Monthly Archives: January 2017

What shall we bring?

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It is difficult to pray for the man who we now have to call president. Really difficult. But we should because he is a fellow human being, after all. But what does that prayer look like? I wish that I could glibly reply like the rabbi in “The Fiddler on the Roof,” “May God bless and keep the czar (president)… far away from us.” But I can’t. Instead I can pray that he is in good health and hope that he decides to be more humane.

If you can’t pray for him yet or prayer doesn’t quite work for you, then act. Acting is difficult, but in this situation, I think it is easier because it is simpler.

There are a few articles going around on social media about what you can do about the ridiculous, unjust, terrifying executive orders. Read them. Think about them. Call and/or write your senators. Donate to the Safe Passage Project and/or Kal Penn’s Crowdrise compaign (https://www.crowdrise.com/donating-to-syrian-refugees-in-the-name-of-the-dude-who-said-i-dont-belong-in-america?utm_donation=b7418d588e3972e61934d07341037&utm_platform=fb&utm_device=mobile&utm_source=donate-cr).

Humanity acts us to act justly and have mercy. The god of Christians, the god of Jews, the god of Muslims (the same God, whichever name or book is used) calls us to unite, do justice and have mercy. It calls us to feed and love the outcast and the unwelcome. It calls us to cease divisions.

Looking back at the history of my blog, I see that most of my posts were about books and writing. But this blog, like me, has changed. While I am still passionate about literature, I am also becoming increasingly passionate about social justice. Last week, I applied to a couple social work graduate programs. One of the applications asked me to define social justice and write about my commitment to it.  While I didn’t like writing it, it made me appreciate those who have helped turned the tide for good and those today who are also committed to it.

May I do the same. I hope you will join me.

“What shall I bring to the Lord?”

Will He require something special from me?

Oh, what shall I bring for a King?

I could bring riches, power, now is the hour to lift our voices and sing…

But hear what the Lord says:

Do justice, have mercy… and walk humbly with your God…

What shall I bring to the Lord?”

– “What Shall I Bring to the Lord,” a choral anthem by Robert C. Lau, based on Micah 6: 6-8

sometimes we call

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A few days before leaving Colorado for Pennsylvania, my dad made me two things from his 3d printer: A miniature TARDIS (blue of course) and an orange squirrel that I named Zacchaeus.

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For those who don’t know or need a refresher, Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector during the time of Jesus’ teachings. One day, Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus over the crowd of people. Jesus saw him, called him by name, and told him that he wanted to visit his house. The crowd was shocked because tax collectors were despised for working for the Roman Empire and not the Jewish community.

The Sycamore House doesn’t have a sycamore house to climb in our garden (although we do have some lilies!), but we are still very much like our man in the story from Luke. Every day or nearly every day, we are trying to find ourselves and our vocations. And sometimes we need some help. Sometimes like Zacchaeus, we need something to lift us over the crowd. Sometimes we call on the help of our wonderful and effervescent director. Sometimes we call on each other. And then sometimes we make orange squirrels.

My little version of Zacchaeus does not directly help me with my vocation. In fact, most of the times he is stuck in a bag or half forgotten on the coffee table. He helps motivate me and remind me of my dad, people back home, and callers that use our helpline. He reminds me of why I am here, which is sometimes easy to forget when I’m tired out by duties and difficult calls.

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Last week, he traveled with me to Colorado for my winter break and helped me take pictures of the snow and mountains for my housemates.

Next week, he is going to be placed in a seat of honor on my desk at work. Will he physically help me with calls and other duties? Probably not. But it will be nice to have him there, a companion along the way.

And for those who are wondering, I had a TARDIS made because Doctor Who, like bowties, is cool.