Hello, Friends!
     On Sunday, Some of you heard me mention my admiration for Mr. Krueger’s gift of water to thirsty passersby on Congress Avenue, in the form of a water cooler available to anyone who wants a drink.   Ever since reading that grateful letter to the newspaper editor celebrating that ministry, and lamenting the lack of similar behavior in society at large,, I’ve been pondering the implications of that gift, for me, and for our community’s faith journey.
        As I said Sunday, I don’t really think that sort of kindness is all that rare, just mostly unsung.  Yet there does seem to be a desperate thirst of the heart for a counterpoint to the fear, mistrust, and aggressive, even violent  reactivity that pervades and poisons our atmosphere.
      How do we respond, for instance, to the terrible wrong done our friend Gilbert Martinez, last Saturday?  While tending the church yard, he was assaulted by a passerby who imagined an offense, and reacted with insane anger and ugly action.
       Gilbert was injured, and is pursuing legal action, which is appropriate.  He is also persisting in being the gentle, gracious, mature person he has always been—and his spirit is good and strong.
       Justice needs to be sought, and insisted upon, for those who are victimized by violence, as well as for those whose hungers and thirsts are not understood or addressed by our systems of governance.
      As people of faith on the lighted way of the Master, it is incumbent on us to advocate for and act on behalf of our neighbors, whose needs and hurts we must consider as our own.
      And in response to such a terrible thing as what happened to Gilbert, anger only goes so far.   Offering a drink of cold water to a thirsty person doesn’t change the heart of the man who assaulted Gilbert.
      But reaching out in an act of kindness may help to refocus some of our energy, and balance out some of the struggle and confusion, the irresolution of some of those hurts in our human family that seem at times beyond healing.  
      Acknowledging the wrongs of our world, doing our best to address the painful realities of life, and remembering to keep our focus on what we can do, simply, concretely, compassionately, daily, can help us maintain balance.
      I look forward to balancing with you this Sunday, and all our days to come.   

Shalom,
Sarah