Martyrs

"Follow me to the place 
where dreams come true

Follow me and we can see this through

Follow me until the end

on this you can depend

Follow me and I will follow you"

Follow Me by Roger Guth, Peter Mayer, Jim Mayer

On this day in 1980, Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, was assassinated.  I've posted a picture from Westminster Abbey of some modern martyrs: King, Romero and Bonhoeffer. These three followed Jesus with such intensity and passion that it cost them their lives. They were and are witnesses to the transforming love of God.

About twenty years ago I was serving as an associate pastor in Wichita, Kansas. I was able to learn about Bread for the World from some wonderful Methodist and Mennonite clergy and lay people. I had a pretty good understanding of Methodism, but I didn't know too much about the Mennonites. I quickly learned that Lutherans had not always been very kind to their Anabaptist brothers and sisters. I purchased a book, A Third Way, by Paul M. Lederach. One day when I was reading it, these words from Menno Simons caught my eye and my heart:

"Just as natural bread has to be kneaded of many kernels of grain broken in the mill, together with water and then baked by the heat of the fire, in the same way the church of Christ is made up of many believers, broken in their hearts by the mill of God's word, baptized with water by the Holy Spirit, and brought together in one body by pure and unadulterated love at the Lord's table."

As Wesley once wrote, "I felt my heart strangely warmed." http://www.ccel.org/ccel/wesley/journal.vi.ii.xvi.html

Yesterday afternoon we had an event at church where the young families could bake pretzels with me.

Prior to making and baking the pretzels, we gathered together in a big circle and shared in the Lord's Supper. It was just as Menno Simons wrote, "brought together in one body by pure and unadulterated love at the Lord's table."

Pretzels are a symbol of the Trinity. They are fun to bake. Great to eat. And even more wonderful to share with family, friends, neighbors and even strangers.  I'm humbled and honored this day to be surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.

Peace,

rtg