Romans 5: 12-21 (links validated 1/31/23)

The man who hacked to death Hutu Iphigenia’s husband and five of her children was a Tutu named Jean-Bosco. Today, however, Iphigenia works together with Jean-Bosco’s wife Epiphania to make beautiful baskets. She also shares her family meals with the killer she knew and his wife. Jean-Bosco spent seven years in jail for his part in Iphigenia’s family’s massacre. However, while on trial he confessed to the slaughter and asked Iphigenia and others to forgive him. Iphigenia admits that it wasn’t easy to forgive her family’s murderer. In fact, she didn’t speak to Jean-Bosco and his wife for four years. So how did she manage to finally forgive them? Iphigenia told CNN.com, “I am a Christian, and I pray a lot.”..

In 1088, Urban II, a Frenchman and the former abbot of the rigorous monastery of Cluny, was elected pope. His predecessor, Gregory VII, had struggled to free the church from the control of feudal lords, and in large measure, he had succeeded. Even Emperor Henry IV eventually stood barefoot outside the papal castle in snowy Canossa, pleading with the pontiff to lift his excommunication. The cause of reformation and right had stood its ground and prevailed. Urban thought to advance his predecessor’s position. If the church could be freed from its would-be masters, why not the Holy Land itself, the spot made sacred by the birth and blood of the redeemer? And so, on November 27, 1095, in a muddy field outside the French city of Clermont, the Holy Father called for the liberation of Jerusalem...

I’m sure many people here know Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. Max, a small boy in an animal costume, runs riot round his house until his mother tells him he’s a wild thing and sends him to bed without his supper. But in his room a forest grows, and a boat appears and Max sails away to a distant island “where the wild things are”. They have a wonderful wild rumpus together, until Max starts to feel a bit lonely, and wants to be where “someone loved him best of all”. So he sails home to his room, and there is his supper on the table, where his mother has left it for him – “and it was still hot”, says the story. What seemed like years was really only a short time.

Back when the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? was all the rage, Saturday Night Live presented a parody of it (of course they did). Darrell Hammond portrayed host Regis Philbin, and Will Farrell played a contestant named Rich Preylant. (Farrell answered the first question correctly and earned $100.) When Regis said that the next question was worth two hundred dollars, Rich said, “Actually, Regis, I’m good. I think I’m gonna fold up the shop.” When Regis responded, “I’m sorry?”, Rich said, “I think I’ll fold up the shop, take my hundred dollars, go back to West Virginia, and plan my family’s future.” When Regis asked him if he was aware they’re talking about a hundred dollars, Rich said, “Yep, I am. That’s why I don’t want to risk it.” It wasn’t even a struggle for him. He was happy to have a hundred dollars. And everybody laughed. It’s funny because nobody would do that. Nobody would walk away from a potentially huge reward for the sake of holding onto a measly one hundred dollars.

Perhaps you have heard this old story by Matt Suhey, running back for the Chicago Bears. If you have not heard of Matt Suhey, it is probably because you are much more likely to have heard of his more famous, and faster, teammate, Walter Payton, a superstar running back in the 1970s and 80s. Anyway, Matt Suhey and Walter Payton were once on a camping trip together in Alaska. Matt Suhey awoke to find Walter Payton lacing up his running shoes. “What are you doing?” asked Suhey. “There’s a bear right outside our tent, and I’m getting ready to run.” “You can’t outrun a bear!” said Suhey. Payton replied, “I don’t have to. All I have to do is outrun you!”...

Lord, he thought he'd make a man, Dem Bones gonna rise again. Took a little water, took a little sand, Dem Bones gonna rise again. Chorus: I know'd it brudder, Deed I know'd it brudder I know'd it deed dem bones gonna rise again Thought he'd make a woman too, Dem bones gonna rise again Didn't know xactly what to do, Dem bones gonna rise again. Chorus: Took a rib from Adam.'s side, Dem bones gonna rise again From that rib he shaped his bride, Dem bones gonna rise again. Chorus: Put them in a garden fair, Dem Bones gonna rise again Told them what they might eat there, Dem Bones gonna rise again. Chorus: Pears, peaches, plum and such, Dern bones gonna rise again. But those apples you don't touch, Dern bones gonna rise again. Chorus: Long came a serpent six-foot three, Dem bones gonna rise again Wrapped himself around that tree, Dem bones gonna rise again. Chorus: He wrapped himself around that trunk, Dem bones gonna rise again. And his eye at Eve he wunk, Dem bones gonna rise again. Chorus: My those apples sho look fine, Dem bones gonna rise again Take one the Lord won't mind, Dem bones gonna rise again. Chorus: Lord came down to look around, Oem bones gonna rise again. Saw dose peelings on the ground, Oem bones gonna rise again. Chorus: The Lord he rose up in his wrath, Oem bones gonna rise again. Chased dem down dat garden path, Oem bones gonna rise again...