Touchpoints by Henry Rojas
The Assunder Blunder
“Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 2 Some,[a] testing him, asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” 5 But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father…
Tattle Tails and Stumbling Blocks
Grace and peace to you from the Christ who calls us to walk the path of love, who dwells in all things, and through whom we bear the name of life and light. 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,[a] and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon…
Succesfully Last
Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all. Then they came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34 But they were silent, for on the way, they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then he took…
Name, Image, and Likeness
May the light of the Liberator guide your path, grounding you in truth and love. Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he sternly…
The Sigh
“After the sigh Jesus looks up into heaven. What does this mean? To me, it means that heaven is indeed a place where there is freedom, even more evidence that heaven is not a place we go, but is with us right now. Heaven is, as Jesus said, “at hand.” “Ephphatha!” Be opened he sighed, and it was… and all the windows of his soul’s senses were thrown wide open.”
Gospel Unshackled
“Good religion becomes bad religion when practices move toward superstitions, rather than a way of being receptive to Presence and the movements of Spirit. No wonder Paul felt free when he was in prison, Peter felt free when he was being whipped like his friend, and Forrest felt free when his shackles were flying off! They live free in the heart.”
War No More
“When the temptations come, we may want to draw the sword of warfare, but let’s remember the words Jesus said to Peter when he struck the soldier who threatened Jesus: “Put your sword away, shall I not drink the cup?” Our sword is not the weapon of warfare, but the Word of God which declares us to be people of peace, with armor used to protect our inner truth and protect ourselves from embarking on an unfortunate spiritual insurrection… and doing it in the name of Jesus.”
Alluring Wisdom
“When have we ever thought wisdom was sexy the way it is written in Proverbs and in the Song of Solomon? Perhaps it’s because today’s leaders prefer fearful, servile, dependent followers to do their bidding. If that sounds familiar…it’s the premise for the movie, ‘Minions’. Passion to to serve others, think measured, and be kind do not make an attractive vote-getter for the restless. Wisdom is not alluring as described in Solomon’s writings; it is an unfortunate obligation and a duty, rather than satisfying to the soul.”
The Tortilla of Life
“As a man in recovery from bulimia, I can tell you of the unrelenting desire to be satiated… avoiding the fear of being deprived, thereby nurturing a relationship with food that is a dopamine blanket of comfort. Food that disappoints as a substitute for loss, leaving an emptiness for the real hunger and thirst of the soul. For others it is a beverage that allows a temporary chemical remedy for a thirsty soul. When it finally satisfies the body, the soul is weakened and the Spirit weeps with you. For us the words, “Whoever eats this bread will never hunger or thirst again,” is huge!”
Bread to Die For
“Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” He said, “Moses and I are not the Father. Only God the father gives bread from heaven. We are the gift given to you for life and true liberation.” Using Father as the term for the source of all things is bad science now that we know a mother isn’t just an incubator and man the origin of both egg and sperm. Father represented the source of all things. No wonder Jesus referred to all his friends as his mothers and brothers. When we are together inclusively, we honor the Christ in all people. It is ours to remove the obstacles for people to crawl to spiritual freedom in a world that creates obstacle courses.”
You cruise, You Lose
“Maybe the sardines and bread were a way for Jesus to teach the disciples about love through service; teaching hospitality to the goal oriented. While others traveled to the Passover place, Jesus welcomed the holiness of the journey. Perhaps the fish and bread was communion with strangers.
I’m not sure, I just know olives would have been a bit more kind. But there I go again wanting to get to the other side of discomfort.”
Rest for the Inner Orphan
“Have you ever had a boss encourage you to take time off saying, “I’ll do your work for you”? When was the last time you had a boss “see” you and recognize you were burning out, then encourage you to rest before going back to work? You might think, ‘Others have more difficult, more demanding jobs than I; I don’t deserve to rest.’ Maybe you wonder, ‘Is there no one who will see the burden I carry?’ Perhaps you’ve thought, ‘I love my job, my work as a parent or as a student, but I’m overwhelmed.’ Maybe we need to channel our inner Jesus and Michael McCabe. Maybe we need to listen for the Shepherd’s call to a deserted place.”