Brave Bishop

Tyrant Trump has vehemently denounced Mariann Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, who in her sermon yesterday at the National Catheral very meekly asked him to rule with mercy.  As one journalist put it, "she delivered her sermon so gently – meek and mild, you might even say – that she came across like an unusually brave dormouse."  Now the MAGA cult is viciously attacking her.  CNN reports:

 

God bless the good Bishop for having the courage to speak so quietly and yet so very boldly, as a Christian before a lion. She is an example for us all. 

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From the Sermon on tne Mount, in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew:

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

This is the Christian faith.

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Blessed Are the Merciful

Sir Martin Gilbert, CBE, famed for his monumental biography of Winston Churchill among other distinguished works, speaks at the University of California-San Diego a few years back, sharing stories of "decency, courage, and hope amid the dark night of the Holocaust." 



It's not a formal lecture, but rather, one specific example after another.  I sat here riveted the entire time; perhaps you will too.

Jews driven from the Warsaw Ghetto by Nazi troops, 1943

"Real Christian" Thinking

An anonymous commenter has, in a roundabout way, accused your Head Trucker of not thinking like a "Real Christian."  Because I don't support starving stray animals to death, or letting poor kids go hungry.

You can read his or her remarks here as well as my response.

But in the meantime, since it's Sunday, your Head Trucker would like to clear up what seems to be some widespread confusion about what "Real Christians" should be thinking and doing.  So as a public service, I therefore present the following excerpt without further comment.  Read it and make up your own minds.

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

--Matthew 25.