Faux

Deliver us, O Lord,

from the slick veneer of religion

that needs to fabricate

disdain from others in order

to validate a narrowly

constructed dogma of exclusion.

Deliver us, O Lord,

from the false practices

that elevate self and its homies

at the expense of "other" and "different".

Deliver us instead, O Lord,

to a broad, mill-sawn bench

filled with knots and imperfections;

a pew that has been worn smooth

by years of squirming doubters

who refuse to grasp anything that

will not make room for a congregation

prepared for all weather,

oiled by conversations welling-up

from the deeps of daily life;

to a faith that withstands the storms,

instead of hiding from them;

a self that recognizes and embraces

the divine spark that flashes regularly

in the eyes of all creation.

© 2013 Todd Jenkins

Pentecost

Evangelism?

In the hands of angry sinners,

a graceful God gets lost in translation.

To where has the heart

of this word disappeared?

Too often its practice feels

like warfare: soldiers

armed-to-the-teeth, maneuver

into hostile territory, bent on

liberating all who are not

nailed to the floor.

Rifle of fear cocked,

hand grenade of guilt ready to toss

at the slightest hint of provocation. 

It’s hard to distinguish between

the thrill of enemy rejection

and the joy of prodigal return.

Somewhere in the struggle,

hope  is traded in for security.

Escape has been touted

over joy, earning over gift,

lone, paranoid surviving over

communal, generous thriving.

© 2013 Todd Jenkins

Hunger

Fear is the tactic of those

who have either abandoned

or never received/understood hope.

It generates nutritionless fare

that must be served repeatedly,

yet never satisfies humanity's basic hunger.

Violence is the weapon used

to force air out of a culture's lungs.

It preys on breathless angst,

expecting retaliation and escalation

to intensify isolation and selfishness.

Love, as response,

is the lone non-sequitur

that can give birth to a different cycle.

Every society must be reminded

of this gift's power to melt adversaries

into reflections of grace.

It is not the choice of cowards,

but only of those who have been

differently-gifted with the courage

to risk self for other.

In this very desire,

hope is rekindled, hatred quenched.

Come to the table of

forgiveness and abundance;

come as invited guest;

come to taste life itself:

dense bread and sweet wine

that satisfy beyond wildest imagination.

© 2013 Todd Jenkins

characters

Hospitality

Sometimes, what you believe to be

a no-strings-attached overture

turns out to be refused by

those to whom you offer it.

You can take it personally,

blaming your would-be guests

for not showing up,

but that negates the very

purpose of the endeavor;

which is much more aligned with

a freely extended gift, than expectation.

Hospitality is Grace's vehicle;

a bus with limitless seating capacity

and infinite amenities that patiently

circles the neighborhood daily.

It is seldom rushed and never

gives up, because it knows

what possibilities lie within

persistence's reach – opportunity

to experience creation's ultimate gift – 

a holy shift toward knowing and being known.

© 2013 Todd Jenkins

hearing