“Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion.”  Brene Brown

“As people seek out the social settings they prefer–as they choose the group that makes them feel the most comfortable–the nation grows more politically segregated–and the benefits that ought to come with having a variety of opinions is lost to the righteousness that is the special entitlement of homogeneous groups. 

We all live with the results:  balkanized communities whose inhabitants find other Americans to be culturally incomprehensible; a growing intolerance for political differences that has made national consensus impossible; and politics so polarized that Congress is stymied and elections are no longer just contests over policies, but bitter choices between ways of life.”  Bill Bishop from The Big Sort

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  Luke 6:36-38

“I can’t judge others because I don’t know their hearts.  Indeed, the only one I really can know is my own sinful heart.”  Lois Tverberg

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Miryam (Mary) from Magdala went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she came running to Shim‘on Kefa (Simon Peter) and the other talmid (disciple), the one Yeshua (Jesus) loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!”

Then Kefa and the other talmid started for the tomb. They both ran, but the other talmid outran Kefa and reached the tomb first. Stooping down, he saw the linen burial-sheets lying there but did not go in. Then, following him, Shim‘on Kefa arrived, entered the tomb and saw the burial-sheets lying there, also the cloth that had been around his head, lying not with the sheets but in a separate place and still folded up. Then the other talmid, who had arrived at the tomb first, also went in; he saw, and he trusted. (They had not yet come to understand that the Tanakh teaches that the Messiah has to rise from the dead.)

So the talmidim returned home, but Miryam stood outside crying. As she cried, she bent down, peered into the tomb, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Yeshua had been, one at the head and one at the feet. “Why are you crying?” they asked her. “They took my Lord,” she said to them, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

 As she said this, she turned around and saw Yeshua standing there, but she didn’t know it was he.  Yeshua said to her, “Lady, why are you crying? Whom are you looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you’re the one who carried him away, just tell me where you put him; and I’ll go and get him myself.” Yeshua said to her, “Miryam!” Turning, she cried out to him in Hebrew, “Rabbani!” (that is, “Teacher!”)  “Stop holding onto me,” Yeshua said to her, “because I haven’t yet gone back to the Father. But go to my brothers, and tell them that I am going back to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”  Miryam of Magdala went to the talmidim with the news that she had seen the Lord and that he had told her this.  John 18:1-18

“The splendor light of heaven’s glorious sunrise is about to break upon us in holy visitation, all because the merciful heart of our God is so very tender.”  Luke 1:78 (From Zechariah’s Prophecy after the birth and circumcision of his son, John, “God is gracious.”)