A Voice Was Heard in Ramah: some words about the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut
A reflection by CovNet Board member Laurie Kraus: "The world is a harsh and violent place, especially for the most vulnerable among us. Like Rachel, we must refuse to be consoled; refuse to become numbed to the unspeakable, breathtaking ordinariness of gun violence, which in addition to these too-public massacres, recurs day after day in the hard neighborhoods of our great cities. Our rage at this careless disregard for the sanctity of the gift of life must exceed Herod’s and that of his angry, alienated progeny who we call “the shooter”: our rage must be prophetic, and it must fuel our passion for healing the brokenhearted and working for tikkun olam, the wholeness and transformation of the world, so that the whispered promise of the incarnation might yet be heard, by us and by those whose lives we touch: the light has shined in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it."
Smudged Lenses
The Rev. Laurie Kraus celebrates the faith and the gifts of new Inquirer Danny Morales, and his first sermon: "...Since wearing glasses for a few months now, I’ve learned we don’t always see the smudges on them. Instead we get so accustomed to those smudges, that foggy vision, that we create or even become our own impediments to clarity, impediments to the voices that like Bartimaeus are still screaming..."
Knowing We Are All the Image of God
A reflection by Laurie Kraus: "...Our families are not all the same: the children we treasure have come to us from birth, surrogacy, national and international adoption, or foster care; and we connect with friend or partner or spouse in a variety of ways. One thing I believe is common among us: that we all are formed in our relationships by Love, which comes from God; and that we all of us, are made truly in God’s image and living a life of faith intended to let that God-image shine forth more clearly. We listen to one another, share our stories and practice community together because it is the way Christ has taught us to see the face of God..."
