Rev. Don Erickson

Leviticus 19:33-34 If a stranger lives with you in your land, do not do wrong to him. You should act toward the stranger who lives among you as you would toward one born among you. Love him as you love yourself. For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. You’ve all seen the deeply, deeply tragic photo of the 4 year-old Syrian boy who drowned trying to flee that war-torn country with his family. His tiny, vulnerable frame on the sandy shore lifeless, waves ebbing and flowing – it is heartbreaking, soul-breaking. A child refugee in a family of refugees fleeing a madman and a mad war, a victim of humankind’s destructiveness. This image is an iconic reminder that, like some of our Universalist brothers and sisters teach, hell is here on earth. Especially in places like Syria. When I saw that photo, my breath was taken away for a few moments and then tears joined breaths' return. As I thought about all of it, and as I think about it now just a few week...

A couple days ago, January 6th, was the Day of Epiphany. The word epiphany is actually one of my favorite words. It is a lovely word. And it has several meanings. When it comes to the Christian holy day known as Epiphany, there are actual two versions of Epiphany. Western Christianity’s version of Epiphany commemorates the arrival of the Wise Men coming to visit baby Jesus. We Three Kings of Orient Are. They come bearing gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In Eastern Christianity, Epiphany, sometimes called Theophany, commemorates the Baptism of Jesus in River Jordan. Today is actually the Sunday we commemorate Jesus’ baptism. There are a couple more general meanings of the word. It can be a religious term that refers to an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being. So in Greek mythology and Hindu mythology there is a range of epiphanies, the appearance of various gods to bring a message or reveal a judgment. Lastly, there is the common usage we hea...