...and a great multitude followed them.

Picture taken by Robert Pitts

As with most of my middler classmates, we are spending long nights with the Gospel of Luke and the Widow of Naim for our Preaching class. We are beginning the struggle of becoming one with the text and allowing the Holy Spirit to flow within and throughout.

Working with commentaries that I have acquired through mass book sales and retired pastors eagerly dropping off boxes of books at the Seminary, I came across a translation that  instead of "a great crowd followed" was "a great multitude". Happily diving into reading week, one could say that a great multitude came streaming out of the Seminary wanting to enjoy the beautiful Indian summer that has enveloped and occupied us for some time now. Except, that's not where I found myself Monday afternoon at 3pm.

Surrounded by fellow brothers and sisters on a school bus heading downtown, was our goal to bring the Good News of redemption, teaching those Pharisees to err on the side of grace? Was it our goal to enlighten those who chose to remain in shadow, comfortable with being spoon fed what the world had to offer them? Or was it our mission to become the voice, one collective voice for those whose weeping had not reached the ears of the 1%? Was it our mission to connect as children of the Most High, of God, of the Creator and stand for justice? 

Taking in the massive throng that bottlenecked downtown, elated to see those pastors such as Pastor Tom, Pastor Mike, Pastor Kim and Pastor Vance marching and united with fellow LSTC'ers remembering the commandment to "love one another as I have loved you" this is truly putting our ministry, our call into motion.

I know one thing we did right

Was the day we started to fight

Keep your eyes on the prize

Oh Lord, Oh Lord.

God's Peace.