division, distrust, racism, fear of “the other”, and patriarchy to gain political power. If I had a Herod commentary (Jesus called Herod “that FOX”) I’d never trust it after it paid ¾ of a billion dollars for lying about “dominion” to keep its audience.

I choose to read commentaries that have rigorous editing, fact-checking, and bias-reduction before they are published. Thus I watched all of the Jan. 6 committee’s sworn testimony, interviews, and documents by life-long republicans who voted for and worked for a president they proved planned for months to illegally (and violently) steal an election he knew he lost fairly. I read “Oath and Honor” by Liz Cheney, “Enough” by Cassidy Hutchison, and “Too Much and Never Enough” by Mary Trump.

I am inspired by a Bible commentary writer’s lifetime of service to God. So I listen to 45’s longest serving chief of staff, Marine General John Kelly’s dire warning to our nation on tape. I believe the 20^th Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley seriously describes words and actions that are fascist. As military officers they are not political unless the constitution they’ve sworn an oath to protect and defend is threatened.

I read the Bible itself before and after reading a commentary. The original source is always best. I believe the source before others try to correct, explain, or justify his lies, threats, and actions. When he says I use my power to sexually assault women, it’s rigged only if I lose, one day of all-out violence will end dissension, I’ll shut down news outlets I don’t like, and I’ll use the military on American citizens who challenge my reign… I believe the source.

What sources do you use to enhance your journey in life? How do you determine which commentaries to trust? When have you observed the unfiltered original source?

During Chenoweth Elementary School I came home to proudly proclaim that our class was doing the play, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and I was going to play the Emperor. “Oh no you’re not,” said my mother. “I’ve read that story.” With one phone call mom made sure the script did not say that the emperor was naked, but that he was in his underwear. She procured black underwear with large white polka dots for the production. The show went on — and so did I.

As the emperor, I met three con-men who offered to weave and sell me a set of clothes. The clothes were so special, they could only be seen by those who aren’t incompetent or stupid. When my advisors looked in on the progress, none of us would admit we didn’t see any clothes being made lest we look stupid. 

The conmen “dressed” me for a big parade and ran off with our money. The villagers had lines like “The Emperor’s new clothes are beautiful. They fit so well.” Look at the colors — even the orange of our flag. No one in my court wanted to look stupid or unfit for office so they too praised what wasn’t there as I proudly marched around.

Then one innocent child said, “But the emperor has nothing on except his underwear!” Soon one person whispered to another about what the child said until everyone realized the truth. The pinnacle of my childhood acting was that I kept proudly parading a path through the peasants as I said to myself, “I have to keep going and see this through.” So I strutted all the more proudly as I ordered my government officials to keep carrying my train that wasn’t there.

I gained some wisdom from foolishly flouting my boxers. People may go along with anything that makes them not look stupid or incompetent. Later I’d learn about “Confidence Bias”. Our brains are wired to prefer a confident lie over a hesitant truth. It’s what conmen rely on — that people will believe a confident lie if you repeat it enough. Rather than use those insights to gain wealth and power, I hope and pray those lessons made me more authentic in my ministry.

When have you believed a confident lie more than a hesitant truth in your life? How long did you hold onto that belief in order to not look stupid or incompetent? Where have you felt forced to carry a train that wasn’t there?