The Subversive Season

In my first article of this year 2025, I highlighted the moments of joy and fellowship we had during the month of December. Last month, I shared with you all about my experience on my recent trip to El Salvador. And as the days and weeks drew closer to writing this month’s article, I’ve been thinking about what I should write about. Because we are in the season of Lent, I finally came to the conclusion to write about the season of uncertainty that many families are facing right now and will face in the days to come.

Last month I was at an event held by our synod called Together in Mission. My wife and I were in charge of preparing a table that shared the story of  the partnership between the Greater of Milwaukee Synod and the Salvadoran Lutheran Church. On the table, we decided to put a replica of the Subversive Cross on our display table. This cross was used by the Salvadoran Lutheran Church in a special service of reconciliation during the Civil War. The church asked the congregation to write on the cross the injustice they were going through. Many of them wrote words like hunger, discrimination against women, lust for power, murder, violence, persecution of the church, among others.

If I had the opportunity to write on the Subversive Cross right now, I would write the word persecution again. Yes, an unprecedented physical, psychological, inhuman persecution. A reality that many communities are going through right now and with whom we as Christian leaders are called to walk and pray with them on this new uncertain journey that for some has already caused increased anxiety, fear, and in some cases mourning due to the harassment they have received.

Many of you have probably heard the story of a Latina student from a school in Gainesville, Texas who died by suicide as a result of the constant harassment she received from other students. The 11-year-old girl was harassed and told that immigration would be called to deport her family. After a few days in the hospital, the girl sadly passed away. After hearing this story, I asked myself the question: Are these actions part of the kingdom of God? Is this the kingdom that Jesus brought to the world? Is this the kingdom that he taught us? I don’t think so. Jesus did not come to the world to establish a kingdom of oppression, harassment, persecution, hatred, exclusion and mockery. On the contrary, the kingdom of God that Jesus describes is a way of being and living characterized by love, compassion, justice and peace. In John 13:34-35, Jesus tells us, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Matthew 25:35 says, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” it gives all of us the characteristics that the kingdom of God on earth should have.

Brothers and sisters, as we walk through this season of Lent, a time of spiritual preparation as we wait to relive and reflect on how God’s love was poured out through Jesus Christ on the cross to free all of humanity, and as we walk through this uncertain time, let’s take some time to reflect on the recent events that are impacting many communities. Seeing and hearing what is happening around many communities, I ask myself the question and invite you to meditate and reflect with me. Is this the kingdom that Jesus brought to us?

Jesus sent his disciples out two by two to proclaim the good news and said to them, “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” Lucas 10.9

 Pastor Edwin

Love God & Love Your Neighbor

Happy New Year! Now that we’ve got that out of the way, what’s next? Well, one of the irritating things about a new year is this business of new year resolutions. For many people it’s typical to step into the new year by setting new goals and aspirations. It’s something that tends to require a reordering of priorities and usually involves writing goals down on paper or creating cell phone reminders or encouraging notes on our computer home screen and then aligning our daily habits to those goals. We all make them – or at least feel like we should make them. But like new Christmas toys, too often they soon end up broken and tossed aside.

I think it’s safe to say if we gathered a list of resolutions from Ascension members we’d no doubt see goals ranging from the ever-popular losing weight, to sticking with an exercise program, to developing a more regular prayer life to being more kind, to being a better spouse, parent, sibling, or friend. All things that are intended to improve our lives.

Recently when I led a study on the Book of Joy, I asked group members, “What brings you the most joy?” Their consensus answer was “relationships and connections with others.” If this is indeed true, and I believe it is, then as we look ahead to this new year, I wonder if we might move relationships to the forefront of our minds as we ponder setting our new year resolutions. First in our relationship with God, and then in our relationships with others. Because if I remember scripture correctly this sounds familiar to something Jesus said – love God and love your neighbors.

As we step into this new year I wonder if each of us would consider these words every time we encounter the clerk at the post office, the receptionist at the doctor’s office, the people who clean your office building, and pick up your trash and recycling. The cashier, bagger, or stock person where you buy groceries, or the people who deliver your packages along with every other person in this world regardless of their race, religion, political affiliation, financial status, language spoken, skin color, country of origin or anything else and remember all of them are God’s children and deserving of love, welcome, acceptance, respect, and compassion.

With this in mind, I pray that your resolutions and mine will all lead toward the peace and joy on earth that we celebrate in the birth of Jesus at Christmas. May the joy of Christ be with you always throughout this new year and beyond.

Pastor Tony