brian shivers

Matthew 26:45-56 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.” While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.” At once he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and

Sometimes  the silence is heavy.  The fear  has no place to hide.  The sorrow  has nowhere to go.  And the soul feels empty.  The promised alleluia  is coming.  The silence  will be broken  by the vibrancy  of life  springing  from the ground  which once held it captive.  But Today we wait in the quiet, in the pain, in the anguish, in the void of separation.  Today we  wait in silence. 

Our world is noisy,            we have come seeking your presence.  Our world is noisy,            we have come seeking your rest.  Our world is noisy,            we have come seeking your peace. And you, O Lord, promise to be here through  our songs,  our prayers,  the Word,   the silence.  We lift our eyes to you.  Thank you for meeting us here in the midst of our noisy world.  O how blessed is this place, That is filled with  your solace,  your light,  and your grace. Amen.  (The last portion adapted from the hymn "Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty" which followed the prayer)

Last year on this day, I was on a bus heading for Selma, AL to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the first march from Selma to Montgomery to demonstrate for voter's rights for African-Americans. Over 50 years ago, when that first group of demonstrators got to the Edmund Pettus bridge (a bridge named after a Confederate brigadier general, a US Senator, and Grand Dragon of the Alabama Ku Klux Klan) they were met by local law men and an angry posse who greeted their peaceful march with the violence of swinging billy clubs, tear gas, fists, and feet. The moment was captured on camera and was broadcast across the country. The day became known as Bloody Sunday. As our bus got closer to Selma, the traffic slowed to a crawl. Several of us decided that we would disembark and walk the remaining two miles into Selma. It was a surreal and emotional experience. As we walked I began to imagine what those original marchers must have felt when they set out on foot to the state capital w