March 30, 2026 · 4:04 pm

Come to Die (Sermon)

Cross located at Hochhädrich, Austria (2018). Photo by Thanti Riess on Unsplash

The below sermon was preached on Palm Sunday, March 29, 2026, as I served as a supply preacher at Madison Presbyterian Church. Readings included Matthew 21:1-11, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Philippians 2:5-11, and Matthew 26:14 through 27:66.

When Jesus arrives in Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna!” (meaning Save us!), Jesus embodies the fulfillment of prophesy. The Essenes, those responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls, were an ascetic and apocalyptic Jewish sect living in the desert. They and many others expected the Messiah to come to Israel’s political if not spiritual salvation on a warhorse. Yet the true prophets of God did not focus on the promise of a worldly, powerful warrior but rather that of a suffering servant…a Messiah who was willing to die for us.  

You might recall that the prophet, Zachariah, lived at a time coming out of the low ebb in the flow of Israel’s long history with God, the later 6th Century BC. The Temple had previously been destroyed by the Babylonians, and the people, especially the elites, had been sent into exile. The Babylonians hoped to eradicate any resistance as the Jewish culture, religion, and society was forcibly mixed into Baylon’s own.

Then, after the Babylonians were defeated by the rising Persian Empire under Cyrus, the Israelites were allowed to return to Israel. For, Emperor Cyrus had a different idea about ruling conquered peoples. He assisted them, aiming to win their favor so that they would become a faithful vassal state. Thus, Cyrus and several of the rulers following him wanted to help reestablish the Jewish cult in Israel, the center of which would be a second, rebuilt Jewish Temple.

This benevolence, seen as something directed by the hand of God, is why the prophet Isaiah calls Emperor Cyrus a messiah…not the Messiah mind you, a messiah (with a small m). Cyrus was an earthly king who would help reestablish the Temple and Israel’s religious laws. He would help regather the people of Israel, but it was never likely that he would bring world peace and the knowledge of the one true God to all peoples as the Messiah would.

Certainly, Zechariah lived in a difficult, transitional period under the later Persian Emperor, Darius. It was a time of external and internal threat and uncertainty. Therefore, much of his writings encouraged the returned exiles to rebuild the Temple (the Temple of Jesus’ time, but before Herod the Great’s grand expansion), and he urged them to repent from pagan and unfaithful practices.

Under the thumb of Persia’s power, Zechariah hoped that the Messiah would prove a truly victorious king, but he also had some curious prophetic insights to share. He foresaw a humble Messiah entering Jerusalem on a donkey. This shepherd-leader, a suffering servant, would be rejected for 30 pieces of silver. And eventually through a final battle, God would restore Jerusalem. All nations would come to worship God because of him, and the city would become a new Eden with living waters.

If this sounds like what you know about Jesus and the story of his intense suffering and death, the Passion as people call it, or even the establishment of a new heaven and earth at Jesus’ Second Coming, this is no mistake. Indeed, as Jesus enters Jerusalem, we hear Matthew clearly identify Zechariah’s text as pointing toward Jesus as the Messiah. We are supposed to see and understand the connection. Jesus came on a simple donkey. Not just that, it clearly states that it was a colt. For those with the eyes to see and a memory of scripture, Jesus was claiming the humble, messianic role.

So, it is no wonder the crowds under the thumb of Roman cruelty cry out, “Hosanna! (Save us!).” They have huge hopes after seeing or hearing about his miracles and authentic preaching. Right before them, Jesus is fulfilling prophesy! Liberation is at hand! Yet, as we will see, the crowds and even his dearest friends do not yet fully understand that Jesus is offering a very different kind of salvation than they expect.

After Palm Sunday, Holy Week rapidly transitions our focus. We move from triumph to intense grief followed by ecstatic joy. Each day through assigned lectionary readings, we can follow Jesus and his friends during his final week of human life until we come to the Great Three Days – Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter – a microcosm of the overall rollercoaster that is Holy Week. After his Passover meal, Jesus will be arrested at night, tried in secret by religious and secular authorities, suffer horribly, then die the death of what his contemporaries might consider “the worst of the worst”[i] – a criminal’s death under the Roman Empire’s rule. The process of public crucifixion from scourging to hanging on a tree where one dies slowly through blood loss and suffocation helped assert and solidify Rome’s worldly rule. It served as a stark warning to others challenging Rome’s claimed dominion.[ii]

Amidst all the jubilation of Palm Sunday hallelujahs and the bookend of Easter alleluias, we are asked to remember the cost…Remember the cost of the cross…not gloss or rush over it toward Easter. Jesus had predicted this death, as did prophets before him. Jesus willingly came to Jerusalem to die…He had come to die! Christians debate about the mechanics, about the why and how of his suffering, death, and resurrection, and how it redeems and saves us, but within this “mystery of faith,” we are asked to understand that thanks to our faith in Jesus and because of what he has done…that alone…nothing to do with our own efforts…we become eternally saved.

Yet even then, the mystery does not end. Jesus himself taught that we who hope to be his disciples must pick up our own cross and follow. For although Sin, Death, and the Devil are defeated with his resurrection, the Kingdom is not yet here in its fullness. We have work to do sharing the Gospel with others through word and deed. Or as one of my favorite theologians, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, similarly proclaimed, “When Christ calls a [person], he bids [that person] come and die.” We die to ourselves. We die in our surrender to God’s will amidst times of trouble. We die as we try to love the Jesus in others as Jesus loves us. We might face rejection for following Jesus, and some of us might even die as Christian martyrs.

Now, we are not talking about some sort of a bait and switch here. For, Jesus is clear. To follow Jesus in a fallen world which often rebels against him infers the likelihood of suffering for Love’s sake…for God’s sake…or in other words, to fulfill God’s will for our lives and the world. This true Christianity of costly discipleship is antithetical to any false prosperity gospel, unhealthy Christian nationalism, or worldly selfishness. Through it, we discover that our good behavior does not prevent our own suffering in a fallen world.

Instead, we are asked to both love others and trust in God no matter what happens, for thanks to Jesus, our resurrection day will come. In fact, we are already victorious… we are conquerors Paul writes in Romans 8:37… redeemed…saved…whether we feel it or not, understand it or not, or fully trust in this or not. Jesus declares this, and that one day, every tear and suffering will be wiped away…just not yet. This promised perfection will only come at the Parousia, the Second Coming of Jesus.

Yes, our baptism or conversion of heart always comes with a cost. By divine necessity, we must die, yet God will be glorified in and through our suffering and sacrifices made in love…always. Love is never wasted, and Jesus will be with us. The Spirit will pray for us with a groaning too deep for words. And someday, we will rise as Jesus did to be with our Triune God forever. Death no longer has power over us, so why do we so often act as if it does?

As we heard Paul write to the church in Philippi (2:5-11), Jesus nonsensically and willingly lowered and sacrificed himself. He is no victim. He knew what he was about. It hurt emotionally and physically. He struggled, shedding tears and sweating blood in the garden (something that science shows can happen under extreme duress). Jesus even experienced all the horrors of crucifixion. And yet, he humbled himself, “becoming obedient to death even on the cross.” He trusted and understood that resurrection day would come.

Many love the exuberance of Palm Sunday, but the cross? Ah, it seems easier to skip forward to Easter, for the cross remains a scandal to many, even at times for those of us who believe. No, not all of us are called to be martyrs. I’m not saying that, but day by day, we are called to die little deaths[iii]…to offer our lives for others (perhaps figuratively, but offer them nonetheless)…to go without at times in order to help others…to offer our time, treasure and talent because of who we are, out of love, not what we might get…to give even when it hurts or doesn’t make sense only because it is the right thing to do and pleases God. We are asked to accept the realities of suffering while never giving up hope nor stopping our attempts to alleviate it.

Yes, Jesus loves us still even amidst our shortsightedness, struggles, or failures…and he has called us to this time and place to be his body. Yet make no mistake, we come to die…Still what of it? We can rejoice amidst our sufferings (see Romans 5:3-5), even if through tears. For, Jesus never lies. Resurrection Day is on its way. Amen.

[i] The “worst of the worst” reference might remind us of current immigration policy where political entities have falsely called people with administrative issues criminals and peaceful protestors terrorists.

[ii] Perhaps this, too, might bring to mind the modern dominionists who long for theocracy and theonomy, or those who dream of a political American empire shaped by Christian nationalist fervor and bad teaching.   

[iii] One of my Pastoral Care professors at Union Presbyterian Seminary, The Rev. Dr. Charles Brown, often reminded us of this.

© 2026 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Scripture passages are from the NRSVue translation.

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March 17, 2026 · 2:27 am

Arise today


Stained-glass window of Saint Patrick from Saint Patrick Catholic Church, Junction City, Ohio, United States (Wikimedia Commons)

On St. Patrick’s Day, you often see at least part of his famous Breastplate prayer from the Fifth Century posted on social media somewhere. (The full prayer is below.) Yet, people can often miss the significance of what Patrick said when he encountered Christ in other people – in every eye that saw Patrick and every ear that heard him.

Basically, a deep, traditional belief of Christianity was that Jesus is in everyone before we ever know him. He’s waiting to be discovered and made known, calling us, ultimately to be trusted as Savior and Lord. As Martin Luther later argued in the 1500s, Jesus is in us as we seek to love and serve, and we can hear Jesus crying out to us in the suffering of others. A saintly Orthodox nun, Mother Gavrilia, warned in the 20th Century, “If you don’t like someone, remember you are looking at Jesus in the face.” (If you know me, you likely know these quotes are among my favorite for how they challenge me.)

So perhaps in modern times, we might like to add to Patrick’s prayer: “Christ in Republicans. Christ in Democrats. Christ in everyone in between. Christ in citizens and legal immigrants. Christ in those without papers. Christ in persons of all nations and races. Christ in those that love us. Christ in those who hate us. Christ in everyone I see or hear.”

If we dare recognize that Christ is in others, if we seek to find him there, how might that temper our responses to hot button issues of our day? How might it convict us and make us pause when Jesus isn’t seen in our actions or what we say? I imagine it would make us less severe. At least, it often helps me be so. We might even discover a common cause, for we already share a common call from Jesus, “Come. Follow me.”

Among the most difficult and sometimes disturbing commands of Jesus is that we love our enemies. Even those who annoy us, we are to love. As I’ve noted before, this does not mean there are never consequences for ill behavior. It doesn’t prohibit us from turning our cheek and walking away when things are too dangerous, toxic, or prove to be situations tempting us to fall into grave sin. We might not be friends, but we must seek to love.

Why? Jesus asks us in his teaching and preaching to see the sacred in others; to tread carefully as best we can for we who Jesus claims as his own always stand on holy ground. You see, he is with them and us, too. And how we respond to one another matters. He hung on his cross to draw all people to himself (John 12:32). We are not to declare others outside of his love. We are not to get in the way. Thus, many of these people drawn will likely shock us as Jesus’ associates often did the Pharisees of his day.

We struggle to live out this command to love because we are fallen humans prone to tribalism and selfishness. Still, never give up hope when Jesus is present. When we fail, which as humans we will fail, we can confess our error, ask forgiveness, and seek to make amends. Even then there’s grace.

We can arise today because Jesus loves us. We need never act in fear of “the other,” be crushed when others reject us, or doubt about ourselves because of our darkness or shame. We can arise to love others as Jesus loves us because of God’s desire that we do so. We can arise who are sinners, outsiders, and too often betrayers of Jesus ourselves because he died and rose for us.

In the name of Jesus Christ, despite whatever we’ve done or left undone, it is time to rise up and walk – wrapped in his love and forgiveness, ready to embrace the day and those we meet. Let nothing trouble us or stop us. For Jesus is in us, walking with us, and waiting to meet us on our road ahead. He is above and below us. Jesus longs to be our everything.

Image credit: Diocese of Westminster
in the United Kingdom

© 2026 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author unless under terms of fair use and properly attributed. Scripture passages when used are from the NRSVue translation unless otherwise indicated.

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February 26, 2026 · 4:40 pm

Early mourning thoughts and prayers…revisited.

AP_Ashley_Guindon_160228_DC_12x5_1600

Officer Guindon (center), Prince William County Police, died on her first shift during a domestic disturbance. She was shot and killed on February 27, 2016. Two other officer were injured.

Ten years ago on the early morning of Sunday, February 28, 2016, I learned about the shooting of three Prince William County Police Officers as I prepared to head to my church (at the time in Mechanicsville, Virginia). One of the officers, Officer Guindon, had died from her wounds – just a day after becoming an officer.

Now, I had friends who worked with that department, and at times when an officer in Alexandria, I had served alongside Prince William police in training or some other task. Yet, I did not know her or those wounded. Still, the shootings angered me, and her death impacted me with surprising emotion and connection; bringing a sense of loss and memories of past, similar trauma.

There are reasons thousands of officers travel far, sometimes at their own expense, to honor fallen officers. Certainly, it displays solidarity and respect for the fallen. It’s meant to be a concrete sign of support to the family and department members in deep grief. A large crowd can help proclaim the message that the deceased’s life mattered and continues to matter. Much as the National Police Memorial indicates through its inscriptions, they will be honored, not for the way they died, but for how they lived.

As one police ministry in Texas notes on its webpage, “The job is referred to as having ‘a mystique veiled by a sacred canopy.’ The symbolism, pageantry and tradition make our calling noble.” And certainly, the “final radio call” and the playing of bagpipes serve to honor the officer’s dedication to service, but they also serve as a profound expression of grief fostering an emotional connection between those presents and speaking memories of other people and places gone but still carried in one’s heart. Vincent E. Henry correctly notes in his book, Death Work: Police, Trauma, and the Psychology of Survival (2004), that these events force officers to confront their own mortality. Funerals act as a necessary, though painful, part of the process for the survivors. There always exists the psychological reality that it could have been you or someone you know and love.

At the time of Officer Guindon’s death, I suspect that many people sensed the added “wrong” of her just starting her job with hope and celebration only to die the next day. As with infant or child deaths, such unexpected, sudden officer deaths can become personalized. Thus, they can become more intense if not traumatic. As suggested in literature about grief such as The Burden of Loss: Unexpected loss of a loved one and psychiatric disorder across the life course in a national study (2015), unexpected losses can make processing grief more difficult. The proximity of death emotionally or identity can cause very real complications for some. At the same time, I would remind the reader that we never fully “deal” with the grief of those we feel connected too. Anniversaries or other reminders can make us grieve anew. Indeed, it’s important to say that no one person grieves the same way.

So, I suppose that’s the fuller context of Prince William County’s Facebook post this morning. Departments promise to “never forget.” There are certainly members of the department still working who knew her personally and remember the trauma and loss of that day as if yesterday. Based on comments, you can see how people in and outside the department are touched by personal grief. Such deaths tend to stick with you.

The below essay was written in haste before heading out my door that morning. It wasn’t masterful. It won’t win a prize for literature. Yet it was my real time response echoing what I wrote about above. I’m reposting it in her honor but also for other colleagues of mine who have been murdered or died by suicide. May they all rest in peace, and may our love for one another, sacred memories shared, and God’s grace bring ongoing healing and hope until Jesus returns to wipe away all tears (Rev. 21:4).

God bless Officer Guindon’s mother, and all those who continue to grieve. Please join me in praying for our officers, deputies and their families each day.

My original post follows:

I’m thinking a lot this morning about my first shift, my first arrest, and the many men and women who helped me have a great (if relatively short) law enforcement career. They actually helped me become who I am today, and so I always give God thanks for them and my experiences. It is why I volunteer as a police chaplain today – to try to give back.

And yet, I’m also recalling the joy my family felt having just seen me graduate from the police academy, and then on that same weekend, seeing their fear as I headed out to my first midnight shift. I also remember with love coworkers injured and killed as a result of their desire to serve others. Thus, Officer Guindon’s death is somehow personal to me, as with every law enforcement death. I can’t help it. I feel like a piece of me has died, although I know it doesn’t make much sense to many.

How many Officer Guindon’s are out there? How many such families sacrifice, live in fear, or are now grieving across our country? How must her Field Training Officer and fellow officers feel as this recruit died and as they try to make sense of it? They all need our active support and prayer.

And yet, I don’t know how to pray for this. She was on her first shift, and the hope of last Friday has turned into community shock and grief spreading across the Thin Blue Line. I remain at a loss for words, especially as law enforcement officers in our country continue to be so quickly and openly hated, condemned and needlessly die. And so, I find comfort in these words. “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” (Romans 8:25-26).

To my brothers and sisters still fighting the fight, you are not alone. God has not forgotten you. God will make good come from this evil, although we do not yet know how. No life dedicated to the service and love of neighbor is a wasted one, no matter how short. I remain in communion with you, and you will all be with me at worship this morning in my heavy but hopeful heart.

The Rev. Louis Florio is a former member of the City of Alexandria Police Department and current volunteer law enforcement chaplain with Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Fredericksburg’s Police Department. This post may be shared freely with proper attribution.

(C) 2026 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Scripture passages when used are from the NRSVue translation unless otherwise indicated.

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February 21, 2026 · 7:13 pm

We are supposed to be Christlike, not Left or Right

Cartoon by Nate Beeler. It remains under his copyright.

Recently at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised President Trump as a “fighter for the people of faith.” He suggested the President’s policies were biblical. He proclaimed that Christ is King. Yet, he also condemned all those on the political Left as evil.

I agree with the Secretary of War that Christ is King. I concur that Christian voices need to be heard in politics. And like Luther, we both understand that earthly government structures can be (and are) used by God. Yet, Luther always understood that governments like the people that compose them are deficient. It’s not just that we might err. We will err, for we are always sinners and fallible even if truly saved by Christ. Fruits of the Spirit are not measured by political victories but by love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits reflect if not embody Jesus. From what the Secretary of War too often says and posts, I suspect he might not agree while I do.

Whenever political figures (or religious ones) claim they represent God’s way but others are beyond salvation, “evil,” you can be relatively sure they have lost their own way. Left or right, their faith tends to be rooted in flawed human reason, politics, and power – even themselves – more than God. In contrast, humility demands that we need to be open to how we might be wrong.

Most certainly, Jesus focused on the in rushing of the Kingdom of God which challenges rather than aligns with the authorities of this world. Jesus consistently refused to side with partisan religious and political parties of his day, although he would often call out their faults and failures. Hence, those who should have known to listen to him did not. Instead, they conspired to kill him.

That said, the Secretary of War seems to ignore Christ’s call to such humility. The blessing of meekness, even as that word was used in the Bible to describe Jesus and Moses, is rejected. Sadly, his small denomination, more of an association called Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), is an abomination of overt Christian Nationalism, theonomy, extreme patriarchy, and other bad theological takes condemned by the majority of Christians across denominations and political orientation. Woefully in the politics of today, the groups combative, authoritarian manner (intentionally and openly encouraged by its leaders) is influencing others and becoming normalized. Such groups and their behaviors are being accepted as evangelical (reflecting scripture) no matter how far afield their own theology has gone from Christ’s own.

I’m gobsmacked and disheartened by how many Christians are suggesting the ends justify the means. They are willing to overlook certain vices and criminality as long as what they discern as right or good wins the day politically. And still, they can condemn others. This was never true for Jesus. He did not teach or model this. Why do we expect a different standard for us is ok? We are supposed to be agents of reconciliation; willing to suffer for what’s right rather than dominate others. We might be saying “Christ is King,” but we seek to take control of things. In doing so, we ultimately fail to trust in God’s providential kingship and care. We can stray doing things that, as in the time of the Judges, are right in our own eyes.

In contrast, as I’ve written previously, Jesus explicitly warns about calling others “roca” (empty headed basically, but in his use unredeemable, beyond salvation, or unworthy of love, in effect “evil”). Every human is to be treated with dignity even when horribly wrong in our minds – even those who might try to kill us. So yes, do not be afraid. One is not implicitly doing evil for arguing for conservative or liberal values, but how we argue and fight for what we believe in matters if we wish to be Christlike. Are we able to be nonanxious, kind, or gentle when facing opposition? Sure, there is indeed a time to fight and anger is not a sin, just as the Bible states, but if we must escalate we must do so with caution. It’s easy for us to blindly fall into sin. The Bible warns us of this error as well.

If we are truly morally and ethically (dare I say biblically) right in our beliefs and actions, we should be trying to “defeat evil with good,” turning the other cheek, loving one another even when difficult, helping others open their eyes and not punching them symbolically or otherwise in the face. That’s being Christlike. His way is not the way of political Darwinism – the strongest survives.

Patience is a virtue, described as a fruit (or gift) of the Holy Spirit, but we who claim to be Christian too often lose patience with one another. We embrace fear rather than our neighbors. We don’t listen to Jesus nor those who challenge us. Simply, we tend to sin in our self righteousness. All of us are in need of God’s grace.

Please trust that my comments are not simple condemnation casting those who disagree with me into the abyss. I’d suggest the Left and Right are both right and wrong about many things. No person, denomination, or party is perfect. This is intended as a call for our collective, societal (as well as individual) repentance. It’s a warning to not be so sure of ourselves, for we can only be sure that Christ is King, and we are not.

In summation, we can always do better with God’s help. We must. As of now, our cold hearts and closed, certain we are right minds are making our world worse rather than better. People are rejecting Christ and his Church because we look more and more like the world rather than Jesus. We must repent (turn back) from our worldly ways toward Jesus; listening to him rather than the powers of this world; letting his voice and love transform us.

For, Jesus is truly King, but his kingdom is not of this world.

Post Script:

I just read a report by Dr. Brian Kaylor who wrote, “As part of the Secretary of War’s recent speech at a prayer breakfast, he argued, ‘The willingness to make sacrifices on behalf of one’s country is born in one thing: a deep and abiding belief in God’s love for us and his promise of eternal life,’ said Hegseth, who has crusader tattoos. ‘The passage says, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” The warrior who is willing to lay down his life for his unit, his country, and his Creator, that warrior finds eternal life.”

No, we are saved only by Christ’s work, never our own. This echoes the mindset of the Crusades which the Secretary of War often alludes to, but historically, they were problematic at best. This is not unlike the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church declaring those who fight and die in the invasion of Ukraine are automatically Christian martyrs. It ignores that secularists and people of other faiths or no faith do and have always died to protect our nation. It is historically forgetful by not remembering mistakes made in the name of patriotism. It seems odd if not unholy that he uttered this at a prayer breakfast where the dictators of the Democratic Republic of Congo and El Salvador also spoke and were applauded.

Yes, it can be a holy act to die for the love of our neighbor, but it is never a saving one. It is also a mistake to assume that our acts of war or use of force are holy when war is never God’s will – even when a “necessity” or unavoidable in a fallen and dangerous world. I’m not a pacifist. I agree with Martin Luther that some are called to protect others using violence. Yet, that’s a sign we live in what can be an unholy world where war should be the last option never the first. It is partly why the Department of War was renamed the Department of Defense after World War 2. War is horrible and always tainted by sin. They hoped to recognize this. Hence, many warriors and law enforcement officers experience moral injury and post traumatic stress. Again, it is not God’s will. War is a curse, not a blessing, even when thrust upon us.

Along with many biblical passages and historical facts that came to mind to refute him, I thought of literature as well. First and foremost, Mark Twain’s The War Prayer (1905) came to mind. (If you’ve not read it in its entirety, please do using the link.) Challenging a congregation’s blindness, a man prays:

“…for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.”

Does this sound like Jesus to you? Christian nationalism is not the way of Christ and his universal Church. It’s time to repent, as I indicated above, ultimately meaning to turn back toward God. We are heading in a very bad direction, but all is not lost. Jesus wants to guide us.

© 2026 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Scripture passages when used are from the NRSVue translation unless otherwise indicated.

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February 18, 2026 · 9:12 pm

So many books…

This photo is of me sitting at Pat Conroy’s Desk (2018)

If you were to ask me what books influenced me the most, a song by Michael Card comes to my mind, So Many Books. The refrain is as follows: “So many books, so little time, so many hunger, so many blind; Starving for words, they must wait in the night; To open a Bible and move towards the light.” And indeed, the Bible (actually a collection of books and letters) has had the most profound impact on me, and yet it is not the only significant influence. There are too many other books to list, but my mind first flies to works (not in a specific order) by Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, Flannery O’Conner and Graham Greene, Shakespeare and Milton, the Romantic poets (especially William Wordsworth), Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, John Steinbeck (without a doubt The Grapes of Wrath), Melville’s Moby Dick and The Scarlet Letter, Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man, but many, many more. Each text impacted how I think about myself and the world, even God, in some significant way. Yet, one author has appeared and reappeared as significant as I grew to adulthood, Pat Conroy.

I first learned of Pat Conroy while watching the movie Conrack (1974) on television with my mom when a teen. The book was titled, The Water is Wide, and it recalls in a pseudobiographical way his experiences teaching on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina. Students there were descendants of slaves, very isolated, and quite poor. During the time of segregation, the educational system didn’t make any real effort to help them. His dedication, kindness and efforts to love the children in his charge inspired me at my very young age and opened me up to the reality that racism exists and not everyone was as economically well off as me.

A few years later, I watched the Great Santini with my dad. The movie is modeled on the book of the same name. Again, it’s pseudobiographical about his coming of age in a Navy family with a hard charging and often difficult, if not also distant, father. Coming from a family with its own dysfunction, I related to some aspects of the story – if not in details, then in common emotions and thought patterns. Despite the family challenges in the movie, I was attracted to the idea of maybe flying one day in the military. My dad had been a Marine, and I always assumed I’d serve someday, too.

As high school was ending and my focus sharpened, I ended up with a four-year Army ROTC scholarship to attend the Virginia Military Institute or VMI for short. In current times, their tagline invites, “Don’t do ordinary,” and in many ways a cadet’s experience there is certainly anything but. One is challenged physically, but also mentally, emotionally, and I would argue, even spiritually. The Lords of Discipline is a 1980 novel by Pat Conroy that was later adapted in a 1983 film of the same name. Integrating his memories of being a Citadel cadet into the fictional story, it came out and I read it just as I was first considering attendance at a military college and visiting VMI. In a strange way, the book did help me prepare mentally for the rigorous culture of the school.

I’ve certainly read more of Pat Conroy’s works by now, but these three top my list. Sure, they are all fictional to some extent, but reading the books, they seem to intersect with many of my own experiences and feelings growing up, going to VMI, serving and teaching most often at-risk and undeserved Native youth in South Dakota. Throughout, you can often note subtle expressions of his own wrestling with faith.

In 2018, I got to sit at Pat Conroy’s desk when Kristine and I visited the Pat Conroy Literary Center in Beaufort, SC. It might seem a silly thing, but I was excited to do so. It was a highlight of my vacation to visit the museum and educational site that was opened in his honor and in the city that he held dear. The best books and works of art certainly have a way of helping to shape one’s life, and I think these books played their part in my own. They still do.

Yesterday, I came to think of Pat Conroy as the death of Robert Duvall was announced. Robert Duvall masterfully played the dad who was “the Great Santini” in the movie. I felt a pang of loss at the news. Duvall in that role as well as being cast as a police Field Training Officer, or FTO, in the crime movie, Colors, made an emotional connection and lasting impression with me as well. (I served as a police FTO in the same period that movie portrays, and the way he conveys wisdom to his rookie include lessons in such mentorship.) With all this, I think of these books and these literary and dramatic artists often, and his death brings a sense of loss.

Some people might discount or minimize my feelings about these men and their work, but to me, there efforts still play a part in who I became. Sure, they are only two of many influences, many which might have been more intimate perhaps, yet they remain special in their own way nonetheless. Perhaps it is exactly as John Donne wrote:

No man is an island,
Entire of itself;
Every man is a piece of the continent;
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less,
As well as if a promontory were:
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were.
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.

Social dynamics, experiences, emotions, and even art connect us, and in the best of times, when we don’t get in the way, God uses that for our good (Romans 8:28). Even amidst our serious flaws, errors, or sin, we can be used by God to bless others without intending it.

Pat Conroy died in 2016. Robert Duvall, as I wrote, died yesterday. Yet, I suspect their work, reputation, and influence will live on in my life and the lives of others. Rest in peace, gentleman. And, thank you for using the gifts that God gave you.

© 2026 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Scripture passages are from the NRSVue translation unless otherwise indicated.

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February 12, 2026 · 9:51 pm

Being like Berggrav

Bishop Berggrav on the cover of Time Magazine, December 25, 1944

“In this world of despotism and injustice, the Lutheran church will always be something dangerous or else it will cease to be a Christian church.” Eivind Berggrav, late Bishop of Norway addressing Assembly II of Lutheran World Federation, Hanover, 1952.

Just last year at this time, Lutheran social service organizations were being called money launderers, sex traffickers, and criminal conspiracies by members of the administration and DOGE supporters. As I’ve written and spoken about elsewhere, this was patently ridiculous as they generously help 1 in 50 people in the USA and always strive to meet non-profit best practices including outside audits. Many organizations serve our international neighbors as well, especially since the ravages of World War 2. Certainly, here and there one can point to moral failures or ignorance, but overwhelmingly, these non-profit para-church organizations have historically been celebrated internationally and at home by those whom are liberal or conservative.

With the passage of time, people have moved on to other things to be publicly outraged about. An alleged concern for the budget has turned into gigantic expenditures for concerns over immigration and border control. A majority of the US population in turn has concerns about how this is being done according to polls, not just if it’s being done. (One poll shows that voters are split on deportations, but two-thirds feel ICE is acting in error.) Meanwhile despite drastic cuts and a country in political conflict, these parachurch organizations continue to try to love our neighbors concretely.

Of course, sometimes trying to do what’s right means putting up with slander or worse. In Bishop Eivind Berggrav’s case, he was arrested by the Nazis in Norway, and sent to a concentration camp. He was the primate of the Church of Norway, and as he would not cooperate with their desired control of the Church’s messaging and practice, he was considered a threat as do many individuals.

The Church under Bishop Berggrav’s leadership and urging refused to alter the liturgy and scripture to fit anti-simitic norms and Nazi cult preferences, compromise their youth groups, or allow Nazis to dictate how the Church serves their neighbors – all of them. After his arrest, a majority of Church of Norway bishops and pastors gave up their state offices in protest. (It was a national church in Norway, not a “free Church” as in the US, so the symbolism and impact was significant and dangerous.) Due to the intervention of some German dissidents, his life was spared and solitary confinement followed. While under house arrest, he was able to secretly help lead the ongoing resistance against the Nazis. Some sources indicate that some guards even helped him leave his confinement to do so.

Our modern issues might be different, but the true Church often remains in conflict with the powers too often wrongly ruling our hearts and our world; sadly blinding us to empathy and compassion. Indeed, some deeply mistaken if not sinful pastors wrongly call such longstanding Christian values a sin. Yet despite aspersions, being true to our faith and seeking to love all our neighbors remains critical at all times. There should be no compromise.

Yet, life is complicated. The above doesn’t mean all laws are to be cast out or ignored, as border control and fair immigration laws can help protect everyone to include immigrants. I agree when people say, “I lock the door to my home, and it’s good to know who is in any country.” I also understand those who have been given much by God have a sacred responsibility to generously care and share with others which for some might include offering a path to citizenship. It certainly includes making some sacrifices to help the poor and oppressed in other countries too. I’m not making light of anyone’s understandings or concerns, but I do hope to stretch them.

Despite some passionate and sincere voices, I know there are dangers if immigration policy is not enforced. When a police officer, I remember encountering the realities of gang activity and violence related to immigration issues of the 1980s and 1990s. I saw the violence and can’t unsee it. I experienced the frustration when people that I arrested for violent crimes were here illegally yet set free on bond and ultimately did not appear in court. I remember receiving grave warnings about booby traps and ambushes.

Yet even amidst danger, if laws and their enforcement don’t reflect justice with mercy, and we struggle to understand that all people are our neighbors and derserve humane treatment, and prosecution is selective or politically punitive, the Church needs to stand firmly and unequivocally against those unjust practices. It must also speak to grace and generosity. Unfortunately, such stances won’t be welcomed by some. Thus, it can take courage.

If Christian, our individual manifestation of this call might not always be found in active, peaceful, public protest so popular in our culture, although it remains the important calling of many. Violent protest and interfering with force of any kind in law enforcement proceedings is a huge risk to yourself and others. There’s a time for war, the Bible says, but let’s not hastily assume it’s now. Mob justice isn’t justice either, and peaceful protests have been making a valuable difference.

And if you are a Federal agent or government official reading this, what then? One can seek to exemplify patience and as much gentleness as possible even as an angry crowd surrounds you. Expect and demand ethical behavior from yourself, and if one sees violations report them to authorities that will listen and act against them. Be on guard about “group think fears” that danger is lurking everywhere, as for decades, research has showed it makes one more prone to violence. We are to see Jesus in those suffering but also our enemies. (This is an ancient belief dating back to the Church Fathers.) Don’t celebrate violence, for violence is not God’s will for the world even if deemed necessary in a fallen world. If the wrong is too much for you to stand up to or change in your agency, resign and speak out. It will be stressful but God will provide. At all times and every level of government, police legitimacy matters, and a lack of legitimacy in many people’s minds is making violence and accidental injury or death much more possible for both agent and citizens.

The immigration debate is an important one. I can’t solve it here. It might never be solved to everyone’s satisfaction no matter who is in power. For a democratic republic to work, one has to give and take. The same goes for policies trying to meet all our wants and help the hurting people of the world. Jesus knows the poor will be with us always until he comes again (Matthew 26:11, Mark 14:7, John 12:8), but he also asked us to love, serve and help them anyway. Certainly, we must vote with all its risks and problems. Yet most importantly, whatever our calling, whatever form of government, our daily witness to love our neighbor – while inviting or inspiring others to do so – makes a difference. And, that often overlooked, “ordinary” witness can come in many forms.

If in favor of the policies in place, how can they be reformed to have less mistakes or abuses occur, as well as lower anger against the policy? If against, how can one communicate this with tolerance, patience, and not becoming what one says one hates? We have to see one another as nothing more than what we all are – fallible humans, prone to hubris induced blindness, in need of love and forgiveness. Not all protestors are “terrorists,” and not all agents are “evil,” although any of what we do on any day can be unwittingly evil, and all of our choices and insights fall short due to sin.

Our society is sick right now, and we need God’s help and guidance to heal. And so, God is calling you, me and all to be part of the answer to our collective problems – ultimately sin. God’s call varies as much as God’s people, but the call also can include changing over time. Don’t be afraid to repent, a turning back to God and God’s ways. One can’t settle or refuse to change with the Spirit (not a matter of changing with the times necessarily). Whatever our vocation, whatever stage of life one is at, God calls all of us to love our neighbor as ourselves concretely in both word and deed. Our goal is as Micah 6:8 says, “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Anything else is falling short. It matters not if it’s the government representing us, a church or para-church organization, or our own actions day to day, we need to work together, as hopeless or impossible as it might seem, to make the world a better place. We need to hold others to a just account when wrong for their own sake as well as society’s. We are called to offer forgiveness, responding as peacefully as one is able while being a human in a fallen world. And perhaps among the hardest things, remain open to reconciliation. Ultimately, we are not to sit on the sidelines, lose hope, or give up. For, Christ is our hope, and he has shown us how to love – unto our death.

Sadly in the unhealthy tenor of these times, critiques, criticism or doing what is right can result in condemnation if not attacks. I’ve had people say they are afraid to speak or post what they think pro or con, on any issue. Yet calling for kinder treatment, following the law and established use of force policies, or even patience as one deals with or works through both just or unjust anger is not something we as Christians should be disagreeing about. It’s our only way forward.

Yes, some violent protests have happened, but it’s not the norm despite some catastrophizing claims. Certainly, some violent criminals are being removed but government reports say they are the minority despite political claims. (ICE data in November 2025 analyzed by the Cato Institute indicated that only 5% had a violent conviction. Nearly half had no criminal conviction nor even any pending criminal charges.) True, some anarchists and people who often frequent protests are present at protests, but the vast majority are just regular, concerned citizens and neighbors. I know of people in Minnesota protesting when they never have protested before. With reported aggressiveness and questionable uses of force, even a two time Trump voter and still admitted MAGA supporter expressed concerns to me recently over how things are being done. Can’t we do better? Right now, things seem at a pretty low bar. We have to.

Thus, I’ve been thinking a lot about Bishop Berggrav and others in the church who stood up for justice. Some worked behind the scenes while in government positions like Bonhoeffer. Others valiantly spoke out risking death like Martin Luther King or Oscar Romero. Still others were quieter witnesses serving all others out of the spotlight like Br. Roger of Taize’ during World War 2 – helping Jews during the war and German POWs afterwards. Countless others did their part to bring goodness into a bad situation but will never be known but to God.

We all need to consider what we can do to act in love rather than react in anger or fear in our social space. (This includes social media.) This should not be seen as a claim that we are facing Nazis (or “terrorist immigrants” for that matter) under every bed. Yet we aren’t loving others when our justice system doesn’t reflect the love of Christ and laws are too often disregarded or worked around. Americans and other legal residents have been wrongly detained. I’ve noted watching videos what appears to be unnecessary aggressiveness and occasions of excessive force. People have died needlessly. And agents and government officials have been caught in lies. It’s all too common and happening too much. It’s not about left or right. It’s about justice. It’s about loving as God loves us through law and gospel. We need to repent for our part and call others to repentance. If we do otherwise, look away, or stay silent, we might be the ones on the wrong side of the border when it comes to God’s law and his gospel grace.

In following such a call, we will likely be misunderstood. Many may accuse us. Many more will never listen. We might be threatened or face violence. Yet, this proved Jesus’ path, too, and we, the Church, are meant to be his living body walking in his love. No matter how bumpy or unclear the road, we remain his. Be comforted, and seek to act justly and with mercy without delay.

Scripture for meditation: [Jesus said,] “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they keep my word, they will also keep yours.” (John 15:19-20)

Let us pray: Mighty God, you gave your servant Eivind Berggrav, together with the bishops and faithful priests of Norway, strength and courage to resist tyranny, to defend your ancient people the Jews, and to uphold the rights of your church: So strengthen our faith by their witness, we pray, that we in our generation may serve you faithfully and confess your Name before the world; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Eivind Berggrav is commemorated by the Church on January 14 for his Christian life and witness.

I previously wrote about Bishop Berggrav when I first started my blog, the very first post on January 14, 2011. You can learn a bit more about him here.

Post Script: After publishing this post, Reuters indicated that courts have ruled over 4,400 times that ICE detained people illegally. We need to demand better.

Click the link in the comments below.

© 2026 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Scripture passages are from the NRSVue translation unless otherwise indicated

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February 6, 2026 · 10:32 pm

Walking together, peace is made real

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

The Walk for Peace went by my neighborhood yesterday. As I posted on social media, I was happy to “meet” them. Peace is a good thing and a shared desire. I respect their witness even if I’m of a different faith. (As someone wrote after publication, Buddhism is often characterized as a philosophy, although it is generally classified as a world religion. It can be adapted even to a secular approach to life. It is hard to pin down.)

The Walk for Peace heads toward Route 95 and the City of Fredericksburg from Spotsylvania County.

As I wrote a friend, there are some parallels in Christian monasticism and spirituality with Buddhism. Mindfulness and being present, hospitality, graciousness, peace are concepts among them. Thomas Merton, a Benedictine Monk, ended up exploring that dynamic later in his life.

Sadly, I’ve seen some dogmatic, conservative Christians calling them names in posts, damming them to hell, or insulting Christian congregations that housed or fed them. Yet, any calls for peace are a good place to start a conversation or cooperation. Plus, they seem to forget that hospitality to the stranger is a core Christian value regardless of who the strangers are.

And although Jesus was taking about people ministering in his name who were not disciples, I suspect God can use the monk’s efforts. Jesus said, those that aren’t against us are for us. It is helpful to meet our neighbors and strangers with hospitality and grace as Jesus taught, especially those trying to meet us with grace and kindness themselves; desiring and offering peace.

A Methodist pastor suggested to me that if their efforts ignite interest or efforts of our Christian desire for justice and peace, he is glad. I concur. It has always deepened my faith to interact with the beliefs of others including their very different or oppositional views, questions, or doubts. If the teachings of Christ are true, we need not be afraid or angry about their walk. I can’t imagine Jesus meeting them without kindness. And Luther used to argue that those who would find Christ must first find the Church. We should meet them in his name without poising, pressure, or worse, abuse.

As the Venerable Monks walked through Spotsylvania County and Fredericksburg, they walked through and added to history. Spotsylvania knows the pangs of war. As captured in the novel, Roots, too many, including Kunta Kinte, were held or died as slaves here. Known as the crossroads of the Civil War, several battles raged there with horrific human cost. The county did not return to its pre-Civil War population until the mid-1960s, about 100 years.

As they walked under Route 95, they crossed under one of the busiest highways and the longest north-south road in the US connecting Maine to Florida toward the City of Fredericksburg. It’s also known for the Civil War, but it’s also steeped in Revolutionary War history. It was the first stop of the famous Freedom Rides of the 1960s as well.

Less commonly recognized among its sites is a small monument made of stone which honors the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom, a foundational document drafted by Thomas Jefferson and others in Fredericksburg (1777). Inspiration for the later Bill of Rights’ call for religious freedom, it declared no person should suffer for their religious beliefs. The Walk for Peace passed very close (about one block away) to the location where Jefferson and others conferred on the matter in our Old Town. Unfortunately, the building no longer stands.

Crossing the bridge into Stafford County, they gazed upon Chatham Manor site of a slave revolt in 1805 and where President Lincoln later observed a Union military dress review as people fought to end slavery in their time. They were walking approximately a mile from George Washington’s Boyhood home.

The Fredericksburg region is known for much, particularly its history including the ravages of war, slavery, and human hatred. How splendid the community had the opportunity to gather and pause together around the Venerable Monks’ Walk for Peace to contemplate a shared hope that crosses races, faiths, and nationalities.

We may never know complete peace in this life, but we can catch glimpses of it in our lives today. It can be through public moments like this or concrete, relational moments few others notice. Still, peace breaks in, because that is God’s will. And if a believer, our recognized source of all peace, a peace beyond understanding, invites us to take note and believe. For all things are possible through him.

The Walk for Peace crosses the Rappahannock toward Stafford County. Chatham Manor is on the bluff obscured by trees to the right of the photo.

© 2026 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Scripture passages are from the NRSVue translation unless otherwise indicated

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January 22, 2026 · 9:34 pm

Don’t be so quick with the table flipping

Have you seen this recent meme and posts about it?

First off, she never said this. We really need to have our yes mean yes and our no mean no just as Jesus said. Disinformation is problematic and often harmful in the long run if we claim that we want any kind of justice. I have seen people write about this as if a quote. It doesn’t matter who we are or how we vote, our personal honor is important because it builds trust, helps build relationships, and over time, what we say might eventually influence people in surprising ways. Please be careful reposting memes and quotes, as people can be mislead.

Why is this important? We live in caustic times. If people don’t trust us, we lose the opportunity to positively influence others. If we are correct in our opinions or beliefs, left or right, why lie of tolerate those who do? I think we should not, and yes, that should include lies from those in political parties and authority of any kind. It should not matter if we agree with their stated goals.

Attorney General Bondi did say it was unacceptable to interrupt services and federal authorities would charge those who do it. This leads to my second point. Virginia already has laws on the books against this kind of protest action or disturbance dating to the 1950s. I suspect others do as well. Just as with the mask laws, it seems the law was partly in response to the KKK and other such groups active at the time due to struggles over Civil Rights. I’d like to suggest there are better ways to influence change including peaceful protests outside the church or faith community. That seems to generally be the law already. To become what we say we hate – again left or right – is a grave error often making things worse and hardening hearts. It can become fodder for more untruths or questionable legal actions.

All faith communities should be protected from unlawful interference as with our homes. It matters not if their theology or politics is bad in your view, because someone could claim the same about your faith community and take action. And if someone does not believe in a god, they should not be harassed. That’s what the constitutional mandate for Freedom of Religion protects. We should seek to love and respect the humanity of other humans even if deemed our enemies. We should seek to encounter people as the individuals they are, not say, “All (fill in the blank) are bad.” This does not negate social repercussions, law suits, or convictions when the group opposed to us doesn’t live to this standard, but our giving up our moral and ethical values to achieve our goals often proves like a cancer long term. I recognize the risks, but particularly if a Christian, we should understand that doing the right thing often comes with costs. It is why Jesus taught so often that we must take up our own cross and follow him.

If Jesus is Lord, and I believe he is, we must try not to act out of fear, and we should humbly seek to listen to one another. In the end, we might be the ones who are wrong. Regarding this meme people have pointed to Jesus’ “cleansing of the Temple” as a defense of the protesters. I think it’s important to note that he didn’t enter the inner sanctum. He was in the courtyard. Jesus was trying to embody scriptural prophesy, and he likely knew he was provoking authorities to precipitate his arrest and crucifixion. I don’t think Jesus’ situation and purpose fully informs our own. We are not Jesus. Otherwise, there would be plenty of churches having tables flipped every Sunday for their lack of love or other sinfulness. He might even chase you or me with that whip of cords, for at times, we likely all deserve it.

Art by Balage Balogh. See more of his work at Archaeology Illustrated here.

Fight for justice? Yes, but seek to love all the more – even those who persecute us. For God has promised a full and lasting justice is on its way.

Postscript: Sadly, on the evening of this post, I read that the White House X account changed a photo image itself. A woman arrested for her part in the above incident was altered to make it appear that she was crying. Presented as if true, the falsity of the image was soon identified. The person in charge of the White House account answered bluntly and unrepentantly, “Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue.” Forgive us, Father, we know not what we do.

© 2026 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Scripture passages are from the NRSVue translation unless otherwise indicated.

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December 24, 2025 · 6:06 pm

Instead of Festivus, Maybe It Should be “The Way of St. John Cantius for the Rest of Us”

Yesterday, I joked with friends that I was skipping Festivus this year. My list of grievances was just too long. Then, I was reminded of John Cantius in my reading.

Have you ever heard of St. John of Kanty (Cantius in Latin). His feast day was yesterday, but he actually died on December 24, 1473. A 15th-century Polish theologian, professor, and said to be an incredibly generous priest known for his austerity and devotion to the poor, he became the patron saint of Poland, Lithuania, teachers, students, and academic institutions. It struck me that his feast day being placed on what as a lark became known in modern times as Festivus (from Seinfeld, the television show) could seem ironic. His Christian witness is like an antidote to the human tendency for resentment, rumination, and griping.

Frank Costanza and John Cantius

If you are familiar with the television show, you probably remember that Festivus is a day for the “Airing of Grievances.” A character, Frank Costanza, humorously informs his family and friends, “I got a lot of problems with you people, and now you’re gonna hear about it!” Theoretically according to Festivusweb.com, this practice “can serve as a cathartic method to cleanse people of the evils of dissatisfaction.” Although that might seem to serve the self, I doubt that there are lasting benefits for the community.

In his life, John of Kanty knew disappointment and likely had valid grievances. All humans in a fallen world do to some extent. For example, it is recorded that he was removed from his teaching post at the University of Kraków due to jealousy from rivals. Facing false accusations, he was reassigned as a parish priest in Olkusz until eventually restored to his teaching position.

For someone called by God to scholarship, this must have been disconcerting if not crushing. Our vocations and dreams for the future are part of who we are after all. Such loss can result in a deep and lasting wound. Despite the disappointment of it all (or maybe through this experience by grace through faith), John sought to dedicate his life to humility and peace with others. (Could this be an example of post-traumatic growth?) His motto became, “Beware disturbing: it’s not sweetly pleasing; Beware speaking ill: for taking back words is burdensome.” He is also known for teaching, “Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness, and love. Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the best cause.”

Let us not assume that this means John was ignorant of sin and evil or ignored it. I’m sure he was disappointed and angry at times. (I imagine he was angry less often as he matured in faith, but it likely happened.) He probably fell short of his goal here and there because that’s what imperfect humans do. His teachings also do not mean that we should avoid standing up to or naming injustice and sin – sometimes more forcefully than at other times as needed. (John the Baptist shouting, “You brood of vipers!” comes to mind.) Though, I think it says much that John of Kanty didn’t seem to get stuck in such feelings. If he had, his life would have likely become deformed rather than transformed by Christ’s example and love. When looking at the entirety of John’s life, people did not remember shortcomings. They ultimately remembered God’s grace and peace at work through him.

This has concrete applications for many of us this time of year. As Christmas looms, not everyone is excited to be with family. Being in relationships always proves hard; sometimes incredibly hard. This morning, I was reminded by a short mindfulness meditation on the Calm app (Daily Calm with Tamara Levit, December 24, 2025) that despite our desire to share an harmonious time, old wounds or current struggles can make that complicated. The meditation reminded me that before seeing family, we can mediate (and, if Christian, pray) to calm ourselves and open our hearts wider toward others. If speaking on difficult topics, we can strive to slow down and mindfully choose each word. And if triggered, we can pause, breathe and reflect before committing to any response. This is wise, and I think it ultimately reflects many biblical teachings.

Sure, even Jesus was angry as he flipped tables in the Temple, but he was without sin. As fallen creatures, we aren’t so enabled naturally. Our anger can easily mutate into harm. The discussion at the Council of Jerusalem recorded in Acts 15 was likely tense if not loud at times. Also in Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas argued and had to go their separate ways. Hey, our beloved (real) St. Nicholas is said to have even struck the heretic, Arius, in the nose at the Council of Nicaea. And my theological friend, old Martin Luther, was known to be quite cranky in the 16th century sometimes speaking in grave error. In life, disagreements, disappointments, betrayal, even crimes against us happen, and we can fall short as a result. Once again, we are only human.

Jesus, who as part of our Triune God always existed, was born in the flesh as one person with two distinct natures—perfectly God and perfectly human. (In theology, we call thus the hypostatic union.) We are “creatures” created by God, and our created being uses emotions to process and interact with the world and one another. So, the Bible doesn’t tell us, “don’t get angry.” It reminds us not to sin in our anger. For that, we need God’s help including Christ’s own example and teachings.

So, we can benefit from and be blessed by community. We might need trusted friends, mentors, or counselors to dialogue with and unpack our anger so that we can seek a way forward. Or perhaps, as I’ve mentioned before, we can turn our cheeks and walk away. If doing so, we should seek to not emotionally stuff and ignore our feelings nor ruminate or gossip. There’s a middle ground available, allowing us to be human and feel feelings without getting stuck or sinning in response. We should also understand that we are not meant to emotionally cut off (not caring about others or never praying for them) but seek to establish a new boundary for personal or communal protection hoping for restoration or reconciliation all the while. As Jesus taught, we are to pray for our enemies; not forget they exist. And sometimes, all we can do is seek to let go of the situation leaving it in God’s hands emotionally so it doesn’t disturb or infect our prayer, vision, and actions. Praying for enemies might not help others, but it can help us move forward in love.

Not too long ago, I posted on social media a great article from The Christian Century, “Praying the imprecatory psalms with Bonhoeffer.” If you look it up, you will read that imprecatory psalms are biblical songs of lament that call for God to curse, judge, or destroy His enemies, with examples in Psalms like 35, 59, 69, and 109. As I wrote then, these Psalms reflect a very human sentiment, but they ultimately trust in God to provide justice. God’s our ultimate Defender and Provider to the Psalmist. Taken at face value out of context from other scriptures, they might seem like any old curse. Yet, Bonhoeffer provides a wonderful methodology to look deeper and move us toward compassion and love for “the enemy.”

We are told that Jesus fulfilled all the law and the prophets. When we lack our own words, the Psalms can help us find voice, but it is Jesus who helps us take heart by reshaping them; making them wider and bolder; gifting us with a sacred peace. Rethinking these Psalms through the lens of trusting in God’s ultimate justice and victory, turning our anger over to Jesus and praying as he prayed for our enemies, does make a difference. At the very least it changes us, and that gives us hope that maybe, if we persevere in trust and love, we can do something to make at least our bit of the world a bit better. I suspect St. John’s experience and wisdom shares the same holy roots.

Like many, I was let down by some people in 2025, but doesn’t that happen every year? People do that, sometimes in profoundly hurtful ways while doing what was right in their own eyes. Not unlike the situation in Judges 21:25, people can lose their way. And if self-reflective and honest, I must admit that I have let others and myself down at times too. That’s just being human as well. Yet turning to God’s word for guidance, using resources and tools available to us, humbly surrendering to God’s will while praying even for our enemies, trusting in and listening for the Spirit to guide us, we can avoid being stuck and become more than we are on our own. Indeed, we become freed from the weight of sin whether someone else’s or our own.

Like John of Kanty, people might look past our missteps and see the Prince of Peace working in and through our lives one day and relationship at a time. Our lives might even inspire others as we share the Good News through deed which might include our own repentance. When this happens, know this reflects Christ’s Kingdom rushing into the world through the imperfect vessels that we are. And in that, we and the world will be ultimately well blessed.

And when we fail? If we hurt others or fail to forgive when hurt by others, or even when we can’t seem to be able let go of the pain of the past, recognize that healing can take time. We learn as we go, and miracles can take shape over a lifetime. Like the lepers healed by Jesus in Luke 17, we might heal as we walk on. Holy wisdom and growth can come at any age. So, never stop trying to do better or give up hope. God’s healing love will be at work in us when we confess, repent, and try again. It’s ok to point out a wrong, sometimes it’s very important to do so, but instead of just airing grievances, God empowers us to do something about them. We can heal, and if others are willing and able, reconciliation might come at last.

© 2025 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Scripture passages are from the NRSVue translation unless otherwise indicated.

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December 2, 2025 · 5:01 am

Goodbye?

“I’ll see you in the funny papers” is a phrase reportedly dating back to the 1920s. It was a lighthearted way to say goodbye. Yet true goodbyes are never easy, especially when forced upon you by unfortunate events. Due to a reported financial crisis at my most recent congregation, I was advised in October by leadership that there would be a recommendation made to transition to a single pastor model. So, long story short, I’ve resigned in exchange for a severance package. 

Today (December 1, 2025 as I write) was my first day without a full time call since ordination in 2007. My office is empty, some tears have been shed over these last weeks, but my heart remains full and hopeful. I will be working with the bishop’s office to discern my next call in a congregation or in some other role. Prayers are appreciated as I seek what’s next, although I firmly believe God’s in the mix and always working for my (really our) welfare. You can learn something from bad experiences as well as good even if only to hold on to God more tightly than one did before. (God will ultimately never disappoint.)

Indeed, wherever we go, whatever our vocation or situation, we can always love and serve God and neighbor, and that’s been a source of great joy throughout my life – working, laid off; in higher income positions, lower income positions, or with no income at times. (I’ve been through all such periods before having worked in both secular and faith based positions.) I firmly believe that money is really only a tool. It’s the giving and receiving that comes through love based relationships and service that makes one truly rich. 

Farewell gathering (November 16, 2025)

Looking back, I will certainly miss most deeply the youth at my recent congregation as I walk on, and I will always love them. I witnessed unique gifts in each one of them, and I found blessing through our time together. (I hope they did too.) As with others who I have come to love before through my police work, volunteering with the Community of Taize,’ as a houseparent and teacher at St. Joseph’s Indian School, as a researcher and writer at First Nations Development Institute, or while serving as a hospice and hospital chaplain as well as many other places and spaces, I know they have become part of who I am and how I will love and serve the Lord and others forever. The communion of saints is real, and nothing can truly separate us when God has connected us through love. 

My favorite comic strip as a young adult was always Bloom County, and it still can make me smile reading the old strips that are now digitized or in collections on my bookshelf. As a fan, I developed a special affinity for Opus the Penguin. I admired his innocence and how that could lead him to make keen if ironic observations about life. I came to think of him this week in relationship to my current situation. In the “final” strip, you see the familiar scenes empty of life. The colorful artwork fades to white within the panel, and Opus waddles on into the unknown to the distress and sadness of fans. (He looked sad, too.)

Bloom County, August 6, 1989

Yet ultimately this departure led to new books, totally new comic strips with reimagined characters and plots, and adventures on television including a Christmas special. Bloom County even came back after a prolonged absence as the original comic strip in recent years thanks to social media. So maybe there’s something we can learn from the funny papers after all. Life is not always easy. It won’t always be funny or fun. Yet who one shares life with brings joy to our journey. And a somewhat innocent, hopeful attitude can help us on our way no matter how many times life knocks us down.

Best of all, our own story never really ends…God’s making all things new (Isa. 43:19). Thus, I guess it’s time for me to waddle my way toward what God has in store for me next. I can do so boldly and with confidence (with the Spirit’s help and support of family and friends anyway). Whatever condition I might find myself in, it can serve God’s will and prove to my benefit. For as Paul writes, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28); including within any unexpected end to one’s position or perceived security.

© 2025 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Scripture passages are from the NRSVue translation unless otherwise indicated.

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