This morning Sojourners chose to publish last Sunday’s sermon (posted yesterday on “Views from the Edge”) on it blog, “God’s Politics: a Blog with Jim Wallis and Friends”. Click THE STONES ARE SINGING for the Sojourners post to read and hear it, “like” it (If you do :-)), post a comment,or send it to a friend by email.
Once again, special thanks to Dennis Aubrey and Via Lucis (click the link for today’s Good Friday photos) for permission to use his magnificent photographs and written description of his time in the Basilica of Mary Magdalene in Vezelay, France.
Reading Dennis’ words from the pulpit near the end of the sermon, I had to stop. It was as though years of trying to understand had come together into a single moment. When the Gospel writer has Jesus respond to his critics with “I tell you, if these keep silent, the very stones will cry out,” he is quoting from the Scriptures of his Jewish faith – Ode against the Chaldeans in the Book of Habakkuk “The stone shall cry out from the wall, and the beam out of the framework shall answer it. Woe to him that builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity.” (Hab. 2:11-12)
Views from the Edge 
Congratulations! That sermon was, and is, truly spectacular thinking and writing. You so deserve this honor, and so much more! YAY! A good thing happening to good, talented person! Love it!
LikeLike
Thank you, Bluebird. Hope you’ve had a good weekend. We sang a hymn as the sun rose this morning. It was a good day.
LikeLike
Sir, I must apologize— I thought I had read this sermon, but I had not read it/heard it yet. I read it today. I stand amazed, sir. Wow.
LikeLike
I can always use the strokes. Glad it was meaningful to you. THANK YOU.
LikeLike
Though I have listened to some of your sermons, I am going to make it a point to listen weekly. Having read and listened to this particular sermon, I can say with all honesty that I loved the text; I loved the spoken sermon. Each are exquisite in their own right. Again, wow. This reframed my whole day!
LikeLike
Courtenay, You just made mine. I just posted “In the Strife of Truth with Falsehood” in which I confes that sometimes I wonder whether what I do or say makes any difference. I wonder about the power of words, or, at least, the effectiveness of my words. Thank you for this. There’s so much blather out there that I am suspicious of my own speech, hoping against hope sometimes that it’s not just adding to blabbering and the noise. As a journalist/writer, I’m sure you know whereof I speak.
LikeLike
Words are still powerful when they are used deliberately. And you do! All the time! I know this flavor of doubt— I encounter it at least once a week, myself. Lately, I think a great deal about the still, small voice— quieter than quiet— and it settles me. You reintroduced me to that idea, in fact. The internet may be large and full of words, but people are still people and genuine ideas are still genuine ideas. I believe this to be true.
LikeLike
Still listening for the still, small voice – quieter than quiet, like you. And I do find peace there…away from the noise, the noisy gongs and clanging cymbals. The internet and the blogosphere’s virtue is that they democratize the conversations. Everyone gets to speak and hear, and that’s a good thing, as long as we have some critical capacity to sift and sort what’s worth our time and attention. And THAT’s a huge challenge, yes?
LikeLike
Ever since I started blogging, I think of the internet/blogosphere as a big democratic Las Vegas. (A city I don’t know well, but I am very familiar with its airport. Whoo! Loud!) I have some similar questions, and no useful theories.
LikeLike
Say what? I can’t hear you.
LikeLike
Thanks, HMB. It’s been a strange day Your comment lifts me up.
LikeLike
Geez Gordon! What a sermon! I’m very touched, and soothed by the certainty there: “Even the stones will sing out.” It is a great comfort to know that the faith and power of Jesus Christ are unstoppable, and current. Thank you.
LikeLike