Author: Michael K. Marsh
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Off The Page And Onto The Streets – A Reflection On The Beatitudes
Every day I receive emails, texts, and news articles calling me to act, to resist, to protest. Maybe you do too. I wonder if that’s what Jesus was doing when he preached the Sermon on the Mount. What if the Beatitudes, the gospel for this Sunday (Matthew 5:1-12), are his call for us to act, Read more
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A Better Direction
Greg Bovino, the Border Patrol Commander-at-Large, is no longer the “commander,” is leaving Minneapolis, and is returning to his previous duty station in California. (Source) A number of CBP agents in Minneapolis are also leaving. (Source) The chief federal judge in Minneapolis has ordered the head of ICE to appear and explain why he should Read more
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Another Morning After
After a federal agent murdered Renee Good I wrote about normalcy as resistance and making a pledge to normalcy. This morning, the morning after federal agents murdered Alex Pretti, I wrote this to myself: Lord,… Lord,… The silence shatters my words. I have no words. I can only remember and say their names. For Renee, Read more
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Going To Pharaoh- A Reflection On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
In the Episcopal Church the Feast of Martin Luther King, Jr., is celebrated on April 4, the date of his death. One of the things that strikes me about the gospel assigned for that day (Luke 6:27-36) is just how much Jesus sounds like Martin Luther King, Jr. “Love your enemies, do good to those Read more
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Making A Pledge To Normalcy
Late last Friday afternoon I went for a bike ride. I chased dirt roads through a neighborhood forest, spooked some deer, enjoyed cool weather, and kept an eye on the cloudy and darkening skies. My only goal was to get back to my truck before the sun set. It felt nice to be out and Read more
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By Another Road – An Epiphany Reflection On Matthew 2:1-12
A couple of weeks ago I had a dream that has stuck with me, asking for some attention and consideration. Toward the end of the dream, I decide to go home. The road home is on the other side of a small hill. I’m on my bike and when I get to the top of Read more
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What’s Your Here And Now Christmas Story?
You know the usual Christmas story (Luke 2:1-20). It happened “in those days” when Emperor Augustus issued a decree to “all the world.” He was pretty full of himself. It happened “in that region” where shepherds were living in the fields and working the night shift. They were neither imperial nor august. They were, rather, Read more
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Managing The Advent Crisis
In my previous post I suggested that Advent is less about a countdown to Christmas and more about a crisis. I’m not talking about our usual understanding of crisis as one of those “Aw, shhhiiioot!!” events in which something has gone wrong. I’m talking about the older, original understanding of the word. It comes from Read more
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The Crisis Of Advent
My post from a few days ago, Advent Truth, was the first in almost six months. During that time some of you may have wondered, “What happened to Mike?” A few of you emailed or left a comment asking that question. It’s a good question and one I’ve been asking myself. So, what happened? In Read more
Interrupting the Silence 